Toyota iQ

Posted in Goals, Humor, Transportation

Toyota is out to get Smart with a clever new microcar. This might just going to be my new car … yeah seriously! I’m gonna make a testdrive soon!

I’ve got my eyes on a Black IQ 1.0 VVT-i Aspiration / Sol / IQ² (most expensive model) with the following options: Multidrive CVT automatic transmission, TNS510 Full Map satellite navigation system and of course the partial leather seats with heating (catalog code: LB44), alloy pedals, interior illumination, JBL Premium Sound, Scuff plates, Vehicle Security System, Rubber Floormats, and front dash briefcase.

Then it has almost everything I could wish for in a car (missing cruise control ): Small, high tech, safe and a nice pricetag: ~ €20,000

More information:

Info @ Toyota (NL)

PDF E-brochure @ Toyota (BE)

“Engineered to Reach 5-star Euro NCAP” @ Toyota Ireland

Virtual Tour @ Toyota (NL)

Interior @ Toyota Europe

Reviews:

Review @ Autozine (NL)

Pricelist & Comparison (NL)

Review @ AutoWeek (NL)

Review @ TopGear (UK)

Review @ CarMagazine (UK)

Video review @ iMotorMag (UK)

‘Easy Parking’ @ YouTube

Video review @ MSN Cars (UK) / YouTube

Update 17jan09: added more reviews
Update 20jan09: added NCAP information, and Dutch leaflet, and model preferences
Update 28jan09: made a testdrive of about 40 minutes through the city, highway, and city again! This IS the perfect car for me. Downsides of the car: bit noisy on the highway (but the soundsystem of the car really makes you don’t care). While driving you are not noticing you are driving a small car; it feels like a ‘normal’ car. Manouvrability and luxury is excellent. The room for passengers is good too. ‘Head room’ is good (also for second adult passenger in the back). Quality material is good, far better than I expected. The TNS510 navigation has everything you could wish for, including USB, SDcard slot and aux in.
Update 09mar09: The iQ was already available with 1.0 68hp gasonline, and 1.4 90hp gasonline engine. Now Toyota has unveiled the 1.33 liter gasoline engine with 100hp for the iQ (after having the similar engine already in the Auris), available as 6-manual shifter or CVT. Will debute in Europe in July 2009. Downside: 113 g/km CO2. So for Dutch readers: this model does not have 14% “bijtelling”, neither is BPM-free. However thanks to the embedded ‘start/stop’ system the car still does 100km on 4 liter of fuel. Not bad at all ..