Toyota IQ Logs Five Star NCAP Score

I normally agree with what Justin B sez, and the opinion is as always something we're all entitled to; but in this case, I find the reasoning flawed. @Justin Berkowitz How expensive? Toyota iQ: £9300-£11,300 Toyota Aygo: £7400-£9500 Smart car: £6500-£9000 – It probably should have been built as a 2-seater, but Toyota’s USP was that it’s a 4-seater. So they’ve got this back seat, and it’s useless. When it’s up, there is actually no storage space behind it. When folded down, it takes up precious cargo room. –It also has poor mileage for a car this size. As in AutoExpress got 30 US MPG with it. –The whole idea of city cars is that they are easy to drive in the city. The poor gearing of the iQ makes 0-30 acceleration annoying. –Also, it’s 2.5 inches wider than a Toyota Aygo. This is a little irritating when it comes to parking. Pricing in Great Britain does not only not necessarily directly equate to the US, but two cars are not even available in the US. Unless Justin is making a point for a European audience, which certainly some TTAC readers are. But that isn't stated. Back seat is not useless when up; on the contrary it then functions as a back seat. Perhaps of limited use--anybody over 5'6" need not apply, but that's not the same as useless. I suppose it takes a few inches off clearance away from cargo room when folded, but hardly a major or unusual compromise in cargo capacity. The height of the car alone makes cargo more usable than in the Insight-I or any roadster I can think of. Autoexpress is not the final word on mpg--plenty of other reviews suggest mpg measurably higher than the Aygo, Smart, Yaris--the cars it was compared to in this thread. The gearing is one reason for mpg. Unfortunately in my opinion, city car gearing in the US results in lots of mpg potential left on the table in cars like the Fit or xB. And on parking, I'd take a slightly wider and noticeably shorter car over the opposite anyday. So yeah, I guess I do like the iQ, and with crash tests like this, I like it more. Still probably won't buy one unless I suddenly move to a much larger city (and it is sold in the US!), but I hope its technology trickles up to the next gen Yaris, etc.

i'd prefer an Aygo, but i would like this over the smart, which is just too narrow. i like that the iQ is wide and stumpy

The iQ has several examples of forward-looking innovative technical solutions. Just check out the seat design, the differential layout, the aircon design. And it drives and rides pretty well, too, from what I hear. So in my book, it is laudable. About the iQ's cost. I have a great difficulty in understanding people who have a moral or emotional position when it comes to pricing. Like in, "that meal costs fifty bucks, they are bloodsuckers!". If you don't like it, then don't buy it, and leave the rest to the market, is what I say. I would say that pricing only has a moral element when you're talking about a monopoly provider of goods. People who complain about prices seem to me to have the attitude that they somehow deserve cheap goods. Why? Or am I getting something wrong here?