Geneva 2008: Toyota iQ

The finished version of Toyota’s new iQ city car has just been launched here at the Geneva motor show. And it's barely changed from the clever, cute concept that we were introduced to in Frankfurt last year. The iQ is the ‘world’s smallest four-seater car’, boasts its maker, measuring just 2985mm in length. To achieve such tight packaging, Toyota’s engineers have come up with a clever cabin system that allows three adults and one child to sit in comfort, despite the iQ’s diminutive, almost Smart car dimensions. They’ve also miniaturised components like the air conditioning; developed a flat under floor fuel tank; come up with a new differential that allows the iQ to have short front overhangs, and slimmed down the dashboard and seats. You can read in more detail about the iQ’s packaging on Hilton Holloway’s Geneva blog. Introducing the assembled global media to the iQ, Andrea Formica, Vice-President of Toyota Europe said it was the most “major milestone” in Toyota’s vehicle development since the Prius. He added that the iQ would have a “large effect on the market, but a small effect on the environment.” And if Toyota’s projected sales figures ring true, by the end of 2009 the company will sell at least 100,000 iQs per year. Each will use a small, fuel-efficient engine which Toyota claims will return 99g/km CO2, potentially making the iQ road tax exempt in Britain. It’s also designed to achieve five stars in the Euro NCAP safety tests. We’re expecting a price tag of around £10k when the iQ goes on sale at the end of this year. The iQ is the crucial part of Toyota’s global marketing strategy to sell 500,000 small cars per year (including the Aygo and Yaris) by 2009. A further new addition to the company’s small car line-up is the Urban Cruiser, which was also launched in Geneva. It’s a compact SUV that’s less than four metres long and is based on the Yaris. Toyota says it will offer a best-in-class emissions figure of 140g/km CO2 maximum, even on the four-wheel-drive version.The Urban Cruiser will be on sale in the UK from early 2009.

Will Powell