How Goes The iQ?

[bronsin]

Is there any word on when and if (or not) the iQ will come to the US anytime soon? Are there any other mini cars scheduled to debut here in the near future? Ive got money burning a hole in my pocket for a mini car!

[RHDVIPbB]

The iQ is coming. Maybe next year, but not sure if it will be a Toyota or a Scion

[ellenbetty]

I would wait. Smart Car has applied for license to build a vehicle called the ForThree. The design has the driver up front in the center of the car and two passagers behind the driver. The iQ in reverse, so to speak. I would love a chance to test drive that vehicle.

[gokartride]

I heard 2010 and that it would be a Scion in the US. Interesting that both Aston Martin and MINI are looking at/engaged in partnerships involving the platform. For my money, I'd take Toyota engineering and design innovation over what Smart is offering (in the US anyway), although any car that functions well at that size is pretty clever no matter how you look at it.

It'll be interesting to see what modifications are done to the car to make it salable here. We saw this w/ Smart...I hope the iQ fares better.

[kustom play]

its going to be funny when people pick up this car for their only daily driver and realize how creative they will have to get to fit even a small grocery trips worth of bags in the car

i do not miss driving a 2 seater for a daily driver!

[katchkillah]

from the last updates i've seen via SET it's coming in 2010 under scion.

[gokartride]

how creative they will have to get to fit even a small grocery trips worth of bags in the carWell, at least the iQ has back seats.

Vicki seems to like it for shopping w/ the girls...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSB1nfX_3sU&NR=1

[kustom play]

if you watch the video there not putting any bags in the back there just making it look like they are

the backs seat is for like 1 person, i would hate to be the one shoved in the back

i use to have to use both my trunk and under my front hood to bring home food.

for a little bit of time they had this thing called a "race case" it was beer but the case was in the shape of a spare tire and fit perfectly in the front

even now being a home owner, the yaris is even too small now. Im going to trade it in for a new Tacoma pre-runner or keep it and pick up an older truck

small cars well cool when i lived at home and had other cars to pick up the slack but on your own people are going to realize how there not practical

you will never understand it unless you drove a small car for a while, ugggg it sucked for a DD

[Phaeton]

I think this car is going to be marketed as a city car, or second vehicle.

[kustom play]

yea i would agree totally i still wish toyota would of brought over the open deck bb :(

[cali yaris]

definitely 2010 and definitely a Scion. and I will definitely get one.

[katchkillah]

if toyota brought in other mini-vans/wagons that would've been even better.

[gokartride]

Well, I suppose I am on the other end of the spectrum....a Yaris actually has more room than I need and an iQ would be just fine. My trips to the grocery store involve two bags...no more. If I have lots more to haul I plan things out and rent the truck at Home Depot. That said...my kids are grown, I motor to a train station for my commute across the vast and sprawling wilderness of DFW, and I tend to be a pretty lousy consumer in general.

I had a Spitfire and a Sprite back in the day....and just came from (quite willingly) back to back MINIs. I'd snatch up an iQ in a heartbeat as an only car.

That said....I wonder how it will do in mpg once (or if) they tweak it for the US? I've also heard this might be one of Toyota's logical platforms for an all-electric car. The times they are a-changin', but it does make one crazy with all the technology rumors and infrastructure challenges.

[Yaris Hilton]

I just read in Car and Driver that the MPG testing in Europe is by an entirely different method than in the U.S. and gives much higher numbers. It's not so much differences in tune of the cars as comparing apples to oranges in the mileage testing.

[gokartride]

Yes....I seem to recall the engine of the Smart (which I assume was made by Mercedes for European cars) was replaced w/ a Mitsubishi lump when the car came over here). I doubt this will happen w/ the iQ.

In a perfect world, wouldn't it be great to agree on one world standard for auto emissions and crash testing?? This sure would simplify things for those who design, build, and sell cars.

Of course, California would probably still find a way to do everyone one better!! :thumbsup:

[ellenbetty]

Most of my trips I use the passager's side for what I bring home. A lot of people could live with a iQ (or a ForThree) if they plan their trips. Instead of getting groceries one a week, buy groceries every time you drive. I plan my shopping around doctor's appointments and allergy shots. I

European auto crash standards are way ahead of US standards in a number of ways. Optional safety equipment for the Yaris in the US are standard safety equipment for the Yaris in Europe. The US has yet to pass a human vehicle impact safety standard. US and Californa auto standards are slanted toward air quality. European air quality standards have included CO2 pollution restrictions for some time. So there are a lot fewer gas guzzling vehicles on European roads.

[bronsin]

Shoot I could do perfectly well on shopping trips with the top case on my motorcycle. Ihear Toyota is going to make the iQ an expensive car rather than a real economy car if they ever bring it here. "Americanize" it as it were. It should have the 1 liter engine and cost ~$10,000.

[advocate]

I can't wait to see some of those pop up on Microimage. Make sure you get on that Garm!
From the video posted I calculated that it gets 55MPG

23 kilometers>>>>>.621371192 miles..............1 liter .......................14.29153 miles
____________ x __________________ x _______________ = __________________ = 54.0993261467 MPG
1 liter ........................1 kilometer>>>>>>>>.264172052 gallon>>>> .264172052 gallons



but Yaris Hilton said the MPG calculation in Europe is a lot different. But I think it's safe to assume the number will be higher than the Yaris and lower than the max conversion, 55. So anywhere from 35 < x > 54

edit: wow it's really hard to format text on this forum. for some reason blocks of spaces don't actually count for anything when the post shows up on the thread so I had to use symbols to align everything :mad:

[cali yaris]

^ noted!

[Yaris Hilton]

In a perfect world, wouldn't it be great to agree on one world standard for auto emissions and crash testing?? This sure would simplify things for those who design, build, and sell cars.

Of course, California would probably still find a way to do everyone one better!! :thumbsup:

The car manufacturers would all love that!

[TRDMarty]

In May of 2008 I was HOT to buy an IQ when I saw 4 of them on a Toyota transport (all 4 were different colors) going through Orange County Calif. Yeah I followed the transport for a few miles to make sure of what I was seeing, all were badged with Toyota & IQ. So 40 minutes later I stopped at a Toyota dealer to ask if I could see and drive one and ALL of the sales rep's looked at me like slack jawwed troglodites with a question mark over their heads. They asked me whats an IQ?? Before I could answer, I thought, HUUMM they aren't showing much of an IQ right now. So I told them and they said there was no such thing. I made them go to a PC to Google an image of one. And again, slack jawwed trog's!!

[jonismyname]

for grocery shopping home owning nay-sayers, my yaris is much much bigger than my bicycle, and considerably larger than my motorcycle, yet i can use either for main transportation. unless your feeding a family of 10 or more, is it really neccesary? i mean, it's nice... but what i NEED and want...

besides, im sure any of these things can pull a small trailer...

[kustom play]

for grocery shopping home owning nay-sayers, my yaris is much much bigger than my bicycle, and considerably larger than my motorcycle, yet i can use either for main transportation. unless your feeding a family of 10 or more, is it really neccesary? i mean, it's nice... but what i NEED and want...

besides, im sure any of these things can pull a small trailer...

lol :thumbsup:

[Zaphod]

I get by with the saddlebags on the motorcycle, which I use about 80% of the time during spring, summer and fall, and about 40% of the time through the winter months.

Basically, I just ride or not depending on precipitation and cargo requirements. There are a lot times the Yaris is overkill (like rain or snow), but so is driving out of your way to borrow someone's truck when you need one.

That's how I look at it, but I typically ride rather than drive most of the time anyway. Everyone's different, a pickup and a Smart/iQ would probably be considered a more practical combination to most people, although quite a bit more expensive.

[gokartride]

any of these things can pull a small trailer...There ya go!!!!:thumbsup:

[gukin]

Here's what I've been able to glean so far regarding the IQ in the USA:

1. It will be a Scion, not a Toyota.
2. It will probably come out sometime in 2010 as a 2011 year model.
3. It will be equipped with a 93 bhp. 1.3L engine.
4. It will have some "revised" bodywork to make it look more "sciony"
5. It's likely to cost MORE than the base yaris.
6. It's likely to come with a CVT transmission rather than the four speed automatic.
http://blogs.edmunds.com/straightline/2009/07/spy-photos-toyota-iq-aka-2011-scion-iq.html

[gokartride]

^^
I confess, I'm a bit worried about #4, but rather pleased w/ #3!! Not to sure about #6 and not surprised by #5 and #2. Somewhat mystified by #1, but whatever.

[bronsin]

Here's what I've been able to glean so far regarding the IQ in the USA:

1. It will be a Scion, not a Toyota.
2. It will probably come out sometime in 2010 as a 2011 year model.
3. It will be equipped with a 93 bhp. 1.3L engine.
4. It will have some "revised" bodywork to make it look more "sciony"
5. It's likely to cost MORE than the base yaris.
6. It's likely to come with a CVT transmission rather than the four speed automatic.
http://blogs.edmunds.com/straightline/2009/07/spy-photos-toyota-iq-aka-2011-scion-iq.html

Excellent link! More links on the link itself including videos! Barbra Bush drives a Smart! Obama what you gonna do huh?

[gokartride]

Obama what you gonna do huh?He'd need a Yaris so the first-daughters could ride comfortably.

[texkid]

I think in the following link to Scion's website shows that the iQ will definitely be Scion and it will have the "patented" Scion style to it.

LINK to SCION's website - Scion iQ (concept car) (http://www.scion.com/#conceptCars_iq_showroom)

And for the record, I can manage to buy about $250 worth of groceries every so often and can fit it all in the car without any of it spoiling over to the front seats.

[TRDMarty]

This morning (just 2 minutes ago 9-19-09 1:33pm) I just looked at photos from the Frankfurt Auto show link from MSN website. And on the same page it has a link showing Toyota's Hibrid line (3 cars total) and ''The Toyota IQ '' is one of the 3 they show.
It's GOLD in color with a massive body package around it.
Again it's not labeled SCION
It's a Toyota IQ

[gokartride]

Again it's not labeled SCION
It's a Toyota IQYes, but that is in Frankfurt. U.S.-bound iQs will be labelled as Scions, I'm afraid.

I admit, I'm not too fond of the dash layout if the iQ. The Yaris is much better, imo.