The iQ
The future has arrived and it's come in a pocket-size urban runabout designed for utility, not speed. The 2012 Scion iQ measures barely 10 feet long, can spin around in a turning circle about the size of two king-size mattresses and gets 37 mpg on the EPA combined cycle.
Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
The 2012 Scion iQ is a subcompact hatchback available in a single trim level. The Scion iQ is equipped with 16-inch steel wheels, full power accessories, air-conditioning, a leather-wrapped tilt steering wheel with audio controls, a 50/50-split-folding rear seat, Bluetooth and a four-speaker sound system with a CD player, HD radio, an auxiliary audio jack and a USB port.
There are no official factory options for the iQ, but Scion offers an extensive catalog of accessories including 16-inch alloy wheels, shorter springs and stiffer antiroll bars, foglamps, body-side molding, mud guards and a rear spoiler. Among the interior options are illuminated door sills and an interior light kit, each with seven colors. Electronic options include a premium sound system with satellite radio and a navigation system.
Powertrains and Performance
The front-wheel-drive Scion iQ comes standard with a 1.3-liter inline-4 engine good for 94 hp and 89 pound-feet of torque. A CVT is standard. In Edmunds testing, the iQ accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 11.6 seconds. This is pretty slow, though other similar cars aren't much better. EPA-estimated fuel economy is 36 mpg city/37 mpg highway and 37 mpg combined.
Safety
The 2012 Scion iQ comes standard with stability and traction control, antilock brakes (front disc and rear drums), front side airbags, front side curtain airbags, front knee airbags and three more airbags not commonly found in other cars -- front seat-cushion airbags and a rear-window airbag that deploys around the rear seat headrests. In Edmunds brake testing, the iQ stopped from 60 mph in 131 feet, a fair number for this class of car.
Interior Design and Special Features
As you'd expect, the Scion iQ is at its best with just two passengers. Nevertheless, the car has been engineered to maximize interior space sufficiently. Cleverness under the hood with component location and a compact air-conditioning unit integrated into the dash let the front passenger move the seat sufficiently forward to fit a full-size passenger into the narrow rear seat behind (we know; we tried it). Meanwhile, the remainder of the rear seat behind the driver can accommodate a child if need be. Think of it as a 3+1 seating configuration rather than a coupe's more common 2+2 designation.
If the mission of the day is to haul stuff instead of people, the 50/50-split rear seat folds flat to enlarge the cargo area from 3.5 cubic feet to 16.7 cubic feet. Other interior storage includes space for four 25-ounce containers in the doors, plus two rear cupholders in the rear and one in the center console. There is no glovebox, however, and the available space doesn't go far.
The Scion navigation is fairly basic as such systems go, but it's still far more effective than one that can be accessed by a mobile phone.
Driving Impressions
The 2012 Scion iQ is small, but there's nothing basic about it. Utility rather than fun is the message here, yet there's no regret as you walk up, open the door and set off into the city. It offers such terrific turn-on-a-dime maneuverability that you're tempted to drive like a maniac, wheeling into impulsive U-turns, crowding into the bicycle lane and diving into the leftovers in curbside parking. You feel a little invulnerable, so maybe it's best that the iQ always feels slower than you'd expect from a 2,127-pound car with a 94-hp engine.
The iQ's sleepy responses seem to be the responsibility of the CVT, which transforms every throttle input into a tedious drone from under the hood. Nevertheless, the reward comes at the gas station, where the Scion seems to hit its EPA standard fairly easily.
Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
The 2012 Scion iQ is a subcompact hatchback available in a single trim level. The Scion iQ is equipped with 16-inch steel wheels, full power accessories, air-conditioning, a leather-wrapped tilt steering wheel with audio controls, a 50/50-split-folding rear seat, Bluetooth and a four-speaker sound system with a CD player, HD radio, an auxiliary audio jack and a USB port.
There are no official factory options for the iQ, but Scion offers an extensive catalog of accessories including 16-inch alloy wheels, shorter springs and stiffer antiroll bars, foglamps, body-side molding, mud guards and a rear spoiler. Among the interior options are illuminated door sills and an interior light kit, each with seven colors. Electronic options include a premium sound system with satellite radio and a navigation system.
Powertrains and Performance
The front-wheel-drive Scion iQ comes standard with a 1.3-liter inline-4 engine good for 94 hp and 89 pound-feet of torque. A CVT is standard. In Edmunds testing, the iQ accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 11.6 seconds. This is pretty slow, though other similar cars aren't much better. EPA-estimated fuel economy is 36 mpg city/37 mpg highway and 37 mpg combined.
Safety
The 2012 Scion iQ comes standard with stability and traction control, antilock brakes (front disc and rear drums), front side airbags, front side curtain airbags, front knee airbags and three more airbags not commonly found in other cars -- front seat-cushion airbags and a rear-window airbag that deploys around the rear seat headrests. In Edmunds brake testing, the iQ stopped from 60 mph in 131 feet, a fair number for this class of car.
Interior Design and Special Features
As you'd expect, the Scion iQ is at its best with just two passengers. Nevertheless, the car has been engineered to maximize interior space sufficiently. Cleverness under the hood with component location and a compact air-conditioning unit integrated into the dash let the front passenger move the seat sufficiently forward to fit a full-size passenger into the narrow rear seat behind (we know; we tried it). Meanwhile, the remainder of the rear seat behind the driver can accommodate a child if need be. Think of it as a 3+1 seating configuration rather than a coupe's more common 2+2 designation.
If the mission of the day is to haul stuff instead of people, the 50/50-split rear seat folds flat to enlarge the cargo area from 3.5 cubic feet to 16.7 cubic feet. Other interior storage includes space for four 25-ounce containers in the doors, plus two rear cupholders in the rear and one in the center console. There is no glovebox, however, and the available space doesn't go far.
The Scion navigation is fairly basic as such systems go, but it's still far more effective than one that can be accessed by a mobile phone.
Driving Impressions
The 2012 Scion iQ is small, but there's nothing basic about it. Utility rather than fun is the message here, yet there's no regret as you walk up, open the door and set off into the city. It offers such terrific turn-on-a-dime maneuverability that you're tempted to drive like a maniac, wheeling into impulsive U-turns, crowding into the bicycle lane and diving into the leftovers in curbside parking. You feel a little invulnerable, so maybe it's best that the iQ always feels slower than you'd expect from a 2,127-pound car with a 94-hp engine.
The iQ's sleepy responses seem to be the responsibility of the CVT, which transforms every throttle input into a tedious drone from under the hood. Nevertheless, the reward comes at the gas station, where the Scion seems to hit its EPA standard fairly easily.