View Poll Results: Would you buy one ?
Yes, I'd buy one `if gas gets over $5 + a gallon
1
4.76%
Yes, I would buy one NOW & have Fun : )
0
0%
No Way would I be caught driving one 4-Sure
9
42.86%
No ~ No ~ No, I'd walk first or ride my bike : )
11
52.38%
Voters: 21. You may not vote on this poll
Would you ever buy/drive one ?
#1
08-01-2011, 07:44 AM
Would you ever buy/drive one ?
2012 Scion iQ - First Drive Review from Car & Driver...Member's how high is your iQ ? 
With the price of `gas climbing again...Would you consider buying one of the below cars ? Please vote in the poll above
Thanks
Member's is that `Lou (Taz) in the first car (red) leading the new MCF `iQ Staff ~>
Continuously clever to a fault.
BY JOHN PEARLEY HUFFMAN
July 2011
Pages: 1 Photos
Scion iQ
News & Reviews
<!-- /buyers-guide -->Top Competitors your choice Don't like the iQ, post which of the below that you would pick if U really needed good MPG's ? ?
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 3-door hatchback
BASE PRICE: $15,995
ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, port fuel injection
Displacement: 81 cu in, 1329 cc
Power (SAE net): 94 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 89 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm
TRANSMISSION: continuously variable automatic
DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 78.7 in Length: 120.1 in
Width: 66.1 in Height: 59.1 in
Curb weight (C/D est): 2150 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST):
Zero to 60 mph: 11.8 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 50.0 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 18.5 sec
Hold `On
Top speed: 100 mph
FUEL ECONOMY (MFR’S EST):
EPA city/highway: 36/37 mpg
Here’s what the new Scion iQ has going for it: It’s tiny outside, but not so small inside. Four people can wedge in when necessary. It’s good-looking, the interior design is about the best of any cheap car, and the seats are comfortable. The suspension is simple, but it works well, and the precise steering and its size make the iQ super easy to park. And although the front-mounted 1.3-liter engine makes 94 hp, the iQ weighs just a cheerleader more than a ton.
Here’s what’s wrong with the new Scion iQ: It’s stuck with a continuously variable transmission that drains the fun out of it. Every. Single. Drop.
The Price Is Certainly “Premium”
Toyota—okay, Scion—describes the iQ as a “premium micro-subcompact” and will sell it as such when it goes on sale in October as a $15,995 single-spec model backed by a dealer-installed accessory catalog. That’s a ton of cash when you consider the plethora of larger and more practical cars available for less money, among them the Honda Fit, Ford Fiesta, Hyundai Accent, and Kia Soul. But, hey, at least the iQ costs less than the mechanically identical Aston Martin Cygnet.
<TABLE class=default border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width=10><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>The Scion does, however, look substantial and well detailed for a dink-class runabout. The bumper covers are painted and fit tightly, the headlights are complex units, there are turn-signal lights integrated into the bottom of the side mirrors, and the 175/60-16 tires fill out the wheel wells. Even the wheel covers on the steel wheels almost plausibly pass for metal. Besides its length—120.1 inches, 14.0 longer than a Smart Fortwo but a substantial 26.5 shorter than a Mini Cooper—and 78.7-inch wheelbase, little about the iQ screams “cheap.”
Inside, the driver faces a thick, flat-bottomed, three-spoke steering wheel covered in red-stitched leather and an instrument panel that nestles the tach in the lower right quadrant of the speedometer. And there’s an information screen to the left of those. It’s a compact, logical, and legible arrangement.
The center stack has three simple ***** for controlling the HVAC system and is capped by a pod that contains a double-DIN-size Pioneer audio head unit. If a buyer doesn’t like the standard stereo, Scion will have a dealer-swappable upgraded Pioneer unit and a navigation system available.
The thin-shelled, fabric-covered front seats sort of bend around any awkward body shape. The passenger-side front-seat rails are mounted slightly forward of the driver’s, and the dashboard on that side is slightly forward, too. The arrangement affords a bit more legroom for right-side passengers. A flotsam tray under the passenger seat is particularly useful if that seat’s occupant is a drooler.
<TABLE class=default border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width=1><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Even with the passenger seat thrown forward for ingress, it’s a chore to get to the rear seat. It’s not roomy back there, but that there’s any space at all is a miracle of packaging efficiency and owes something to the engine placement. So the kids feel claustrophobic looking through the pie-slice rear windows? At least there’s an innovative rear-window airbag to protect their heads in a collision.
Damn, Dirty CVT
The 1.3-liter four has a 16-valve DOHC head, variable valve timing, and an aggressive 11.5:1 compression ratio, but it doesn’t have much sporting character and has to be wrung to its 6000-rpm redline to whip up the full 94 horses. The modest 89 lb-ft of torque is available a bit lower peak, at 4400 rpm.
But those pattering pound-feet travel through that cursed CVT. Other markets in which the iQ is sold as a Toyota—or as the shameful Cygnet—are blessed with a manual transmission, but here in North America there’s no choice. So jam a brick on the accelerator, and the iQ’s little engine runs to about four grand and sticks there as the car slowly engineers forward progress with a drone.
Every time the iQ is about to do something entertaining, the CVT intrudes and spoils it. Dive into a corner, the tires bite and…the transmission induces its drone of defeat and the car practically falls on its nose. Scion says the iQ will run from 0 to 60 mph in 11.8 seconds, but a better estimate might be a week.
Scions always seem to promise more fun than they deliver. (We hope the upcoming FR-S–based coupe will prove different.) But tune the iQ’s front struts and rear torsion beam a bit, bolt on some righteous rubber, tweak the engine to about 130 hp, give it a decent transmission, and this car could be a point-and-squirt legend.
Right now, it’s only frustratingly clever.
<TABLE class=default border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width=299><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
With the price of `gas climbing again...Would you consider buying one of the below cars ? Please vote in the poll above
Thanks Member's is that `Lou (Taz) in the first car (red) leading the new MCF `iQ Staff ~>Continuously clever to a fault.
BY JOHN PEARLEY HUFFMAN
July 2011
Pages: 1 Photos
Scion iQNews & Reviews
<!-- /buyers-guide -->Top Competitors your choice
Don't like the iQ, post which of the below that you would pick if U really needed good MPG's ? ?- Chevrolet Aveo5 5-door hatchback
- Ford Fiesta hatchback
- Mazda 2
- Nissan Versa 5-door hatchback
- Toyota Yaris 3-door Liftback
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 3-door hatchback
BASE PRICE: $15,995
ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, port fuel injection
Displacement: 81 cu in, 1329 cc
Power (SAE net): 94 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 89 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm
TRANSMISSION: continuously variable automatic
DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 78.7 in Length: 120.1 in
Width: 66.1 in Height: 59.1 in
Curb weight (C/D est): 2150 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST):
Zero to 60 mph: 11.8 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 50.0 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 18.5 sec
Hold `On Top speed: 100 mph
FUEL ECONOMY (MFR’S EST):
EPA city/highway: 36/37 mpg
Here’s what the new Scion iQ has going for it: It’s tiny outside, but not so small inside. Four people can wedge in when necessary. It’s good-looking, the interior design is about the best of any cheap car, and the seats are comfortable. The suspension is simple, but it works well, and the precise steering and its size make the iQ super easy to park. And although the front-mounted 1.3-liter engine makes 94 hp, the iQ weighs just a cheerleader more than a ton.
Here’s what’s wrong with the new Scion iQ: It’s stuck with a continuously variable transmission that drains the fun out of it. Every. Single. Drop.
The Price Is Certainly “Premium”
Toyota—okay, Scion—describes the iQ as a “premium micro-subcompact” and will sell it as such when it goes on sale in October as a $15,995 single-spec model backed by a dealer-installed accessory catalog. That’s a ton of cash when you consider the plethora of larger and more practical cars available for less money, among them the Honda Fit, Ford Fiesta, Hyundai Accent, and Kia Soul. But, hey, at least the iQ costs less than the mechanically identical Aston Martin Cygnet.
<TABLE class=default border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width=10><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>The Scion does, however, look substantial and well detailed for a dink-class runabout. The bumper covers are painted and fit tightly, the headlights are complex units, there are turn-signal lights integrated into the bottom of the side mirrors, and the 175/60-16 tires fill out the wheel wells. Even the wheel covers on the steel wheels almost plausibly pass for metal. Besides its length—120.1 inches, 14.0 longer than a Smart Fortwo but a substantial 26.5 shorter than a Mini Cooper—and 78.7-inch wheelbase, little about the iQ screams “cheap.”
Inside, the driver faces a thick, flat-bottomed, three-spoke steering wheel covered in red-stitched leather and an instrument panel that nestles the tach in the lower right quadrant of the speedometer. And there’s an information screen to the left of those. It’s a compact, logical, and legible arrangement.
The center stack has three simple ***** for controlling the HVAC system and is capped by a pod that contains a double-DIN-size Pioneer audio head unit. If a buyer doesn’t like the standard stereo, Scion will have a dealer-swappable upgraded Pioneer unit and a navigation system available.
The thin-shelled, fabric-covered front seats sort of bend around any awkward body shape. The passenger-side front-seat rails are mounted slightly forward of the driver’s, and the dashboard on that side is slightly forward, too. The arrangement affords a bit more legroom for right-side passengers. A flotsam tray under the passenger seat is particularly useful if that seat’s occupant is a drooler.
<TABLE class=default border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width=1><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Even with the passenger seat thrown forward for ingress, it’s a chore to get to the rear seat. It’s not roomy back there, but that there’s any space at all is a miracle of packaging efficiency and owes something to the engine placement. So the kids feel claustrophobic looking through the pie-slice rear windows? At least there’s an innovative rear-window airbag to protect their heads in a collision.
Damn, Dirty CVT
The 1.3-liter four has a 16-valve DOHC head, variable valve timing, and an aggressive 11.5:1 compression ratio, but it doesn’t have much sporting character and has to be wrung to its 6000-rpm redline to whip up the full 94 horses. The modest 89 lb-ft of torque is available a bit lower peak, at 4400 rpm.
But those pattering pound-feet travel through that cursed CVT. Other markets in which the iQ is sold as a Toyota—or as the shameful Cygnet—are blessed with a manual transmission, but here in North America there’s no choice. So jam a brick on the accelerator, and the iQ’s little engine runs to about four grand and sticks there as the car slowly engineers forward progress with a drone.
Every time the iQ is about to do something entertaining, the CVT intrudes and spoils it. Dive into a corner, the tires bite and…the transmission induces its drone of defeat and the car practically falls on its nose. Scion says the iQ will run from 0 to 60 mph in 11.8 seconds, but a better estimate might be a week.
Scions always seem to promise more fun than they deliver. (We hope the upcoming FR-S–based coupe will prove different.) But tune the iQ’s front struts and rear torsion beam a bit, bolt on some righteous rubber, tweak the engine to about 130 hp, give it a decent transmission, and this car could be a point-and-squirt legend.
Right now, it’s only frustratingly clever.
<TABLE class=default border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width=299><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Last edited by Space; 08-01-2011 at 08:10 AM.
#5
08-01-2011, 09:07 AM
Looks like a scion smart car.. No thanks, My horizon has more horsepower, does just as good as on gas and its probally more roomy. If i did have to choose one, i think i'd take the ford fiesta
#6
08-01-2011, 09:19 AM
I agree, If I had to choose one from the above I would also consider the Ford Fiesta or the Honda Fit over the iQ 
I was surprised that the iQ did not get better MPG's..
The iQ also seems very expensive 4 what it offers...
But, some people like Toy's
Thanks everyone for your posts & contributions....
#7
08-01-2011, 11:13 AM
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: London, Ontario
Posts: 5,611
I sometime think those Fiesta's look pretty cool. Doesn't really seem in the same catagory as an iQ to me, but if the mileage is the same, then its the Ford hards down.
I don't hate that Scion. Its more exciting then any of the cars in the actual Toyota line up. But the iQ doesn't look like a real car or a complete car. It looks more like a cars emergency escape pod - like a car that ejected its cockpit when the rest of it was destroyed
I don't hate that Scion. Its more exciting then any of the cars in the actual Toyota line up. But the iQ doesn't look like a real car or a complete car. It looks more like a cars emergency escape pod - like a car that ejected its cockpit when the rest of it was destroyed
Last edited by JuniorCar; 08-01-2011 at 11:16 AM.
#8
08-01-2011, 11:29 AM
I sometime think those Fiesta's look pretty cool. Doesn't really seem in the same catagory as an iQ to me, but if the mileage is the same, then its the Ford hards down.<~
I don't hate that Scion. Its more exciting then any of the cars in the actual Toyota line up. But the iQ doesn't look like a real car or a complete car. It looks more like a cars emergency escape pod - like a car that ejected its cockpit when the rest of it was destroyed
I don't hate that Scion. Its more exciting then any of the cars in the actual Toyota line up. But the iQ doesn't look like a real car or a complete car. It looks more like a cars emergency escape pod - like a car that ejected its cockpit when the rest of it was destroyed
Hi `Brent, thank you again for making me laugh
I always enjoy reading what falls outa your head on2 this computer screen b-4 me
LOL, like a cars emergency escape pod<~> LOL 4-Sure : ) Thanks for sharing your thoughts & all your super contributions to the MCF..I just got up from a short recharge to take care of some work business, but ready 2 go back on recharge after I checked out the MCF...I'm glad I did
Wish everyone a Great iQ & a Super Monday
Peace/Out from `Space
