Toyota (Scion) iQ - Smarter Than a smart? Um...no!

Automobile magazine (Nov '08) has an article on the new Toyota iQ which will be sold under the Scion brand in mid 2009. They said it "outsmarts the smart, no contest." The iQ is a front engine front wheel drive (1.0, 3 cyl, 68-hp) microcompact that seats four (?) that's priced in line with a base Mini. First of all I don't need or want a back seat (iQ is a foot longer than a smart). Secondly, I'm a rear drive person, never liked or wanted a front drive car. Lastly, isn't a base-priced Mini ($19,200, miniusa.com) thousands more than a smart? I don't want that either. Doesn't sound that smart to me.

Tags: iQ

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Permalink Reply by Alan Perry on April 25, 2009 at 12:35am

Fred said "A three person family unit woulod not buy a smart anyway."

I guess that is why we are a five person family unit in this house. Five cars as well, three of them two-seaters.

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Permalink Reply by smart grrrl 7 on April 25, 2009 at 12:39am

My favorite comment I ever saw about the iQ was "finally, a car to meet the needs of all the three adult, one child families in America". It may me laugh.

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Permalink Reply by Rich H on May 20, 2009 at 12:18pm

And it is a death trap, like all other smaller cars from Japan.

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Permalink Reply by Barrie Marshall on May 22, 2009 at 4:04pm

I have a friend who has just bought an IQ for his wife as she realy fancied one, he bought it and she was very excited but she had not thought it out, sfter a few days she said to him their was a problem, the boot is too small, the Smart is bigger.

Barrie

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Permalink Reply by toes on March 31, 2010 at 11:17am

And here we are, approaching mid 2010 ... and Toyota still has no iQ in the US (hehe). Instead they have a ton of issues with their "not-so-smart" vehicles. The smart has been here for over 2 years now and there still are no competitors available.

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Permalink Reply by Fish on April 10, 2010 at 12:49am

The IQ isn't a bad looking car. They copied the smart.

I like some of the ideas used on the IQ that aren't on the smart...notice how the steering wheel is flattened at the bottom to increase legroom. Also, an extra seat means a place for a carseat. This makes it a better choice for someone with a family of three. Since they stretched the 451 (from the 450 specs) the increased length and width is a non-issue for most American roads and parking lots. Still, I would like to know the mileage, and if it has enough headroom. The price shouldn't be higher than a Corolla. Perhaps smart/Renault will return the favor and copy some of Toyota's better ideas in the next generation Smart. If they design well and quickly, perhaps they won't lag too far behind Toyota in entering the U.S. market with their next generation.

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Permalink Reply by Robert Stout on April 11, 2010 at 11:52pm

Due to currency fluctuations the Toyota IQ 2+1+1/2 will not be price competitive with the Smart...You can expect to pay $2,000 more for a comparatively equipped Toyota...

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Permalink Reply by toes on September 25, 2010 at 4:15pm

And summer turned to fall ... and still Toyota has no iQ (in the US).

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Permalink Reply by Forest on September 25, 2010 at 8:11pm

Just looking at the first post of this from back in October of 08 (the month I got my smart).

They thought the IQ would have been here back in Mid 09. That is one long product release.

Scion is so overloading that thing with extras no one will be able to see value in it.