Would you consider the Scion iQ an alternative to the Prius C, ?

Tough question, because it's a competitor...only if the individual perceives it as being a competitor.

But obviously the iQ is not a hybrid, and is a significantly different vehicle as a whole.

All I can offer, is I currently own a Honda Fit which has very similar outward dimensions as the Prius c, and I'd consider the Honda Fit a very capable City or Urban vehicle....and small enough that I would consider it a considerable advantage in City parking as opposed to a "regular" vehicle.

Yes, it's NOT iQ or Smart Car..small...so not quite as versatile or easy to park, but compared to regular or mid-size or larger vehicles? It does very well in City parallel parking situations and crowded parking garage situations.

Whether or not the iQ is a competitor to the Prius c, depends IMO on the individual doing the consideration. Since YOU are obviously comparing the potential Plus'es and Minus'es of both? Then it's a competitor to you.

I'd say they share similarities in so far as both being small vehicles with obvious nods to urban useage. But beyond that? The differences in what they are start to separate significantly.

Anyway, IMO don't underestimate the "ease" of parking a Prius c, it's still a pretty small vehicle outwardly, and while it can't match the super small parkability of a iQ...is still IMO a significant advantage compared to "regular cars".

 

I had also seriously considered an IQ but will likely get a C. I do almost all city driving and I read a CNET review where they only got 26 MPG in the city. Not good enough for me. Also, I'm just under 6'1" tall and my head was touching when I sat in the IQ, and I don't think the seat adjusts lower (the salesperson and I couldn't find a way to do that). That's a deal-breaker. Also, I didn't like the forward visibility. It felt like I was sitting way back away from the windshield. I read that it might be hard to see stoplights if you're right below them. I did really like the look of the car. The small size might have worked for me as I'm married with no kids or pets, but I could see how the limited cargo space wouldn't work for many. Just my impressions.

 

I was looking at the iQ for years before it finally went on sale. Owner gas mileage reports changed my mind. The US iQ owners aren't getting anywhere near EPA estimated mileage. Most report about 33mpg to 37mpg highway mileage. Forget that! The CVT (no manual option in the US) makes it a sluggish performer as well. I don't see how the iQ makes any sense unless you absolutely need the 26' turning circle. The Mazda2 makes much more sense than the iQ, IMO. But then the turning circle of the Mazda2 is 32 ft. Not bad, but bigger than the Prius c.

 

If parking is of importance and a motorcycle is out of the question, why not a Smart car if you travel alone? Looking on auto trader there is a 2008 convertible in yellow with black leather interior and 34k miles in Staten Island, owner is asking $8,495. Cars for Sale: 2008 smart fortwo passion cabriolet in Staten Island, NY 10312: Convertible Details - 314485757 - AutoTrader.com

Off topic, there is also a Smart for two Electric Drive for $46k that came up as well...

 

Parking and turning circle are where the IQ win.

Fuel economy isn't as good as the Prius and the ride is a wee bit harsh. I don't think it's the IQ as such, more that it's a small car and does get knocked about on bad roads.

Depends on your requirements. I guess parking in NYC is as bad as most European cities and the IQ is great for just nipping in the smallest spaces. Remember all those 'almost' spaces you pass in the Prius? Well, the IQ loves them

 

like a few others.. i've been eyeballing the iQ for a very long time..

when it finally came to the states.. the price tag was marked higher than was initially projected.. and besides solving a lot of urban parking problems.. i could not find myself to spend that much money on the vehicle. that and the lack of a manual transmission which would've helped in the mileage dept as well.

when the C just got delivered to the dealership.. the only thing i needed to see was the price tag.. at which I found to be reasonable and worth the price.. the iQ's price? not worth it for me...

still... i do wish i had a vehicle that small whenever i pass by a parking space that's just a little bit small.. but big enough to fit one... but otherwise.. i'm happy with my Prius C.

 

The iQ is one of the cars I was considering before I purchased the Prius C. I like the look. So many cars look similar - at least this is something different; well except for the smart car. I think the C has a really neat look or profile to it too.

Anyway, on my iQ test drive the salesman sat in the back. He's a tall man and it was kind of funny seeing him crammed in there with his knee poking up into the gap between the front seats. He said he was comfortable. Prior to the test drive I watched several review videos and one ( in Great Britain ) complained that he was a 'target' on the road for other vehicles. That didn't sound likely to me and I didn't believe or understand it at the time. Then on the test drive on two occasions people were mildly aggressive ( driving like mad to get around me in one quick jerking maneuver ) even though I was going over the speed limit. I was surprised. I guess they see the shape of the car and make assumptions that I will be going very slow.

It was a little noisy, even compared to my previous car ( Scion xa ). Funny thing is the next day I was test driving the Prius C and a saw a red iQ passing other cars. So they can move if you want them to.

In a lot of ways it reminded me of my old Scion xa. I love the maneuverability and it's fun to drive in the city. But compared even to my xa, the get up and go was noticeably less.

In a location where parking is scarce or the spaces are smaller I would definitely recommend considering the iQ. I think it would be a fun car to drive around the city ( I still miss my xa, but at least my wife is getting use of it ). I only keep mentioning the xa because in a lot of ways the iQ felt the same. The xa ( 2004 model, I think ) was rated at 38 hwy and I kept good track of the milage. Got 36 and 37 many times but really, the average for my city/hwy regular route was more like 31 or 32.

 

For us it's the latter as indicated by this picture; If we'd been in the Prius there was no chance we could have parked as in the IQ we were an inch off the rear of that Ford and sticking out an inch into the opening. In the Prius we'd have blocked the opening completely. We love the IQ for it's cheeky parking

 

We wouldn't normally park that close but there was about 6 feet in front of the Ford giving him room to get out. He was just being a selfish parker - 6 foot in front and 6 foot behind. If he'd have moved up there would have been space for a Prius or similar, but he wasn't reckoning on the IQ

It would have been funny if another IQ or a Smart had parked in front of him though.

And as you've discovered with your Smart - half the fun is finding the unusual parking places. I've seen a couple Smarts parked like your in one space in my town. ha ha So long as you're not over the white lines of the bay they can't ticket you.

 

Prius for the win. The extra space, four doors, and fuel economy ar all wins. The Smart car, the IQ, and the Fiat 500 are using much more fuel than their European counterparts...I had a lowly Fiat 600 that got over 60 mpg in real world driving and my 96 3 banger Geo got right at 60....not possible in thsi day and age due to the extra wt needed to meet the crash requirements.

 

I also owned a 2007 and a 2010 Honda Fit and the Fit was probably the best car I've ever owned. I recently bought the C and love that as well but do miss a lot of things about my Fit. If mpg's are a top priority, the C is definitely better though. As far as parking I'd say the Fit, C, and the IQ would be good choices but for versatility the Fit rules followed by the C.

 

OP: How many miles do you drive per year? If you really want a car but drive solo and don't drive that much MB has some excellent lease deals on the Smart right now. The cheapest are $1k+ $100/mo per month for 3yr,10kmi/yr.

 

btw.. I wanted to get my thoughts across with regards to the thread title.

I do NOT consider the Scion iQ as an alternative to the Prius C.. it's just another car used for different purposes. the iQ is great on parking and urban areas, but lack the value with the mileage and MSRP for the vehicle.

The Prius C has the upper hand on the mileage, and at least in my opinion, worth the extra money over what Scion wants for the iQ... again.. my opinion.

overall, I don't see the iQ as a vehicle in the same range of comparisons to the Prius C despite the close price range. it's pretty much the Honda Insight and CR-Z.. I would say would be the competition

 

FYI...

Went to the movies last night. Before the movie...got a big screen commercial for the Scion iQ. Was basically the iQ being parked over and over again in various clever ways.

So it does seem "parkability" is something being stressed in marketing the iQ.

I was relieved it WASN'T one of the "Game Of Life" Prius c commercials.

 

if Scion had released the 6 speed manual transmission here for the iQ in the states and people were seeing the mileage that the Japanese and European counterparts were seeing..

along with the MSRP being maybe $2k cheaper.. I would have bought one already.

 

And the 1.0 litre 3 pot engine with 6 speed manual. That makes for 64.8 mpg UK or 54 mpg US.

OK no where near the Prius but still not bad and tuned for being nippy in the city. Maybe the Americans just wouldn't consider a 3 pot 1.0 litre engine?

 

Totally different philosophies. The iQ is perfect for the uber big metropolis where car storage is hard to find. The 1.0L engine would be plenty for that kind of duty. On the other hand, our little friend, the c, is more passenger friendly or can carry way more stuff and gets excellent MPG.

I wouldn't mind traveling long distances in a c, but not sure the iQ would be that great a ride cross country with that short wheel base.

Then again if you want an iQ that really doesn't make a bit of sense, but is really "cheeky" you can buy one in Britain!