There are cars which mark our age. The Smart is such a car, and the Toyota IQ is well on its way to becoming one. We drove this four wheeled Pandora box of automotive intelligence at length in both the 1.0 VVT-i petrol and the 1.4 D-4D diesel engine versions. But before we dwell further on the engines, let’s take a closer look at the car itself…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

A four-seater less than 3 metres long…

The secret of the iQ’s remarkable interior volume lies in its comparatively long wheelbase of 2,000mm, and short overhangs – 530mm at the front and 455mm at the rear. Yet to achieve this breakthrough in packaging, six space-saving engineering innovations were developed.

We drove the 1.4 litre Diesel version through the Valley of the Somme, and parked in front of the house were Jules Verne spent the 5 last years of his life... he would certainly have found the IQ a wonderful car!

First, The front-mounted differential integrated in a conventional transmission layout allowed the iQ to be built with an ultra-short front overhang. This reduced the overall length while increasing the length of the passenger compartment.

The short nosed front end of the IQ actually provides sufficient engine room for various (future) power solutions...

Secondly, Employing centre take-off steering gear and placing it higher in the engine bay facilitated transmission, engine and differential repositioning. The engine compartment could then be reduced considerably, further shortening the front overhang.

By making the fuel tank flat, reducing it to only 120mm in height, the tank could be relocated under the floor. The capacity of the iQ under-floor fuel tank is 32 litres and this allows indeed a good range. By also angling the rear shock absorbers backwards, the rear interior space could be increased.

The styling of the IQ is unique. Here is the 1.0 litre petrol version, executed in black, which suited the car quite well...

The slimness of iQ seat backs frees up a further 40mm of rear passenger room at knee height.

Reducing the size of the heater and air conditioning unit by 20% in comparison to Yaris, enabled the blower unit, normally found in front of the passenger, to be integrated with the main heating and air conditioning unit in a central position. This allowed the front passenger area to be moved forward, freeing up cabin space and increasing legroom.

The optional screen display of the navigation system and audio installation. USB and aux input are of course provided. The easy to use knob of the automatic airco is also seen here...

The asymmetric dashboard provides ample legroom for the front passenger, even when the seat is set at its most forward position. The sliding seat configuration allows a 190cm tall adult to be comfortably accommodated in the rear seat behind a 190cm front passenger. We tried it, and it truly works!

What we appreciated also very much is that the iQ has a shoulder-to-shoulder distance between driver and passenger is not less than 50mm wider than Yaris – and similar to that of a C-segment vehicle. This creates a subjective feeling of roominess, and one does not have the impression to be in a small car.

Even the larger 4 cilinder Diesel D-4D engine finds anough room in the Toyota IQ...

Indeed, this space and the unique seating configuration create ample room for three adults and, in addition, either a child or luggage behind the driver.

A newly developed platform…

What sets the car really apart in this ultra-compact City car class, is its all-new platform with McPherson strut front suspension, and a newly developed compact rear torsion beam suspension. The car handles very dynamic and beautifully neutral indeed, capable of (very) high cornering speeds together with excellent high speed straight line stability. Ride comfort is surprisingly high, with some body roll when cornering hard, but this stays within very acceptable limits and one appreciates the softer ride on long journeys. The IQ is therefore an excellent road car, as trips to the French Somme region with the 90 HP Diesel version and the Côte Opale with the 1 litre 68 HP petrol engine amply proved.

The futuristic yet very clear instrumentation of the Diesel version, recognisable trhough the 5100 rpm redline in the rev counter...

The IQ has of course a host of safety features: Standard active safety technology across the range includes an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), integrated with Brake Assist (BA) and Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD).

But this is not all: Steering assist Vehicle Stability Control (VSC+) combined with Traction Control (TRC) actively helps the driver maintain control in critical or potentially dangerous situations. It is standard throughout the iQ range and incorporates Electric Power Steering Control, which co-ordinates the VSC with the electric power steering to minimise the risk of understeer or oversteer. The IQ is a very safe drivers’ car indeed and takes higher horsepowers beautifully into its stride. And if anything would still go wrong, it is good to know that No fewer than 9 airbags are provided on all models. A further asset we found, was the ultra-short turning circle, with a radius of a mere 3.9 metres, making this a very nimble car indeed.

Two (very different) engines…

The one litre petrol engine finds plenty of room...

As said, we drove both available engine versions. The 1.0 VVT-i 3-cilinder petrol engine, awarded ‘Engine of the Year’ in 2008 in the sub-1.0 litre class, achieves top-level power output of 68DINhp at a sporting 6.000 rpm and delivers 91Nm of torque at 4,800rpm. One understands immediately that this unit needs to be revved freely in order to deliver creditable performance figures. The Gear Shift Indicator will light up frequently to urge you to change up, but you are well advised to ignore this fully if you want to have some power at hand. As the engine is very efficient also at higher revs, one needs not to worry unduly about high consumption figures, we stayed even with a spirited driving style around the 5 litre/100 km mark on country and open roads. When you are content to coast along with the traffic at lower revs, the IQ  delivers an average fuel economy of 4,3 l/100 km and CO2 emissions of just 99g/km. This allows the iQ to remain under the 100 g/km taxation threshold in major European markets.

The audio control buttons at the steering wheel are a bold example of oriental ingeniosity...

The 1.0 VVT-i IQ will accelerate from 0 to 100 km in 14.7 seconds, and have a top speed of 150 km. One should not forget, that despite its small size, the IQ puts a good 880 kg on the scale…

The IQ came well into its own as a true drivers’ car with the 90 HP 1.4 D-4D diesel engine, which  features the latest generation common rail technology with an intercooled turbocharger. The maximum power comes at a mere 3400 rpm with maximum torque of 190Nm available between 1,800 and 3,000rpm. It is coupled at a 6-speed manual transmission, which is (very) high geared. Higher revs are hardly necessary here to achieve quite brisk performance, but again the Gear Change Indicator lights up a shade too soon, as engine and exhaust vibrations are all too manifest when you respect its indications. One is well advised to stay in the lower gears a bit longer, it provides more comfort and hardly costs any extra consumption at all. The IQ was very frugal indeed, with average consumption during our trip staying around the four litre/100 km mark. The high speed stability of the IQ came well into its element this time, and the compact car feels very well at home on faster motorway stretches, the car remaining utterly stable, with no wind noise or vibrations at higher (140 kph) cruising speeds.

Also the airco command control knob is simplicity itself...

Both test cars came with extra equipment, like an excellent automatic air conditioning, with just a single dial to control all functions. We also liked the audio controls integrated on the steering wheel with an innovative joystick-like control button. Both cars also had the touch screen full map navigation system, integrated with the audio system. It features both Bluetooth for hands-free operation, MP3/iPod connection and an SD card slot to upload European countries maps.

Our conclusion? A very clever car, comfortable, well at home on the open road and in crowded cities, compact, and clearly designed with other power groups (electrical, hybrid…) in mind, as the front wheel drive with good available engine space clearly shows…

The car is now also available with 1.33 litre dual VVT-i petrol engine with stop-and-start technology and also with the Multidrive transmission, Toyota’s latest continuously variable transmission technology. We will lay our hands on this transmission soon and tell you about it. Read further on these pages…  

Hans Knol ten Bensel