Toyota IQ...any owner experiences, please?
Discussion
My ex is looking to replace her Smart with which she has been very happy. She tends to buy new (or ex demos) and keeps her cars for 4/5 years, having them main dealer serviced always. Previous cars include Clios and a Minis.
She is not an an 'enthusiast' and regards her cars pretty much as 'transport' commuter tools - although I think 'cute' has always weighed quite heavily in the selection process. Parking is not her strong point, so small turning circles, power steering and sensors are pretty useful.
No interest in 'green' credentials at all; always specs up interior trim 'to the max'; low annual mileage so fuel economy matters little to her.
Currently the new Smart & the IQ2/3 are scheduled for test drives this week. Any real life IQ experiences would be welcome - and is there anything else that should be on her shopping list?
TIA, B
She is not an an 'enthusiast' and regards her cars pretty much as 'transport' commuter tools - although I think 'cute' has always weighed quite heavily in the selection process. Parking is not her strong point, so small turning circles, power steering and sensors are pretty useful.
No interest in 'green' credentials at all; always specs up interior trim 'to the max'; low annual mileage so fuel economy matters little to her.
Currently the new Smart & the IQ2/3 are scheduled for test drives this week. Any real life IQ experiences would be welcome - and is there anything else that should be on her shopping list?
TIA, B
AdvanceRoadcraft said:
My ex is looking to replace her Smart with which she has been very happy. She tends to buy new (or ex demos) and keeps her cars for 4/5 years, having them main dealer serviced always. Previous cars include Clios and a Minis.
She is not an an 'enthusiast' and regards her cars pretty much as 'transport' commuter tools - although I think 'cute' has always weighed quite heavily in the selection process. Parking is not her strong point, so small turning circles, power steering and sensors are pretty useful.
No interest in 'green' credentials at all; always specs up interior trim 'to the max'; low annual mileage so fuel economy matters little to her.
Currently the new Smart & the IQ2/3 are scheduled for test drives this week. Any real life IQ experiences would be welcome - and is there anything else that should be on her shopping list?
TIA, B
I test drove one back during the scrappage scheme times, as did my other half, who is by no means an enthusiast but does have a reasonable appreciation of a good car and we concluded that it wasn't quite up to the standard in terms of ride, handling and body control of the car we were proposing the scrap for it, a 1994 Rover Metro. It's way behind the Smart as well in terms of the drive.She is not an an 'enthusiast' and regards her cars pretty much as 'transport' commuter tools - although I think 'cute' has always weighed quite heavily in the selection process. Parking is not her strong point, so small turning circles, power steering and sensors are pretty useful.
No interest in 'green' credentials at all; always specs up interior trim 'to the max'; low annual mileage so fuel economy matters little to her.
Currently the new Smart & the IQ2/3 are scheduled for test drives this week. Any real life IQ experiences would be welcome - and is there anything else that should be on her shopping list?
TIA, B
Nicely put together and could be a good car for someone who doesn't venture too far above 30mph
We have had an IQ2 auto for a year now and are very pleased indeed. Having driven 450, 451 Smarts and the IQ my view is that the IQ drives much, much better. The ride, handling, transmission, refinement and space are all markedly superior. The most surprising thing is that it feels like a large car to drive on more open roads and cruises very comfortably on the motorway.
My wife loves it because although she is a very good driver generally she sometimes lacks confidence in tight quarters manoeuvring. She says that the IQ makes her feel invincible - the turning circle is amazingly small, the driving position relatively high and the extremities are quite easy to judge. There is nowhere that she won't drive it, including a ridiculously tight local multi storey which she previously refused to go anywhere near. It makes this kind of thing laughably easy.
We have had no problems in 13000 miles except a boot latch sensor which sometimes needs a hefty slam to operate and average about 44mpg in town, 55 on a longer trip. We have had three adults in it plenty of times, all in decent comfort and a Labrador can get in to make 4 - the dog can even stretch out and have a snooze.
It is not fast by any means but rarely feels out of its depth - we are considering taking it to Italy at Christmas (2 up + dog).
My wife loves it because although she is a very good driver generally she sometimes lacks confidence in tight quarters manoeuvring. She says that the IQ makes her feel invincible - the turning circle is amazingly small, the driving position relatively high and the extremities are quite easy to judge. There is nowhere that she won't drive it, including a ridiculously tight local multi storey which she previously refused to go anywhere near. It makes this kind of thing laughably easy.
We have had no problems in 13000 miles except a boot latch sensor which sometimes needs a hefty slam to operate and average about 44mpg in town, 55 on a longer trip. We have had three adults in it plenty of times, all in decent comfort and a Labrador can get in to make 4 - the dog can even stretch out and have a snooze.
It is not fast by any means but rarely feels out of its depth - we are considering taking it to Italy at Christmas (2 up + dog).
Grenoble said:
I like your insanity... shame the mountain passes will be closed!
The most extraordinary thing is that it doesn't feel remotely like insanity, The last car we did the trip in was a B5 Passat - the IQ has more room in the front and is as quiet or quieter on the motorway cruising at 75-80. With a set of winter tyres I think it will be just the job in snow - skinny tyres and plenty of ground clearance should see it through most stuff.As for the poster saying it 'might be ok if you never venture over 30mph' I just don't understand. Having hooned the IQ on numerous occasions at speeds considerably in excess of that I can say that the handling is perfectly fine and much better than a Smart. Better than a Metro? Maybe not, they were after all rather good in that department but not far off either.
Mine has just turned 2 years old and is on 23k miles now. Great little car, very cheap to run (Im on 53.3 on fuelly over total miles). I have the 1.0 basic and it fine for commuting to work. You can squeeze 4 adults in but only if they are intimate in the back...
Plastics on door cards mark very easily. I find the long gearing on motorways a pain as sometimes you have to drop from 5th to 3rd to maintain 70mph up hills.
Overall its a great little car but I couldnt have as my only car as after a week I crave more power....
Plastics on door cards mark very easily. I find the long gearing on motorways a pain as sometimes you have to drop from 5th to 3rd to maintain 70mph up hills.
Overall its a great little car but I couldnt have as my only car as after a week I crave more power....
Great fun cars! Im a dealer, so biased, but we have an iQ2 demo, which Ive taken home a few times, and its a good giggle. Three up isnt bad, and im not the slowest of drivers, its fun. Comfort wise, nicer than the Aygo, rides better too!
Any questions, fire ahead, I shall endevour to help
Any questions, fire ahead, I shall endevour to help
OK...this is where we are.
The Fiat is 'too big' and its turning circle is worse tham the Smart and much worse than the IQ, so that's out for reasons of difficulty of manouvre in her very cramped car park.
We both drove the IQ and the 'new' Smart yesterday: the IQ drives like a proper car and was really rather good; we both found the new Smart to be no better than the old one. (ie to me like driving a wooden clog with 'switches' for throttle and brake LOL)
So she's either going to keep her existing Smart on a 'year-by'year' decision basis or spec up an IQ3 for Jan 2013 delivery...but - what's that - did I see a Cygnet brochure in the post this morning? This year's anticipated bonus must be waaaay better than I had guessed!
The Fiat is 'too big' and its turning circle is worse tham the Smart and much worse than the IQ, so that's out for reasons of difficulty of manouvre in her very cramped car park.
We both drove the IQ and the 'new' Smart yesterday: the IQ drives like a proper car and was really rather good; we both found the new Smart to be no better than the old one. (ie to me like driving a wooden clog with 'switches' for throttle and brake LOL)
So she's either going to keep her existing Smart on a 'year-by'year' decision basis or spec up an IQ3 for Jan 2013 delivery...but - what's that - did I see a Cygnet brochure in the post this morning? This year's anticipated bonus must be waaaay better than I had guessed!
AdvanceRoadcraft said:
OK...this is where we are.
The Fiat is 'too big' and its turning circle is worse tham the Smart and much worse than the IQ, so that's out for reasons of difficulty of manouvre in her very cramped car park.
We both drove the IQ and the 'new' Smart yesterday: the IQ drives like a proper car and was really rather good; we both found the new Smart to be no better than the old one. (ie to me like driving a wooden clog with 'switches' for throttle and brake LOL)
So she's either going to keep her existing Smart on a 'year-by'year' decision basis or spec up an IQ3 for Jan 2013 delivery...but - what's that - did I see a Cygnet brochure in the post this morning? This year's anticipated bonus must be waaaay better than I had guessed!
Thought you might like it - it seems to have the Smart licked in every department except width.The Fiat is 'too big' and its turning circle is worse tham the Smart and much worse than the IQ, so that's out for reasons of difficulty of manouvre in her very cramped car park.
We both drove the IQ and the 'new' Smart yesterday: the IQ drives like a proper car and was really rather good; we both found the new Smart to be no better than the old one. (ie to me like driving a wooden clog with 'switches' for throttle and brake LOL)
So she's either going to keep her existing Smart on a 'year-by'year' decision basis or spec up an IQ3 for Jan 2013 delivery...but - what's that - did I see a Cygnet brochure in the post this morning? This year's anticipated bonus must be waaaay better than I had guessed!
Brilliant little car. I worked as a sales exec at a Toyota dealership and had one as my company car. Not the fastest but very economical, nippy, can park it anywhere, turn on a sixpence and quite refined.
What really stick out with these is the build quality. Faultless and very very high quality.
What really stick out with these is the build quality. Faultless and very very high quality.
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