Toyota's iQ city car is coming to Europe next year, competing in the "small but premium" category. (Translation: Toyota's pricing the not-so-mighty midget be priced between Fiat's 500 and BMW's MINI.) But the folks at Autocar UK thought that Toyota was too smart to develop a unique platform for just one car, so they asked "senior sources" if there was more iQ to come. Too right, mate. ToMoCo will also use the iQ platform on a (somewhat) larger car, which will compete with VW's forthcoming up! city car. Meanwhile the iQ will not be offered in hybrid trim; Toyota's boffins reckon a hybrid drivetrain would be too heavy. Thus the Yamaha-sourced one-liter, two-cylinder motorcycle engine (what, no R1 mill?) equipped with start-stop technology, and a diesel. Sometimes the highest IQs favor the simplest solutions. And the worst jokes.
8 Comments on “Toyota Raises Its iQ...”
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I hope we get this stateside. Again with some of us wanting a NICE car, but also a SMALL car. Just, please, ToMoCo, give us a decent interior!! I’ve yet to see a small car in the US that doesn’t match up with Martha Stuart’s kitchen (save maybe the Mini, but that thing is so ugly anyway, it doesn’t matter).
Something doesn’t make sense here. If Toyota bring the iQ to Europe, what’s going to happen to the Aygo?
As far as I know, Toyota can’t make Aygos fast enough, so if the iQ comes along, there’ll be some cannibalisation, surely?
I’m not in Europe so I can only guess, but if they can’t make the Aygo fast enough, it can’t really be cannibalism, can it?
Or, maybe it’s an Aygo replacement?
The iQ is supposed to be smaller and more expensive than the “basic transportation” Aygo.
If the iQ needs to be biggie sized to compete with the Up! from VW, it’s also going to be smaller than the Aygo.
Is it my imagination or do Toyota’s small cars all look like ugly bugs?
It reminds me of a Smart Fortwo with a less cartoonish length-to-height ratio, actually
KatiePuckrik:
Something doesn’t make sense here. If Toyota bring the iQ to Europe, what’s going to happen to the Aygo?
As far as I know, Toyota can’t make Aygos fast enough, so if the iQ comes along, there’ll be some cannibalisation, surely?
Nope. The iQ is a much more premium car than the Aygo. The iQ will be more expensive and will be aimed at a different group of buyers than the Aygo.
Steven Lang:
Is it my imagination or do Toyota’s small cars all look like ugly bugs?
It’s just your imagination.