GRM Review: Scion iQ

The opinions are strong on this one.

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/new-cars/2012-scion-iq/

Alan Cesar wrote: The iQ is a horrible pile of failure.

Hahaha awesome!

On a related note: Do you think reception would have been better if it got exceptional mileage, instead of mediocre (or even low) by small car standards?

I sat in one @ the DC auto show with 3 of my roommates. Only one of us is under 6 feet tall. It was interesting, but we did fit.

Sounds like it is going to be a resounding success then.

good one Alan

I noticed that, in addition to a much nicer interior, that the Aston version is available with a 6 speed manual.

ProDarwin wrote: On a related note: Do you think reception would have been better if it got exceptional mileage, instead of mediocre (or even low) by small car standards?

I suspect it would - if it had great mileage, it would be better at solving a problem most Americans actually have to deal with. As it is, a car built to conserve parking space is a tough sell in most of the US.

Smart has been doing really poorly in this market - there just is no value proposition for a vehicle this size. I'm really surprised that Toyota brought this one over.

Great concept, wrong market. I don't see anything smaller than a b-segment car being practical in all but the most super-urban places where there is no highway driving and every inch is at a premium. I can get 30mpg from my ms3. And my MINI. and my mx6. and my Prism. I don't ever have to worry about tight parking, and I prefer a little more space when going places.

I did hear one thing that made me laugh though-

Was at the auto show checking it out. Was noticing that we could fit 4 people in it with minimal discomfort, when I heard some golly-gee 'merican come up to the Toyota lady and ask "So where's the rest of it?" and she replies- right on point- "You mean the stuff we don't need?" She has a point... in the right market, you don't need the space.

Wow.

"Everything about this car sucks hard. And for its high sticker price, you don’t even get a full tank of gas. For a full 6 gallons of fuel when you leave the dealer lot, you need to check an option box. Seriously. "

For S&Gs I built one of these online shortly after getting the 2 Touring. To come even close to the 2 it put the IQ almost $3k more than the 2. Not only that but Scion's build your own site is by far the worst I ever used.

Awesome review by the GRM crew. Especially Marjorie.

6 speed manual, and much better mpg, like 70+ (prius C, or small D engine) and you could not keep them on the lots.

Current milage and a lot more power which is completely doable, same thing.

I want to like this car, its exactly what I need to putter back and forth to work at 10mph on the freeway but it needs a selling point other then, look at how small I am.

I would like a car that size but that one ain't it.

I think this car would be a hit in the $11,000~$13,000 price range but with the ones I've seen touching on $18,000 and no negotiation because it's a Scion, I think they missed the mark.

My wife and I thought they looked pretty cute so there's that .. beyond that I doubt we would ever bother even test driving one.

Like the looks. Needs wide stiky tires and rims.

But wait, it comes with a CVT only.

I no longer want this car...wander over to FRS bin and buy one. So, I guess it worked out well for Toyota, got me in to look at a goofy car and I sold myself another model.

This car is available with a manual transmission...just not in the U.S.

BTW, the British mag CAR thinks it's an okay car, but STRONGLY recomends readers avoid the CVT.

Toyota builds and sells a car that is bigger than the iQ, but (slightly) smaller than the Yaris....why they didn't send that car (the Aygo) to the U.S. is a mystery.

IQ is supposedly a competitor to the smart, and will probably do as well in the marketplace (good at first, since it's a Toyota, but lousey after a few months to a year because bigger cars make as much or more sense).

I wanted to like this car as a good Smart alternative but it's just not good at anything. The mileage is "just OK" by today's standards, and quite poor by tiny city car standards specifically (especially since the iQ will probably be shopped against electrics like the Mitsu i) which should be its strong point, being a tiny city car. As was said in the review, a Yaris is just better.

I would have one. Much of the negativity (and fuel mileage concerns) seem to revolve around the CVT. Please, Toyota/Scion, rethink the CVT-only decision for the USA.

For now, I'll wait to see the reviews of the forthcoming Chevrolet Spark. It may be a Daewoo, but at least it's coming with a proper clutch.

Now that we have two teeny tiny, allegedly eco friendly cars that don't get any better mileage than a merely small car, I've got to wonder: Why haven't the people building them looked to micro sports cars for inspiration? For good mileage, you'd want better aerodynamics and packaging things into a small frontal area rather than a small parking space footprint. Cars like the Lotus Europa, Triumph Spitfire, and Fiat 850 did a pretty good job at packaging a two seater into a small, low car... why haven't we seen any attempts to revive sub-Miata sized sports cars? Seems like they'd please both gearheads and tree huggers more than a Smart brick-mobile.

I look at this car and think "Oh, look. It's Toyota's answer to a question no one asked. Good job Toyota. Now we know what NOT to ask for."

MadScientistMatt wrote: why haven't we seen any attempts to revive sub-Miata sized sports cars? Seems like they'd please both gearheads and tree huggers more than a Smart brick-mobile.

+1000

I want a clone of the smart roadster, suzuki cappuccino or honda beat

No kidding. I love the smart roadster, if it were available, chances are pretty high I may have looked at it instead of a Hyundai Accent a few years ago. Why is it that economical cars have to look so nerdy?

integraguy wrote: Toyota builds and sells a car that is bigger than the iQ, but (slightly) smaller than the Yaris....why they didn't send that car (the Aygo) to the U.S. is a mystery.

Anytime someone mentions the Aygo, all I can think of is football.

I LOVE small cars, and want to like the IQ, but agree that it's pretty bad as it sits right now. Three ways they could improve it:

1) Sell it as is, but for ~$10-12k. 2) Keep the price where it is, but make it far more fuel efficient 3) Keep the price where it is, but give me more power an a 5 speed.

I also second the notion of a kei roadster for the US. I would buy one in a heartbeat.

MadScientistMatt wrote: . Cars like the Lotus Europa, Triumph Spitfire, and Fiat 850 did a pretty good job at packaging a two seater into a small, low car... why haven't we seen any attempts to revive sub-Miata sized sports cars? Seems like they'd please both gearheads and tree huggers more than a Smart brick-mobile.

None of the cars you mentioned would stand a snowball's chance in hell of passing today's safety standards for starters.

The Smart and now the iQ show you what the packaging (and fuel economy) look like when you try to package all modern safety requirements into a small car. Something's got to give in that scenario.