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Author Topic: Test Drive: 2012 Scion iQ  (Read 5770 times)

Offline Autos_Editor

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Test Drive: 2012 Scion iQ
« on: January 10, 2012, 03:02:58 am »


A new player to the micro car segment in Canada features a lot of advantages and few compromises.

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Offline JohnM

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Re: Test Drive: 2012 Scion iQ
« Reply #1 on: January 10, 2012, 07:49:51 am »
I am very keen on this car and had a look at one last week.  No test drive but the package looks fine.  I wasn't wild about the flatish seats but you never really know until you have spent 8 hours in them.

The Hybrid is supposed to be here in a few months and it is at the top of my list.  The downside is the reports of significant noise in the IQ.  Only a test drive will answer this question but the car definitely seems to be a nicely turned out effort.  Love the turning radius! 

The natural competition will be the Prius C although that is a larger car.  No one else seems to be coming up with a small hybrid and VW has not seen fit to import the Polo diesel. 

So one more really good small car to chose from.

Cheers,
John M.
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Offline D70

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Re: Test Drive: 2012 Scion iQ
« Reply #2 on: January 10, 2012, 08:18:06 am »
An interesting addition to the small car segment. Like the Smart Car I predict a substantial following in Vancouver. Sold as a Toyota in other parts of the world and also sold as a Cygnet by Aston Martin

http://www.flickr.com/photos/d70w7/6672867291/
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Offline 5 Wheel Drive

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Re: Test Drive: 2012 Scion iQ
« Reply #3 on: January 10, 2012, 08:50:45 am »
Is the interior really as crappy as it looks in the pictures?  I guess I'll have a peek for myself at the auto show in Montreal this weekend.  I'd rather have the Fiat 500 over this.
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Offline Mike

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Re: Test Drive: 2012 Scion iQ
« Reply #4 on: January 10, 2012, 09:23:34 am »
Quote from: 5 Wheel Drive on January 10, 2012, 08:50:45 am
Is the interior really as crappy as it looks in the pictures?  I guess I'll have a peek for myself at the auto show in Montreal this weekend.  I'd rather have the Fiat 500 over this.

It is not the greatest, but it is not the worst.  The Fiat does have a nicer interior, but I like the drive of the Scion better (auto vs auto).
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Offline MJMontreal

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Re: Test Drive: 2012 Scion iQ
« Reply #5 on: January 10, 2012, 12:03:11 pm »
I would have seriously considered this car had it been available with a manual.
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Offline 2JDM

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Re: Test Drive: 2012 Scion iQ
« Reply #6 on: January 10, 2012, 12:41:01 pm »
Not a vehicle for me, but a nice package for a person living in downtown metropolitan areas.
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Offline bombastic

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Re: Test Drive: 2012 Scion iQ
« Reply #7 on: January 11, 2012, 12:49:57 am »
Not in the same league with Smart. The interior on Smart is so much upscale. But a nice try from Toyota. On this price category is not much money to make
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Offline johngenx

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Re: Test Drive: 2012 Scion iQ
« Reply #8 on: January 11, 2012, 12:54:02 am »
Quote from: bombastic on January 11, 2012, 12:49:57 am
Not in the same league with Smart. The interior on Smart is so much upscale. But a nice try from Toyota. On this price category is not much money to make

But the Smart is junk.  Not sure about the gas versions, but the diesel versions were absolute crap with failing turbos, AC systems and lots of other maladies.

The Smart has no capability, even for a short trip, to carry more than two.
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Offline rrocket

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Re: Test Drive: 2012 Scion iQ
« Reply #9 on: January 11, 2012, 01:34:02 am »
Quote from: johngenx on January 11, 2012, 12:54:02 am
Quote from: bombastic on January 11, 2012, 12:49:57 am
Not in the same league with Smart. The interior on Smart is so much upscale. But a nice try from Toyota. On this price category is not much money to make

But the Smart is junk.  Not sure about the gas versions, but the diesel versions were absolute crap with failing turbos, AC systems and lots of other maladies.

The Smart has no capability, even for a short trip, to carry more than two.

+1.  And the trannies in the gas Smarts were just terrible.
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Offline hemusbull

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Re: Test Drive: 2012 Scion iQ
« Reply #10 on: January 11, 2012, 08:24:04 am »
Before Europeans and now Japanese are trying to make new market niche. Instead to offer duminitive basic transportation, what is the original idea of Fiat 500, MINI and Beetle, they offer us the same sized product with an inflated and ridiculously inadequate price! And they are not frugal as well. For example the new Fiat 500 gas mileage is very close to new Elantra for example, which is a normal car! And all of them from Smart to 500 have very poor sales! There isn't European compact or smaller car in Canada/US with price comparable with others in it's respective class, from Golf to Smart!. On top of this stupidity is Toyota's Aston Martin with Lexus price! I know, there are lot of people with high disposable income. But the whole strategy erodes and ultimately kills otherwise brilliant idea for miniature and cheap urban transportation.
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Offline 5 Wheel Drive

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Re: Test Drive: 2012 Scion iQ
« Reply #11 on: January 11, 2012, 09:10:50 am »
Quote from: rrocket on January 11, 2012, 01:34:02 am
Quote from: johngenx on January 11, 2012, 12:54:02 am
Quote from: bombastic on January 11, 2012, 12:49:57 am
Not in the same league with Smart. The interior on Smart is so much upscale. But a nice try from Toyota. On this price category is not much money to make

But the Smart is junk.  Not sure about the gas versions, but the diesel versions were absolute crap with failing turbos, AC systems and lots of other maladies.

The Smart has no capability, even for a short trip, to carry more than two.

+1.  And the trannies in the gas Smarts were just terrible.
:iagree: I drove one once.  The transmission was laughable it was so bad!
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Offline Mike

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Re: Test Drive: 2012 Scion iQ
« Reply #12 on: January 11, 2012, 09:30:39 am »
Quote from: 5 Wheel Drive on January 11, 2012, 09:10:50 am
Quote from: rrocket on January 11, 2012, 01:34:02 am
Quote from: johngenx on January 11, 2012, 12:54:02 am
Quote from: bombastic on January 11, 2012, 12:49:57 am
Not in the same league with Smart. The interior on Smart is so much upscale. But a nice try from Toyota. On this price category is not much money to make

But the Smart is junk.  Not sure about the gas versions, but the diesel versions were absolute crap with failing turbos, AC systems and lots of other maladies.

The Smart has no capability, even for a short trip, to carry more than two.

+1.  And the trannies in the gas Smarts were just terrible.
:iagree: I drove one once.  The transmission was laughable it was so bad!

I haven't driven a Smart car in years, but he is right, the Smart is in a league of its own....below the iQ.  The Smart was a great city car and opened up a new market niche, but aside from the subjective 'interior material quality' the iQ has trumped it on all fronts.  Hopefully the next Smart improves and offers us the forfour
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Offline wing

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Re: Test Drive: 2012 Scion iQ
« Reply #13 on: January 11, 2012, 09:52:34 am »
Why is the interior of the smart great?  It's the same sea of crap plastic IMO.  The smart is garbage.
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Offline dkaz

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Re: Test Drive: 2012 Scion iQ
« Reply #14 on: January 11, 2012, 10:39:21 am »
I drive a Smart pretty often through Car2Go. The second generation interiors are much much better than the craptastic first generations, but with the amount of gas the second generation uses I don't know why anyone would choose this two seater over the iQ or 500 which I call 2+2 seaters (2 seaters + 2 extra seats for rare to occasional use).

I don't mind the Smart's transmission though but it's like a newbie driving stick for the first time. I just let my foot off the gas when changing gears -- either automatic or manual mode -- to lessen the effect.
« Last Edit: January 11, 2012, 10:40:56 am by DKaz »
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Offline wing

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Re: Test Drive: 2012 Scion iQ
« Reply #15 on: January 11, 2012, 12:11:01 pm »
Is it better in the gas model?  The diesel was brutal

Actually I think I did drive the gas model and it sucked too....

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Offline SaskSpecV

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Re: Test Drive: 2012 Scion iQ
« Reply #16 on: January 11, 2012, 12:18:57 pm »
Quote from: 5 Wheel Drive on January 11, 2012, 09:10:50 am
+1.  And the trannies in the gas Smarts were just terrible.
:iagree: I drove one once.  The transmission was laughable it was so bad!
[/quote]

Echo that, based on my mother-in-law's comments (who is the antithesis of a "car person").  She received a Smart as a loaner from her Mercedes dealership (what, a Mercedes in need of unscheduled servicing??? ;D), and complained about how she couldn't "drive it smoothly".  It kept "lurching back and forth" while she was driving.  I explained that it had a "different" type of transmission that wasn't as smooth as a typical automatic (at least, when executed poorly).  She didn't care about the mechanical bits, she just knew she hated the car. And not because it was small - she thought the size was very cool.
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Offline chrischasescars

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Re: Test Drive: 2012 Scion iQ
« Reply #17 on: January 11, 2012, 01:53:16 pm »
Quote from: rrocket on January 11, 2012, 01:34:02 am
Quote from: johngenx on January 11, 2012, 12:54:02 am
Quote from: bombastic on January 11, 2012, 12:49:57 am
Not in the same league with Smart. The interior on Smart is so much upscale. But a nice try from Toyota. On this price category is not much money to make

But the Smart is junk.  Not sure about the gas versions, but the diesel versions were absolute crap with failing turbos, AC systems and lots of other maladies.

The Smart has no capability, even for a short trip, to carry more than two.

+1.  And the trannies in the gas Smarts were are just terrible.

Fixed that for you, rrocket.
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Offline Sir Osis of Liver

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Re: Test Drive: 2012 Scion iQ
« Reply #18 on: January 11, 2012, 01:59:46 pm »
Quote from: DKaz on January 11, 2012, 10:39:21 am
I don't mind the Smart's transmission though but it's like a newbie driving stick for the first time. I just let my foot off the gas when changing gears -- either automatic or manual mode -- to lessen the effect.

 :iagree: Lifting made a big difference. The single clutch was nowhere near as nice as the new DCTs. I don't know why they'd stick with it at this point.


The interior on the first generations wasn't that great. No better than others in the sub-compact class. Reliability wasn't great with the first version, and is still not really a known quantity with the second generation. With the loss of the diesel, it doesn't have much going for it at this point.

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Offline bensonc

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Re: Test Drive: 2012 Scion iQ
« Reply #19 on: January 11, 2012, 03:44:18 pm »
Quote from: rrocket on January 11, 2012, 01:34:02 am
Quote from: johngenx on January 11, 2012, 12:54:02 am
Quote from: bombastic on January 11, 2012, 12:49:57 am
Not in the same league with Smart. The interior on Smart is so much upscale. But a nice try from Toyota. On this price category is not much money to make

But the Smart is junk.  Not sure about the gas versions, but the diesel versions were absolute crap with failing turbos, AC systems and lots of other maladies.

The Smart has no capability, even for a short trip, to carry more than two.

+1.  And the trannies in the gas Smarts were just terrible.

Gonna say the same thing on Smart transmission.  Going uphill, first gear full throttle, auto upshift (1001-1002-10... up shift)the speed drop down to 30 or so already and the car can not go in 2nd gear, down shift again.  end up going up the hill with 1st gear at 5000rpm to prevent the up shift.
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