Toyota today confirmed it is considering brining the iQ subcompact to the U.S. market. The car, which achieves 54 miles per gallon, was introduced earlier this year at the Geneva Motor Show. It is about to arrive in Japanese and European showrooms, but availability elsewhere around the globe could be next on the agenda.
The news follows a rumor last week indicating Toyota might bring a version of the iQ to America and sell it under the Scion brand.
“We are investigating introducing the iQ to the U.S. market,” Chief engineer Hiroki Nakajima told Automotive News. He said he expects a U.S. launch in the next two years, but the car must first be upgraded to meet tough American regulator requirement for airbag deployment and bumper strength.
Measuring just 118 inches in length, the iQ is certainly smaller than what most Americans are accustomed to. But with a money crisis and rising costs, many U.S. citizens are opening up to the idea of ultra-compact vehicles. The iQ is called a 3+1, meaning it is capable of carrying up to three adults along with a child or luggage.
The Japanese version of the car, which goes on sale next month, comes with a 1.0-liter gasoline engine, but the vehicle is capable of fitting a 1.5-liter mill if needed.
