Autocar - First for car news and reviews

The finished version of Toyota’s new iQ city car has just been launched here at the Geneva motor show. And it's barely changed from the clever, cute concept that we were introduced to in Frankfurt last year.
The iQ is the ‘world’s smallest four-seater car’, boasts its maker, measuring just 2985mm in length. To achieve such tight packaging, Toyota’s engineers have come up with a clever cabin system that allows three adults and one child to sit in comfort, despite the iQ’s diminutive, almost S...Read the full article

Remember the original Mercedes A Class ? And remember the infamous 'Elk Test' ? How well does Toyota think this offering is going to do !?!

Sorry, but what's the big deal? Unless my conversion back to feet and inches is wrong, this car is only 4 inches shorter than the original Mini. So, take the bumpers off the Mini and you're almost there. The Mini packaging provided space for four adults, rather and just three plus a child. Where is the advance in fifty years?

"Where is the advance in fifty years?" 

 Much as I love the original Mini, try crashing in them both and you'll have some idea.

I would imagine it's rather more refined, cleaner, more reliable and less prone to rot, too.

 

 

I can see a few things wrong with the car but kind of like it. I think it could sell reasonably well. Granted, it may not have the brand appeal of Mini or Smart but it's an alternative which should be worthy of a look.

Matt Prior:

"Where is the advance in fifty years?" 

 Much as I love the original Mini, try crashing in them both and you'll have some idea.

 

 

Especially if you remove the bumpers as suggested above ;-) 

I can't see all the fuss. First of all, those headlights look a bit strange. Secondly, I'm not sure it would be much more spacious than a Smart; those rear 'seats' would not be very useful. Besides, I would like to ask all of you who are reading this post what Fiat showed us a few years ago in the Trepiuno? A compact dash with a 3+1 seating arrangement...I'm sorry, but it seems that the Japanese just can't resist copying European manufacturers.  

Christian Galea:

Besides, I would like to ask all of you who are reading this post what Fiat showed us a few years ago in the Trepiuno?

True, but did Fiat ever actually put it into production?  Or did they bottle it?

I quite like the looks of this little city car. It bucks a trend I've noticed recently in that it actually makes the wheels look too big for the car!

The interior is a bit uninspiring though, I guess the cost savings have to be somewhere, but this will face stiff competition from the Fiat 500 that is bigger, arguably more fashionable and better looking inside and out.  IQ does fight back with smaller dimensions and better environmental credentials I suppose.

Also where on earth is the boot?!  This was the key reason why I sold my MINI!

 

The iQ is simply how the Smart should have looked.

If anyone needs any proof of who is ahead these days in automotive design - Europeans or Japanese - this is it.

 Roy.