Toyota showed off its super compact, C-segment iQ to the world in Geneva today. The car was first shown in concept form at Frankfurt last year, and will be produced in late 2008.
Toyota is touting the iQ as the ultimate refined mode of transportation and at less than 118 inches in length, it’s certainly small enough to be a devoted city runabout.
The iQ is called a 3+1, meaning it is capable of carrying up to three adults along with a child or luggage in comfort.
Toyota is especially proud of the six engineering innovations it utilized to maximized interior space in the iQ in addition to the long wheelbase of nearly 79 inches, which minimizes overhangs but maximizes the space between the wheels. The first includes a newly developed compact differential, alone said to be responsible for over 100mm of added length in the cabin in comparison to the B-segment Toyota Yaris. The rest includes rear-angled shocks and a flat fuel tank under the seats, a smaller heater / air conditioner unit that’s just as efficient, a center take-off steering column, an asymmetrical dashboard as well as slimmer seats claimed to contribute about 1.5 inches in length to the interior. Despite its small size, the iQ received a 5-star safety rating in Euro NCAP testing.
“We came to the conclusion that, in order to ensure a sustainable future, there was a need for a radical change in vehicle packaging. We needed to create a break-through, away
from the traditional belief that small is basic,” said Kazuo Okamoto, Executive Vice President in charge of Research and Development at Toyota.
The pushed-forward dashboard features temperature controls with an LCD display, as well as a 5.8-inch screen for satellite navigation system.
The iQ showed at Geneva sat on 16-inch wheels and powerplant choices will include two gasoline and one diesel engine. Toyota expects to sell 100,000 units of the iQ in its first year of production globally.
02/13, 9:38 AM
posted by:
RicardoHead
If I wanted a Smart, I’d buy this any day over its retardedly fruity and reliably questionable european twin.
02/13, 10:25 AM
posted by:
R1GHT30U5
Is it coming to the US? How much will it cost?
02/13, 10:52 AM
posted by:
Veda
If it’s like $6K, it’s a decent transportation unit.
02/13, 10:56 AM
posted by:
livelyjay
My guess is it will start around $10000, IF they being it to the US. It would be nice if it was cheaper than that, considering the Chevy Aveo 5-door start at $10900.
02/13, 10:57 AM
posted by:
WEKS
Looks… sorta good, actually. Little wierd with the door being almost as big as the whole car though.
02/13, 11:10 AM
posted by:
corvette
ill admit it doesn’t look bad but i still would never get one.
02/13, 11:16 AM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
Hell, bring them all over and let the tuners have at ‘em. That’d be funny as hell watching a couple of these run the 1/4 mile.
02/13, 11:43 AM
posted by:
WEKS
Don’t be hating, johnny boy. Now, think of the insane power to weight ratios you could get with a engine swap (now with that said i doubt it’ll be very swap friendly).
02/13, 11:45 AM
posted by:
maximus
don’t they have the Yaris for this?
02/13, 11:55 AM
posted by:
rsg
I don’t see how three people xould fit comfortably in this thing, unless it’s three across maybe. Something about the line “left over room for a small child or luggage” made me laugh though. Wedge the kid against the wheel well, he’ll be fine.
02/13, 12:14 PM
posted by:
Buivrolet
It makes me laugh…but it’s economical I guess.
$10000 for it though? No way. $6000 is more reasonable. I’d take a base Aveo over this any day.
02/13, 12:19 PM
posted by:
CA36GTP
“…with leftover room for a small child or luggage.”
I would consider putting a child in this cardboard box akin to abuse.
02/13, 12:32 PM
posted by:
CTS DRIVER
^^^hahahahaha ca36
02/13, 1:09 PM
posted by:
livelyjay
@Buivrolet
$6000 is more reasonable, but with the weak dollar and ever increasing price for materials, import taxes, etc, I would never expect a new car to be less than $10000.
02/13, 4:49 PM
posted by:
RicardoHead
Think you could get a Hemi under that hood?
02/13, 5:19 PM
posted by:
CA36GTP
Haha, Ricardo! It could be done, but the driver would have to be moved back into the “small child” compartment!
Also, I’m not so sure this thing would hold up very well past Warp 5…
02/13, 6:04 PM
posted by:
gbb
Not bad, should barely feel it going under my Super Duty.
02/13, 6:56 PM
posted by:
1c3d0g
gbb: I like your style man…keep on truckin’!
02/13, 8:53 PM
posted by:
global_lightning
Someone tossed a Scion xD into the dryer…
02/13, 9:47 PM
posted by:
sprockkets
Why do they show these cars with such a blue tint to the headlamps? Aside from the minivan and one other car in Toyota’s lineup for the US, none come with HID or LED headlights, and like this POS will have it either. Oh, wait, the Prius has it, and perhaps this wants to save some energy too. Still.
Kudos to Mazda for EVERY model having it as an option, even the Mazda 5.
02/14, 3:10 AM
posted by:
Kaizen
If you actually realize how many people option their Mazda with HID lights, you would see why Toyota doesn’t offer it across their model line. That’s why Toyota has Lexus.
02/14, 9:18 PM
posted by:
The Stig
Looks dumb.
02/18, 11:39 PM
posted by:
jackjimturkey
shaq could drive this
02/25, 8:28 PM
posted by:
audi-lover
looks like a Smart car- only better
03/04, 11:48 AM
posted by:
RicardoHead
This makes the Smart look absolutely stupid. Awesome job, Toyota.
03/04, 12:26 PM
posted by:
agent09
heh the iQ vs the smart.
both pretty pointless, and unsafe.
03/04, 12:53 PM
posted by:
MY Si
Now THAT is small. good luck passing a semi with this. lol. cool lookin though.
03/04, 1:52 PM
posted by:
HoosierHero
lol MY Si…no doubt. I remember trying to get up to speed with my old Chevette. O…M…G…scary as hell!
03/04, 1:59 PM
posted by:
Heart64
Veda is right if Toyota offers this sucker for like 5 to 6k they’ll go like hot cakes and I’ll snap one up too!
03/04, 2:58 PM
posted by:
SoLoveLA
How does agent09 know that the Smart and iQ are unsafe.
Did he/shim design them? Was he/shim present at the crash tests? The Nissan Frontier just scored the worst in European safety tests whereas the Smart performed really well.
03/04, 3:00 PM
posted by:
SoLoveLA
Agent09 should use this or a smart as a butt plug as it would stop him sharting all over these forums.
03/04, 3:09 PM
posted by:
bolex
price this sucker @ under 10K and i’d get it. great second car.
03/04, 3:22 PM
posted by:
lucklaster
Mr. H1, May I introduce you to iQ…iQ…iQ!…….iQ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!……………………………………..
03/04, 6:48 PM
posted by:
gbb
It looks like an Aztec and a Smart4Two screwed and this is the offspring……….or afterbirth. Tough to decide.
03/04, 7:20 PM
posted by:
anonymous 2
this is by far the cutest car currently in the market, wow I can’t believe I just said that…
03/04, 9:39 PM
posted by:
autonut
I think it makes more sense then Smart, will cost less and deliver more (1.5 seats more).
03/04, 10:22 PM
posted by:
(V)ike
It looks like the Honda robot Asimo’s head. A little more modern then the Smart, but equally as useless on the US highway system. When I’m crusin at 70-80 in LA, I know some retard is going to try to drive this thing in the carpool lane. They should be banned on freeways. Also, I feel bad for the person in the back seat when this thing gets rear ended.
03/04, 10:41 PM
posted by:
autonut
It will do just fine on any highway. It already aced Europe’s testing, which is as good as US and autobahn in Germany has no speed limit. If some one will drive Suburban into Suburban at 70 mph, there will be very few survivors, and they would wish of quicker solution (I would not want to survive something like that). it is small, no doubt. Fast forward 5 years from today to $6-7/gallon of gas and think bicycle as alternative to this or Prius, which will be very pricey to own and maintain.
03/04, 11:41 PM
posted by:
sharpie
I like it, but strictly city driving. No way will I drive this on the interstate jungle with cross wind, 18 wheelers, full size pickup trucks and SUVs.
03/04, 11:45 PM
posted by:
saabstory
This is actually a good looking little subcompact IMHO! Heck, if they just stretched this out a bit and called it a Yaris, they could get rid of the ugly vehicle going by that name currently!
03/05, 9:14 AM
posted by:
jayjc08
Does anybody know what the smallest car in Europe is, aside from the SMART on sale right now? Odd question, but just curious
03/06, 12:44 PM
posted by:
bigp
damn why ford could not think of it first an bring it to the market with hybrid only car base car should be 1.5 and the top is the new system from the 2009 escape with the 2.5 kick ass system .just lexus it with the high performence hybrid
03/13, 11:02 PM
posted by:
deutschetouring1337
Amazing
07/12, 3:52 PM
posted by:
ElTiggerMalo
I love this thing. I only hope it is as low weight as it is small and it comes w/ at least 110 hp. It’s perfect for city living.
09/20, 2:18 AM
posted by:
Kano K
it looks like good but i think it will be like the yaris ,
but of cource the new thchnolge will make this car
butter than yaris.I hope its price will cheaper than the yaris.
10/05, 3:38 AM
posted by:
Me_Go_Fast
We bought a 2008 Yaris. Small, but it’s good on the gas mileage. It looks like this IQ car has about the same room inside…and since we only have luggage and not kids we’ll have even more room since luggage doesn’t squirm around. However we would of bought the iQ instead had it been out. 60 MPG??? He** yeah we would of bought it!! For work and back or throwing our dive gear in or bikes on the back it would be great! We like our Tundra with all the room….however we like to spend our money on fun things instead of a sh**load of $$ on a tank of gas. It’s too bad that they will be about $10 grand over here. Screw the Smart cars, they get the same gas mileage as a Yaris and the Cooper gets even worse. We say bring ‘em over!
10/05, 1:44 PM
posted by:
Mrs. Georgia Peach
I want one of these NOW!
It is just what I have been looking for and the fact
that it is made by Toyota is a big plus.
Perfect for scooting around doing errands and
fantastic gas mileage.
And priced between a Yaris and a Corolla.
Perfect.