Geneva '08 Preview: Toyota to show production version of iQ microcar
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Last September at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Toyota unveiled a tiny city car concept called the iQ. Next month in Geneva the iQ will be making a return engagement, only this time around in production form. The iQ heading to showrooms late this year retains most of the styling character of the concept, as well as its innovative 3+1 seating layout. Pulling the front passenger seat forward a little supposedly provides ample room for an adult in the rear seat. Enough space is left over for a child seat to also be added in the back. Toyota hasn't yet revealed details of the production drivetrain, but a 1.0L gas engine with start-stop capability is likely. Production is scheduled to launch later in 2008.
[Source: Toyota]
Press Release February 13th, 2008
Toyota to present two new additions to its small car line-up
at Geneva Motor Show
• World premiere of Toyota's revolutionary new iQ urban car
• European premiere of Toyota's new small SUV, the Urban Cruiser
At the Geneva Motor Show, Toyota will unveil the production design of its all-new small car – Toyota iQ. First shown as the Concept Car iQ at last year's Frankfurt Motor Show, iQ will go into production during late 2008.
iQ represents a break-through in compact urban transportation. For a first, up to three passengers can be comfortably seated in a compact urban vehicle at sub three metres in length, and additionally have enough area to accommodate a child or luggage.
The spaciousness of iQ is a result of its ingenious packaging, which was created by six space-saving but inter-linked engineering innovations that represent a revolution in Toyota's automotive vehicle development. Infused with Japanese design elements, iQ is a radical change in vehicle design as well as environmentally friendly transportation, and away from the belief that small cars are basic and less safe.
Toyota also uses the Geneva Motor Show to present a new extension of its sports utility vehicle line-up into the small car segment: Toyota Urban Cruiser.
This new Toyota is an environmentally responsible small SUV aimed at the urban all-roader market. It provides an answer to consumer desires for SUVs but with low fuel consumption and low emissions.
In addition, Toyota will also show its latest advances in urban environmental transport solutions, a Plug-in Hybrid prototype as well as two concept cars: the Toyota 1/X Plug-in Hybrid concept in combination with Flexible Fuel Vehicle (FFV) technology, and the i-Real personal mobility concept.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
rgseidl 10:38AM (2/13/2008)
Does someone have a top view diagram of the seating layout for this vehicle? There's a lot of marketing blurb here, but I still can't picture how they plan to shoehorn 3 Western adults and a child into this. The rear legroom appears to be almost non-existent.
The 1.0L engine and stop-start functionality do sound appropriate, though. I hope the gear box is better than the manumatic in the smart fortwo.
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MarkR 11:29AM (2/13/2008)
good point rgseidl. The main reasons you won't find me in a small car like this or a small sports car much less buy one, (A) I'm 6' tall and most cars like this are to small for me to get comfortable. (B) they sit to low to the ground making it difficult to get in and out of.
Also I question the size of the child. My 4 & 5 yr both above 90 percentile for children their age in height / wt. etc. and neither are over weight, in fact my 5 y.o. looks like a body builder, and I'm jealous. Both of them barley have enough leg room in my 4door Tacoma when they sit behind me. And whoever would be in the back seat of this car would be kicking me in the back every where we go. assuming they have enough room to move their legs.
who knows maybe were getting the scale of the car wrong. Those could be 22" rims on that thing which would put the size of the cab larger than a Prius or a Camery. ;) Nahhhhh.
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eckre 12:06PM (2/13/2008)
For most people most of the time (commuters) are traveling alone (90% of the time), this is fine.
I'm 6'6" and my girlfriend is 6'0", we're far above average for height (99% for me, 99.9993 for her) Try finding anything that fits us period. Hardly any car fits me but my 1982 Mercedes-Benz
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zaedrus 12:09PM (2/13/2008)
Generally, I like it.
I'm also 6' tall and am very comfortable sitting in a Smart ForTwo. (Just not comfortable with the lurching ride.)
Put in a decent transmission, squeeze out ~50mpg, and a price tag comparable to the Smart and I'd happily make this my commuter.
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Nick 12:13PM (2/13/2008)
I want one! When can I buy one?
And why don't we already have (more) cars like this???
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Throwback 3:44PM (2/13/2008)
If the Smart does well, I would be shocked not to see this for sale at Scion stores. They would'nt even have to change the name.
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mike 4:37PM (2/13/2008)
For me, I'd like to see this as an EV or hybrid version, from Toyota.
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Karl-Uwe Strunzen 5:43PM (2/13/2008)
I saw this car exposed at the Bologna motor show not too long ago, though I'm not sure if it was the production version. The model I saw did have limited leg room, but room similar to what I've seen even on larger cars. With the extra capacity and the toyota engine specs I expect it will be several notches above the Smart (just as larger cars outdo the Smart where the Smart should by rights be way ahead...)
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john riley 6:42AM (2/14/2008)
Is this just a shortened Aygo? That is what it looks like. Is it really necessary to go smaller than the Aygo?
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Karl-Uwe Strunzen 11:31AM (2/14/2008)
Well a lot of Smarts have been sold in Europe. A car of this size can be quite practical. However the Smart performances (including mileage) are quite dismal for a car of this size, as is the price and seating capacity. Smart sales have dipped 30% in Europe since 2005, and I'd put this down to cars like the Aygo being better in all aspects. On paper at least, Toyota may have addressed all these issues for those people who may find an even smaller car useful. Personally I would settle for the Aygo.
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Richard 11:42AM (2/14/2008)
I'm 6' tall as well. I can fit real nicely in a Smart and an old Fiat 500. I'm bigger than the average American and I don't see MarR's point. If you don't like the car, that's one thing, but you can fit in it. Like said earlier, cars of this nature are mainly for commuting, not family roundabouts.
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Jim Bullis 6:53PM (2/14/2008)
It is a little disappointing to see Toyota being the copycat instead of the leader. This sure looks like the Smart.
But this, like the Smart, will probably be disappointing. Neither is a very good aerodynamic shape, and gas mileage is not good enough to justify cramping tall people or just making people in it feel puny.
The Miastrada is set up for tall people, and lets them ride at a height like they were in an SUV. The only thing they have to give up is the right front seat, which is not much of a loss. Of course they have to ride in something that really looks and is different.
Look at http://www.miastrada.com for something that is really a new concept.
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Karl-Uwe Strunzen 1:11AM (2/15/2008)
I don't think one can say that this car is a copy of the Smart, but rather that this is Toyota's card in this limited market of cars of this wheelbase.
I was aching to see this new Toyota. It pained me to see so many Smarts with horrendous performances (and absurd prices) around. If you look at it, the Smart is pretty much an overpriced Ligier. This Toyota will still be a car (I assume it will have an interesting Toyota engine in it) and will seat four. The Smart seats two, and has a fuel economy, price and emissions which are worse than several larger European models.
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Doug M 3:47PM (5/05/2008)
I am also 6'6" - I can comfortably drive a Yaris. I've never been in a Smart but I suspect I could drive it since I know someone who is 6'4" who has no problem. If they have kept the front seat layout of the Yaris, I imagine I would have no problem with the iQ. Rear seating would be sideways, not front to back. This maximizes space but you can bet it will be cramped. The Yaris has a very spacious backseat. Unless this gets one heck of a lot better gas milage, the Yaris would still be my choice. If this gets 50mpg or better, I'll buy one.
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