Toyota IQ in USA?

[minnfang]

Toyota is going to sell a bunch of these things. Wouldn't be hard for it to have better performance than the Smart, and it is easy to argue that it looks better. This is exactly what I want for commuting - something small, cheap, and simple that also has some style. (The Yaris is not as good looking and has a crap interior.)

In light of the fact that I won't buy a Toyota... give me a Beat!!!

[Canyonaro]

So whens the Beat supposed to be out again? I see many Smart cars around here, I see too many pug nosed Toyotas as well.

[Saturn69]

Originally Posted by logansowner

WTF? More small cars is a bad thing? This looks a lot better than a Smart car, and probably gets much better economy (not hard, Smart sucked the big one here) for a much lower price...oooo how horrible is that?

I'm sorry, how is 41 mpg highway 'sucking the big one'? That's Prius territory without the battery pack. Sure, it'd be nice to get better, but many fortwo owners at SmartofAmerica.com are reporting numbers nearer to 50mpg. If the '42' was lighter, it wouldn't score as well as it does in crash tests. Looks are a personal issue so I won't comment on that part.

[ponchoman49]

I would rather have my riding lawnmover than that abomination death trap.

[Bravada]

It would surely be amusing, so please go ahead.

[Saturn69]

Originally Posted by ponchoman49

I would rather have my riding lawnmover than that abomination death trap.

Yes, because those John Deere riding mowers are so much more fuel efficient and safe in an accident. If you don't like it, fine, say so.

[GMusa]

The new Toyota vehicles are sooo freaking ugly!!

[BrickTamland]

That car is one tiny runabout. Remember, this is two classes below the Yaris in Toyota's lineup. It goes IQ - Aygo - Yaris - Corolla...

[logansowner]

Originally Posted by Saturn69

I'm sorry, how is 41 mpg highway 'sucking the big one'? That's Prius territory without the battery pack. Sure, it'd be nice to get better, but many fortwo owners at SmartofAmerica.com are reporting numbers nearer to 50mpg. If the '42' was lighter, it wouldn't score as well as it does in crash tests. Looks are a personal issue so I won't comment on that part.

It's got 71 horsepower and wants premium fuel and costs much more than much nicer economy cars. EPA says 36MPG. Disregarding the looks, there are other cars that do it better for less money. Especially the interior, it's atrocious. The price in Canada was jacked up to $15,000, but if you want power steering, add $700, and another $800 for AC.

The point is that you can do better for less. And we have all sen the crash tests. They say how safe it is because the cabin stays intact, but the problem shows up with our good friend physics. This super safe little car is going to come to a very sudden stop, sure it won't collapse and crush your legs, but that energy has to go somewhere. That's why an F1 car disintegrates during a crash. I have no doubt it is a safe LITTLE car, the point is, big beats small. Crash a Smart into a Civic and the Civic is going to win.

The trouble with the Smart is that to make it safe they had to add so much weight that it took away a fuel efficiency advantage it would have over bigger cars. Diminishing returns if you will. You go too small and you have to add more weight so you don't die.

[logansowner]

Basically it's a Mercedes product so they charge for it as such, but Mercedes BMW and Cadillac need to be staying out of the Sub-Sub-compact market. Not to mention the only people you see driving these things are the same pompous asses you see in a Prius. You know the kind, the ones that get out with a bluetooth headset and continue their conversation inside the store without caring that they annoy everyone else. So I guess it's more the type of people they attract than the car itself...but that doesn't change the fact that it's about $3000 too expensive for what it is.

[Saturn69]

Originally Posted by logansowner

It's got 71 horsepower and wants premium fuel and costs much more than much nicer economy cars. EPA says 36MPG. Disregarding the looks, there are other cars that do it better for less money. Especially the interior, it's atrocious. The price in Canada was jacked up to $15,000, but if you want power steering, add $700, and another $800 for AC.

The point is that you can do better for less. And we have all sen the crash tests. They say how safe it is because the cabin stays intact, but the problem shows up with our good friend physics. This super safe little car is going to come to a very sudden stop, sure it won't collapse and crush your legs, but that energy has to go somewhere. That's why an F1 car disintegrates during a crash. I have no doubt it is a safe LITTLE car, the point is, big beats small. Crash a Smart into a Civic and the Civic is going to win.

The trouble with the Smart is that to make it safe they had to add so much weight that it took away a fuel efficiency advantage it would have over bigger cars. Diminishing returns if you will. You go too small and you have to add more weight so you don't die.

Depends on which one you get. I optioned a 42 passion coupe (the non-base one that comes pretty much loaded) that was $13K w/foglights. A loaded cabriolet will run $18K. Premium is recommended, not required. Many people use plain, old 10% ethanol blend just fine.

Now, which compact car has power windows, locks, mirrors, remote keyless entry, AC, ABS, traction control, electronic brake force distribution, stability control, a panoramic roof and gets 41mpg highway (EPA 33C/41H 37mpg average, just checked the site) for $13K?

Yes, they added too much weight, and I wish it could show at least 45mpg on the EPA test. As it is, members of SmartCarofAmerica.com regularly post 45+ mpg averages with their smarts. I think it's a boutique car, not meant for everyone. I don't think it gets terrible mileage.

[skylark68]

Originally Posted by Saturn69

Now, which compact car has power windows, locks, mirrors, remote keyless entry, AC, ABS, traction control, electronic brake force distribution, stability control, a panoramic roof and gets 41mpg highway (EPA 33C/41H 37mpg average, just checked the site) for $13K?

In a car like this I would rather have one without ANY of those features minus AC (it gets hot as Hades here in Houston). Give me a stripped out Smart with manual windows, no ABS, traction control, stability control and ESPECIALLY the panoramic roof and you'd have an ideal stripped out car to commute with. The panoramic roof probably adds a lot of excessive weight that contradicts its roll as a gas saver. Why does a car this small and light comparatively speaking need ABS? I didn't have ABS, traction control, etc. in my Miata and I never needed it.

[Saturn69]

Originally Posted by skylark68

In a car like this I would rather have one without ANY of those features minus AC (it gets hot as Hades here in Houston). Give me a stripped out Smart with manual windows, no ABS, traction control, stability control and ESPECIALLY the panoramic roof and you'd have an ideal stripped out car to commute with. The panoramic roof probably adds a lot of excessive weight that contradicts its roll as a gas saver. Why does a car this small and light comparatively speaking need ABS? I didn't have ABS, traction control, etc. in my Miata and I never needed it.

You can do that, with the smart fortwo pure. No AC, no radio, manual windows, solid roof, steel wheels. It still has RKE, TC, ABS and stability control, though, the last 3 are to keep such a short wheelbase car from being flipped too easily. The pure is $11,590. I imagine it would get closer to 50mpg highway than the loaded-up passion, which I've seen reports of 45+mpg when driven conservatively.

[eurohazard]

Originally Posted by logansowner

WTF? More small cars is a bad thing? This looks a lot better than a Smart car, and probably gets much better economy (not hard, Smart sucked the big one here) for a much lower price...oooo how horrible is that?

Why would I think small cars are a bad thing? I didn't say that, if it sounds like I did, please let me reword what I meant.

The car itself is fine. I was PURELY talking about the name of the vehicle(s).

- Smart
and
- IQ

No one else finds that funny?
I guess I'm simple like that!

The new Dodge Einstein will be coming soon, followed by the Nissan Brilliant, and the Volvo Clever!

[khefer]

Originally Posted by logansowner

Not to mention the only people you see driving these things are the same pompous asses you see in a Prius.

you would know