Toyota has unveiled its iQ concept at the Franfurt Auto Show. Continuing with the “green” theme of this year’s show, the iQ is a small car designed to be used in an urban setting and is touted as being environmentally friendly. The iQ was designed at ED2, Toyota’s advanced European design studio in the south of France.
The iQ comes in at 2.98 in length — 770 mm shorter than the Toyota Yaris — but nearly matches the Yaris in both height and width, leading to a spacious interior. The iQ also uses an innovative 3+1 seating system. It will seat four with space for three adults and a child – or the fourth seat can be utilized for luggage space. According to Toyota, in regular use, driver and passenger sit side by side. But, to accommodate a third adult or adult and child, the front passenger seat can be moved in a more forward position allowing more room and easier access to the rear area.
Details on the powertrain remain unconfirmed but it is expected that the iQ will use a front-wheel drive layout. The iQ is expected to hit European showrooms sometime in 2009.
09/11, 3:04 PM
posted by:
CTS DRIVER
IM REALLY NOT LIKING THE FUTURE OF CARS HERE LATELY.
09/11, 3:06 PM
posted by:
GARY
It looks like a demonic Smart.
09/11, 3:13 PM
posted by:
meanpants555
It’s a Toyota and it’s scowling at you; I love it. Looks like it would bite the leg off a Mini/Smart/500 and feed it to its kids.
09/11, 3:15 PM
posted by:
meanpants555
It’s awesome how Toyota has taken the design language from the FT-HS hybrid sports car and shrunk it down tiny. It is a brilliant design.
09/11, 3:25 PM
posted by:
Malhaar
I am normally the one to hate little cars like this.. but i actually kinda like this.
09/11, 3:45 PM
posted by:
Cire
Get a priest to perform an exorcism on this little beast! I guess if I was on the bottom end of the Toyota food chain, I would be rather PO’ed too.
It’s o.k., but I would prefer one of the GM minicar trio concepts over this car if I was buying in this segment (which I hope never happens). Unlike GM’s triplets, Toyota will probably bring this to car to market.
09/11, 3:59 PM
posted by:
jackjimturkey
Toyota?
IQ?
09/11, 4:27 PM
posted by:
autonut
Exorcism has been performed: there is no speedo in the middle of the dash! I hate those in Yaris/Scion
09/11, 4:29 PM
posted by:
Wickedated
CTS DRIVER, I hear what you’re saying! These new concepts are ridiculous and every interior is looking colder and colder. It’s like every car company has an IKEA metrosexual designer coming up with concepts. Fortunately, it looks like this one is just a design exercise by Toyota, notice how powertrain is not even stated. In the end, buyers have the consumer power to tell these people what will be a hit or miss.
09/11, 4:33 PM
posted by:
AgmLauncher
Wow, I didn’t know Fisher-Price got into making cars :O
09/11, 5:34 PM
posted by:
CTS DRIVER
yeah WICKEDATED too many pokemon looking tiny crapboxes, holy crap its a dim boring tiny stuffy commuter nightmare in the future.
09/11, 6:13 PM
posted by:
jackjimturkey
Somebody should track down Steve Jobs’ interview comments on concept cars. Part of the reason I consider the man a genius
09/11, 6:17 PM
posted by:
sharpie
New Scion xA!!! Yes I think Toyota got “Smart!” This one looks better than the xD or Yaris IMO.
09/11, 7:01 PM
posted by:
1c3d0g
Hahaha….the moron who designed this car must have an IQ of 3. No way anyone with half a brain could design something this ugly!
09/11, 8:03 PM
posted by:
Commodore
I think Toyota is going for GM trio of minicars – Groove, Trax, and especially the Beat with this one. I like the Beat and Groove better than this, the Trax is worse than this.
09/11, 8:24 PM
posted by:
Deanster
Awesome! I feel sorry for the Smartcar, getting the **** kicked out of it by every concept. I love these small cars.
09/12, 12:30 AM
posted by:
Elvio
look like a bulldog
09/12, 11:04 AM
posted by:
AgmLauncher
I wonder how long it takes that car to get up a 3% incline. Engine can’t be very big….
09/12, 10:09 PM
posted by:
SERSteve
This will probably come to market, Toyota is VERY aggressive these days so they will want a bigger piece of the “City” car market. There is obvious fortwo influence here, but also a LOT of toyota wierdness as well. especially inside. I still haven’t seen a true smart competitor because all of these “city” cars seat more than two people so there just one size larger than the smart. This and the VW Up! are both interesting, but the smart still in a league of it’s own. I love these little cars, I can’t wait to get my fortwo.
09/12, 11:24 PM
posted by:
Hugh Jass
I really like the purple background…
09/14, 9:55 AM
posted by:
lamboz get a life
My five year old has one of these, it is red with a yellow roof.
09/15, 4:33 PM
posted by:
BLISS
IT REMINDS ME OF THE MERCEDES-BENZ MINI CAR