Toyota iQ review
by Tom Stewart (20 December 2008)
It's plain to see that Toyota's new iQ is small, but to properly convey how small requires that I resort to figures. Measuring 2985mm in length, the iQ is 714mm shorter that a current MINI, 561mm shorter than the current Fiat 500, 420mm shorter than Toyota's tiny Aygo, 139mm shorter than the original Mini and just 15mm (or less than 2/3 of an inch) longer than the 1957-1975 Fiat 500. Owners of smart fortwos might like me to mention at this point that their cars undercut the iQ by 290mm, but fortwos don't have four seats (more on that later) and nor do they have the iQ's amazing 3.9-metre turning circle (under half that of a London black cab).
But there's more to the iQ than length and manoeuvrability. It most emphatically isn't another noisy, bouncy, underpowered and ill-equipped city car, and with prices from £9,295 to £11,275, one would rightly expect it not to be.
With grown-up handling and a big-car feel – largely due to a relatively long wheelbase – early buyers (first deliveries will be in January 2009) will likely be well-off urbanites who traded down to a MINI a few years ago and now want to go a step further. Or those still battling around town with a big bruiser and, without wishing to sacrifice too much in the way of creature comforts, have finally grown tired of the stress and expense associated with driving big cars in town.
Shoehorned in under that tiny bonnet is a 67bhp three-cylinder 996cc petrol engine. My car had the optional, dual-mode CVT Multidrive auto transmission and performance was a long way off exhilarating, but a decent spread of torque (up to 67lb/ft) means that around-town acceleration is adequate.
Nifty, power-reliant manoeuvres on the open road aren't the iQ's forte, but once up to speed it motors along quietly and comfortably enough, maintains 80mph or more with ease, and even when flat out it remains refined and unflustered. It would be fun to speculate about the possibility of a sportier, circa 100bhp iQ for the future but, in current climes, I'd better not.
Although tiny, there's nothing Toytown about how the iQ rides and drives. Toyota's test drive route in and around Milan included some horrendous cobbled streets which it took comfortably in its stride, although potholes and railway level crossings can send a slightly uncomfortable but temporary jolt through to the cabin's rear.
To maximize interior space Toyota started with a completely clean sheet of paper when it designed the iQ's steering system, and with electric power assistance it's well-weighted and responsive. That 3.9-metre (12.7-foot) turning circle proved very handy, while its skinny tyres grip well.
Another trend bucked is that tiny city cars must, by definition, also be tiny inside. Not so with the iQ, although the term "four-seater" shouldn’t be taken too literally. As part of what the iQ's Chief Engineer describes as "extreme packaging", the iQ's designers made it possible for the front passenger to sit well forward of the driver, thus allowing sufficient space for a 6ft-plus adult to sit directly behind.
This renders the iQ a definite three-seater, but to seat four requires that either the driver, the passenger behind, or preferably both, be relatively short-legged. Space and legroom up front is truly impressive for a car so petite, but there are motorbikes with more bootspace when all four seats are in use – 32 litres, or enough for two umbrellas or a slim briefcase. However, the two rear seatbacks can fold flat, thus expanding loadspace to 242 litres, or plenty enough for a supermarket jaunt or a week away for two. It's a given that Toyotas are as well-built as they come, but I did notice that the soft plastic, easily-scratchable finish on the interior door cappings might show premature wear and tear.
If it's true that city cars compromise safety in the quest for size and economy, then the iQ certainly bucks that trend.
As a Londoner, I'd happily own one - if I didn't have a wife, three kids and a dog.
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