Toyota has unleashed its super-smart supermini on the market but does buying one really add up, asks MICHAEL MCALEER, Motoring editor
TAKE YOUR small car prejudices and throw them in the bin. In terms of small car thinking, Toyota hopes to up your iQ.
Would you feel safe and secure in a car that’s less than 3m long? Would you have no fear of mixing it with heavy trucks at 120km/h on the motorway?
For many, a car this size elicits concerns about safety and stability. “It’d blow away in a gust”, or “you’d need a tin opener to get you out if you hit anything”.
Toyota engineers are well-versed in such simplistic comments. They knew well what they were letting themselves in for with this car. Yet they were brave enough to do it, largely because they’ve got serious car-building pedigree. Excitement might not apply, but quality and reliability are oft-repeated mantras of its customers.
So they’ve endeavoured to make an ultra-safe, stable small car. Without giving it all away, it’s safe to say they’ve succeeded.
In terms of safety, the iQ has been nicknamed the Airbag by some, for it comes with a whopping nine airbags. Toyota knows the odds are some iQ owner is going to have the misfortune to be in a crash, and they want them to get out alive. That’s the best reputation-builder the brand could hope for. In the meantime, the car has achieved a remarkable five stars in the Euro-NCAP crash tests – phenomenal for a car of this size. The greatest risk for occupants, then, is that they might be pummelled to death by airbags.
Alongside these crash protection features are several active safety features like stability and traction control, as standard; you’d pay extra for these on the likes of the Ford Fiesta and even the Nissan Qashqai. In fact, we can’t think of another supermini with traction control as standard, despite the system’s proven track record at saving lives. In a car of this size, many would suggest they’re not needed, but Toyota clearly didn’t want to leave anything to chance.
So for all the doubters out there, let us assure you the iQ doesn’t compromise on safety – nor on driving ability. The performance we recorded would lead us to question the official 0-100km/h times. A quick look at the speedometer and the number of vehicles we were passing revealed just how nippy this little car is. Due to its width, the car is remarkably stable at speed, while managing to corner with aplomb. It’s nimble, neat, yet never nervy. The ride can be a little hard on badly surfaced roads but it’s no worse than many larger superminis.
Inside, limitations are obvious. The boot measures 32 litres and with rear seats in place, it’s about the width of your arm. Rear seats are only for emergencies; even then, only one is of any use. Toyota has swapped the glovebox for a “glovebag”, the idea being that the front passenger seat moves further forward to allow some legroom behind it. On the driver’s side, you must swallow the steering wheel for anyone to sit behind you.
It’s cramped in that regard, although we managed to get two 5ft 9” passengers in at one stage. It does mean the passenger is slightly in view when looking left, but it’s no major issue.
First impressions are of a tiny car. However, that’s slightly deceptive – in reality, it’s as wide and tall as many full-scale family hatchbacks. Park it alongside any Micra, Yaris or Fiesta and you’ll be surprised at its size. That means you have ample elbow room with two in the car and there will be no complaints from people over six feet tall.
The tiny boot touches on an issue that you can’t escape: storage. No glovebox and skimpy cupholders mean you have to be watchful of clutter. Another annoying feature is that stereo controls are operated through a joystick and button on the steering wheel. There are no buttons on the central console, or an information display. Instead, next to the speedometer, there is a screen that tells you your mileage, fuel level and radio station. It’s fiddly and annoying. It’s not as if adding a proper radio would have dramatically increased the size of the car. It’s just one step too far in trying to miniaturise and be smarter than the rest.
These issues aside, this car can do no wrong. It’s got retro styling, plenty of safety features, decent performance and adequate space for what it is. It must be a hit, right? Wrong.
The essence of the iQ is to capture the illusive young urbanites – students or first-jobbers who set trends in music and fashion. These polyglot PhDs go to the right bars and spend their weekends partying with the in-crowd and rescuing rainforests. These folks can make a brand.
The idea to chase them makes sense – what’s more, get ‘em young. For a brand like Toyota, with a massive model range and a reputation for reliability and solid residuals, if you get into one of its cars, it’s confident you’ll stay loyal for life. Whether you end up in a Yaris or a Lexus, they have something for you.
The iQ supposedly captures the ethos of conscientious motoring – it’s something the eco-conscious can buy without guilt. You can’t be expected to cycle to your friend’s organic farm outside Bohola and make it back to Sandymount in time for herbal tea. A car is required.
The iQ fits the bill: distinctive, with a similar stature to the Smart car, but much more fun to drive. Unlike the Smart’s woeful automatic gearbox, you get a proper manual transmission that’s smooth and precise. And that’s the secret: the iQ is smarter than Smart.
The problem is that it may be too smart for its own good. For a start, there’s a problem with targeting the young and trendy: they’re invariably penniless. Several firms have got financially burned by producing ultra-cool products for this market.
And it’s the price that makes less sense. Starting at €13,690, it seems competitive. Move up to the 3.5-seat version and you face a bill of €14,410. Add in air-con and part-leather heated seats (why?) and it’s €16,585. Replace the 1-litre engine with the 1.4-litre diesel (again, why?) and it’s a whopping €20,430.
Perhaps 18 months ago, those prices would have been acceptable for the extra-urban chic the car provides and the little boost to your eco ego and moral standing. You might be small, but you could look down on SUV owners from a great height.
When the Government has its hand in our pockets, you have to consider just what else you could get for that sort of money. That doesn’t even mean leaving the Toyota forecourt. The Aygo, for instance, offers just as much small car credibility, lower emissions, a proper little boot of 139 litres and a rear seat that will take two adults – for €10,685. Go up to €12,605 and you get the high-specification five-door version.
If it’s head-turning you’re after, what about the Fiat 500, at roughly the same money and exactly the same emissions, with back seats and a boot of 185 litres? For this money you can get a Yaris or even the impressive 1.4-litre diesel Ford Fiesta, all in the lowest emissions tax band, so all equally green.
For many potential buyers, the extra money for the iQ could go a long way. In engineering terms, the iQ is one of the smartest cars around. It captures the zeitgeist of the global market better than its rivals. It’s smarter than the Smart. But it’s still hard to think of any for whom it would make financial sense.
Toyota iQ 1.0 Luna
CC:998
Bhp:68
Top speed:150km/h
0-100km/h:14.7 secs
Bootspace:32-242 litres
Consumption:4.3l/100km
Price:€16,585
Engine:998cc three-cylinder petrol engine putting out 68bhp @ 6,000rpm and 91Nm of torque from 4,800rpm
Specification:nine airbags, ESP stability control and traction control, radio/CD, front electric windows, steering wheel with audio controls, radio/CD with six speakers, remote central locking, tyre repair kit; Luna version adds: air-con, front fogs, heated wing mirrors, part-leather heated front seats and outer electric coloured door mirrors, with a price difference over entry-level Strata of €2,175
L/100km (mpg):urban – 4.3 (65.7); extra-urban – 3.9 (72.4); combined – 4.9 (57.6)
CO2 emissions:99g/km
Tax:VRT – 14 per cent; annual motor tax – €104
Price:€16,585 (from €13,690 for two-seat version to €20,430 for 1.4 D-4D version)
Correction
: In last week’s road test, we listed the Peugeot 308 1.6 HDi Eco model as a direct competitor for the VW Golf. In the factfile we listed the Peugeot’s emissions at 125g/km. It is in fact 120g/km and therefore qualifies for the lowest tax band and an annual motor tax bill of just €104