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Toyota's latest gas-sipper has hit the European market, but American buyers will have to wait a bit longer. First unveiled at the 2008 Geneva motor show, the iQ is a small city car which will compete with the similarly priced, but less roomy smart fortwo (the latter only seats two while the iQ can seat three adults and a child).
The iQ should appeal to young urban drivers. The price tag is rumored to be around $15,000 and the car is supposed to get 59 mpg, courtesy of its 1.4 liter D4-D diesel engine. By 2009, a smaller 1.33-liter engine will be available.
Besides the engine size, the iQ has a few additional fuel-saving features. Its Multidrive transmission continuously monitors and selects the best gear ratio and shifting speeds, which can maximize engine torque. It also features a display, called the “ECO” driving lamp, which alerts drivers as to when to they can save fuel and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The Gear Shift indicator on the manual transmission models tells drivers when to shift up or down for optimal environmental performance, taking into account the driving conditions. This indicator alone could result in lowering fuel consumption by .5-3%
So when will we be able to buy the iQ here in the US? Toyota isn’t saying yet, but they might have more information for us at November’s LA auto show.
Via Motortrend, Automobile Mag, Green Car Congress
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Comments (18)
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written by Clark, October 16, 2008
It's great to discover new eco-friendly products. Given the state of our environment, I think it is important for us, as consumers, to support 'green business.' For example, I came across a website, http://www.simplestop.net that stops your postal junk mail and benefits the environment.
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written by Kyle, October 16, 2008
your dead if you get by a truck. period.. would you pay to stay alive? i would. you can be 'green' and be 'unsafe' at the same time, folks.
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written by Kelly, October 16, 2008
It's interesting that so many European companies are releasing diesel vehicles. I wonder when the U.S. will realize how far diesel technology has come in the last 10 years or so. It won't be long, I'm sure. As far as gas mileage is concerned, diesels, as far as I've seen, tend to surpass hybrids. Is this true in your experience?
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written by Aoi, October 16, 2008
Great find. My 2002 Prius is holding up well but won't last forever. I'm glad to see there will be even better options in the near future.
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written by shek, October 16, 2008
First off, I ride a motorcycle to work everyday, so I'm certainly not worried about trucks (although maybe I should be ;) ). Does anyone know if Toyota is going to endorse using biodiesel up to B99 in this car?
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written by Teleah davis, October 17, 2008
as a school student its good to see that people are doing this to make a good future for us :D
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written by John Giezentanner, October 17, 2008
I want one! Why is Europe always ahead of us in line for cool stuff like this?
I'm all for hybrids (especially plug-in hybrids) but if you can get great milage without having the environmental impact of all those batteries, then it seems like a good alternative.
Of course, the best thing for the environment will probably be to just keep driving my '95 Camry. Right?
I'm all for hybrids (especially plug-in hybrids) but if you can get great milage without having the environmental impact of all those batteries, then it seems like a good alternative.
Of course, the best thing for the environment will probably be to just keep driving my '95 Camry. Right?
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written by Francis, October 17, 2008
hmm...can't diesel engines easily be turned into biodiesal engines? Only, in the US we currently use corn, which A)We might have a shortage of for fuel and B)The process of turning it into biodiesal is not very environmentally friendly(though more so than gas). Problem B can be solved by researching new ways to create biofuels, with corn or other renewable resources. A can be solved by GROWING MORE CORN, which many people don't realize is the solution, claiming using corn for biofuels would create a "corn shortage" and basically destroy the economy (*sarcasm* oil is so much better for the economy, don't you think? Considering there is a limited supply and it can't be grown)
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written by Jarko, October 17, 2008
There's a bunch of problems with the above comment:
1) Corn is typically used to make ethanol, not biodisel (soybeans are more common for biodiesel)
2) Even if we planted the whole US in corn (or soybean), we couldn't even come close to making enough to supply our road transportation needs.
3) Corn is an environmental DISASTER! Water and fertilizer requirements are through the roof, and the polluted runoff is causing dead zones in the gulf, killing the fishing industry.
4) Automakers typically only approve low percentages of biodiesel. There's cold weather issues and problems with the fuel not being standardized.
5) Since there isn't and never can be enough biodiesel to supply the whole US, it's better for emissions if everyone uses low % bio (like B5) than for a few people to use B100 and everybody else regular diesel.
1) Corn is typically used to make ethanol, not biodisel (soybeans are more common for biodiesel)
2) Even if we planted the whole US in corn (or soybean), we couldn't even come close to making enough to supply our road transportation needs.
3) Corn is an environmental DISASTER! Water and fertilizer requirements are through the roof, and the polluted runoff is causing dead zones in the gulf, killing the fishing industry.
4) Automakers typically only approve low percentages of biodiesel. There's cold weather issues and problems with the fuel not being standardized.
5) Since there isn't and never can be enough biodiesel to supply the whole US, it's better for emissions if everyone uses low % bio (like B5) than for a few people to use B100 and everybody else regular diesel.
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written by Lisa, October 17, 2008
ummmm. Problem A isn't so easily solved by growing more corn. Currently those corn farmers present in North America (not counting South Am.) do not grow enough corn to supply both the fuel and food industry. Also, the Canadian Prairies, the main wheat/corn/farming area of Canada is slowly turning into a dust bowl. This is resulting in less farmable soil which results in less crops.
And then there's the whole Monsanto seed/GMO issue around corn/soy and their control over almost all soy and corn seeds. Of course this leads into the amount of pesticides and roundup that's sprayed on the corn fields every year. mmmm pesticides. If you'd like more info on Monsanto- check out "The World According to Monsanto" it's also on Youtube in 10 installments :)
so i think your "solution" has been considered by many, and deemed sadly too simplistic.
This car is fabulous- more options is always better.
And then there's the whole Monsanto seed/GMO issue around corn/soy and their control over almost all soy and corn seeds. Of course this leads into the amount of pesticides and roundup that's sprayed on the corn fields every year. mmmm pesticides. If you'd like more info on Monsanto- check out "The World According to Monsanto" it's also on Youtube in 10 installments :)
so i think your "solution" has been considered by many, and deemed sadly too simplistic.
This car is fabulous- more options is always better.
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written by Karkus, October 17, 2008
The iQ won't come to the US for a while because
- We don't have a track record for buying small cars
- US Safety standards are tougher (not impossible to meet, but still a barrier to entry)
- Emissions requirements are tougher (for good reason). Again, not impossible to meet, but still a barrier to entry - VW, Mercedes, Audi are all bringing diesels back.
- Americans have embraced hybrids more than diesels. Sure diesels, get similar highway MPG as hybrids, but in the city hybrids are WAY better.
- Diesel costs more than gasoline in the US (as it should, since it contains more energy per gallon, and also makes more CO2 per gallon). The main reason diesels were so popular in Europe are because they TAX gasoline way more than diesel. But those artificial subsidies are ending, in part because they realize it's CO2 that matters, not MPG (which is arbitrary).
- We don't have a track record for buying small cars
- US Safety standards are tougher (not impossible to meet, but still a barrier to entry)
- Emissions requirements are tougher (for good reason). Again, not impossible to meet, but still a barrier to entry - VW, Mercedes, Audi are all bringing diesels back.
- Americans have embraced hybrids more than diesels. Sure diesels, get similar highway MPG as hybrids, but in the city hybrids are WAY better.
- Diesel costs more than gasoline in the US (as it should, since it contains more energy per gallon, and also makes more CO2 per gallon). The main reason diesels were so popular in Europe are because they TAX gasoline way more than diesel. But those artificial subsidies are ending, in part because they realize it's CO2 that matters, not MPG (which is arbitrary).
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written by HankM, October 17, 2008
This looks identical to the Aygo, but the article says it just hit Europe when I thought the Aygo was already there?
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written by eric, October 18, 2008
As a smart owner, in Paris, i can tell you guys that the security is really not an issue. The car is build around the tridion, a safety cell in steel.
It's so rigid that they had to put specific plastic part around call body panel to absorb the shock wave. I had a lot of friend driving smart car in Paris, some had some crash and they were amazingly surprised. In this case you just need to change the body panel broken. Takes 10 minutes.
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/smart-car1.htm
you can have a look to the crash test : http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=...re=related
It's so rigid that they had to put specific plastic part around call body panel to absorb the shock wave. I had a lot of friend driving smart car in Paris, some had some crash and they were amazingly surprised. In this case you just need to change the body panel broken. Takes 10 minutes.
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/smart-car1.htm
you can have a look to the crash test : http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=...re=related
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written by ROGER, March 19, 2009
I'm not impressed at all with 59mpg! In the 80's I owned a dieseled engine Ford Escort that got 50+mpg on a trip from NY State to Georgia. That was when diesel was cheaper that gas. Green is bullshit. what ever happened to the VW that got 100mpg on deisel.
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written by Ryan, April 09, 2009
59 mpg is not very impressive for diesel. My 1994 Geo Metro gets 40+ mpg from a regular, 15-year-old gasoline engine. The thing weighs 1300-1400 lbs, whole this iQ is still a monster weighing in at 1900-2000 lbs. Too heavy, Toyota, keep working on it!
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written by Dave, April 11, 2009
Hi all,
Been looking at the IQ as my girlfriend is after a new car and we have been very impressed by it.
Intersting that you guys are being offered the diesel.In the UK we get a 1 litre petrol that delivers 65mpg combined. We have to pay "Road Tax" here which is based on the pollution level of the car, with the largest vehicles costing around $500 a year to tax.
The IQ is the first car not to have to pay any tax.
As for safety, we use the NCAP rating, exactly the same as the US. I cant beleive people still do the whole "if you get hit by a truck" thing. It wont matter what your driving if you get hit by a truck, your gonna stop going in the direction you were travelling and start going in the direction the truck is travelling.
What matters is how quickly the deceleration occurs and how much intrussion there is into the shell. Thats what NCAP measaures and the IQ has five star rating. Cant get much better than that!
Been looking at the IQ as my girlfriend is after a new car and we have been very impressed by it.
Intersting that you guys are being offered the diesel.In the UK we get a 1 litre petrol that delivers 65mpg combined. We have to pay "Road Tax" here which is based on the pollution level of the car, with the largest vehicles costing around $500 a year to tax.
The IQ is the first car not to have to pay any tax.
As for safety, we use the NCAP rating, exactly the same as the US. I cant beleive people still do the whole "if you get hit by a truck" thing. It wont matter what your driving if you get hit by a truck, your gonna stop going in the direction you were travelling and start going in the direction the truck is travelling.
What matters is how quickly the deceleration occurs and how much intrussion there is into the shell. Thats what NCAP measaures and the IQ has five star rating. Cant get much better than that!
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I thought that was called an 'automatic transmission'?
That said, given that it is a diesel, they are going to have a problem getting it past the environmental regulations on diesel exhaust in the US.