Toyota's IQ concept will be produced.

p.s. tideland - japanese reporters driving iQ mentioned and confirmed that new 1.3 NR engine for iQ (and Yaris, Auris, Corolla) will be mated with 6 speed manual... nice!

 

I predict the IQ will make it to the US and soon, might help take the wind out of Honda's global small hybrid (aka the Prius clone)

 

Yes, we'll see if Toyota aptly named it. Judging by the Smart car sales, I think it would be a hit. But I know it would be dreaming to get the diesel to the US. *drool*

 

Son of Geo Metro, this car has "I am a high school sophomore" written all over it:

2009 Toyota iQ revealed (updated)

Nice try. But, for anyone other than dumb sorority girls living in dorms, it won't work; it won't suffice. It's small, yet irony looms: I couldn't shoehorn this vehicle into my stable, not to save my life.

Three cars in my stable, my number ONE vehicle has to be a primary vehicle... e.g., it has to be efficient, and it has to be able to do everything, from an efficiency standpoint. It's got to get my groceries, it's got to get me to and from the Home Depot, I need it to have four doors, enough room for five passengers, I need it to have luggage space for three to travel cross country, it's got to stow every gift under my Christmas tree, it's got to be able to transport out of town guests, and their luggage, to and from the airport.

Most importantly, I need my number one vehicle to be my principle commuter vehicle.

My number one vehicle is a '04 Prius Hybrid with a Sat Nav. It does Yeoman's work; it does everything my other cars do. From an efficiency standpoint, it does things they can't.

Similarly so, my number TWO vehicle has to be a primary vehicle... e.g., it has to be able to do everything my number one vehicle does. Not necessarily from an efficiency standpoint, I need my number two vehicle to merit strength where my number one functionally isn't. When necessary, I need my number two vehicle to substitute, as a commuter vehicle.

My number two vehicle is a 2007 AWD Subaru L.L. Bean Outback wagon with a Sat-Nav. Outstanding in snow. It, too, does everything my other cars do, yet from a functional standpoint, it does things they cannot.

I need my number THREE vehicle to be a lightweight high performance two-seater, which can be called into service anytime, to double as a second vehicle, when seldom necessary. If I own a two-seater, then I prefer it be a high performance vehicle, a fast fun car, efficient and practical, with a grand touring axiom.

Plenty of luggage space for two, my 1988 Supercharged MR2 doubles as a mid-engined high performance vehicle I can call into service, to serve as a second vehicle, whensoever needed. With Konis and a dance floor suspension, performance of this car rivals most anything on a tight, technical canyon road.

All three of my vehicles have to be able to do more than one thing.

Point is, like the Lotus Elise/Exige, Toyota's IQ fails, miserably so, as a viable substitute. Not one vehicle in my garage will either one suffice. To get either one of those cars in my garage (e.g., Toyota's IQ or the Lotus), I'd have to sacrifice my MR2. Not to save my life would I trade my mint, vintage Supercharged MR2, not for Toyota's IQ (lousy performance), much less the Lotus (e.g., can't be driven without racing shoes; can't be pressed into service as a second vehicle; utterly useless implement for tourning or travel; can't be driven by my wife).

Why Toyota's IQ won't work? If it's a two-seater, then I want my cake and eat it, too (e.g., four paragraphs up that begins, "I need my number THREE vehicle to..."). This I consider nonnegotiable.

Answer to the question: It's unidimensional. That's why it won't work. My cake and eat it too, the AW11 chassis MR2 was (is) a better concept. My 20 year old MR2 does everything the Lotus and Toyota's IQ won't.



Regards,
~ Sammy, '04 Prius

 

PS - Somehow, toggling through my contribution after having been timed-out I find, ex post logging back in, an identical contribution sequentially duplicated -asj

 

Too bad it has to take $8-$10 gas to get what is ethically right done around here. Maybe more Americans will get scared once gas hits $5 next year?

I too own a MR2, but a modified SW20 for that matter.

 

In the world of engineering dynamics, it's similar to what is known as a forcing function, in that it forces alternative behaviour.

 

So symptomatic of the self-indulgent conspicuous consumer, gobbling up this planet's resources with no concern for his or anyone else's offspring.

Why not get a horse too? Gasoline free to boot!

 

It looks like an Aygo that's been through a wash and dry cycle!

 

there will also be "7 speed" CVT option with both petrols

 

it is both marketing and trying to get old customers feel good about new technology.
I personally never found Prius "cvt" anything than great but a lot of reviewers complained about cvt's... Being in europe, never got to try one of real cvt boxes..