Mind over matter

Perky and sure to turn heads, the Toyota iQ is sure to fire debate over the safety of ultra-small cars. Photo / Jacqui Madelin

It's cars like this Toyota iQ or Ferrari's 458 that best encapsulate the phrase "horses for courses". Judge either using the same criteria you would for a Ford Mondeo and you'll come unstuck. Neither offer reasonable space for four people and luggage, so they're crap. Right?

And although one doesn't handle open roads as well, the other is over-engineered and over-priced - in Mondeo terms.

Fortunately we don't all have to wear the same suit, drink the same beer or drive the same car. But are Kiwis ready for something like Toyota's iQ?

First impressions are no, but Aucklanders should be. You can fit two in a single parking space; it U-turns so tightly you can just about do a 180 in a single lane; it'll carry three - just; it's perky; and it certainly turns heads.

Not every comment was flattering. "Looks like a squashed Camry," said one wag. But everyone was curious as to how four could fit in such a compact space.

There's no glovebox, so the front passenger seat slides forward a fair way to impart some rear legroom. I could fit a child seat behind the driver - yes, there are seat tether points - and voila, space for four. In practice, the rear row will be used most often as a boot, so the seats fold.

The iQ does prompt debate about the safety of ultra-small cars. Toyota went to great lengths to address that issue - one reason why iQ is not cheap for its size. It gets stability and traction control, ABS brakes - and nine airbags. Two front, two side, two curtain, one driver knee, one front passenger-seat cushion bag (to prevent you sliding beneath the belt) and a world-first rear airbag to stop back-seat passengers knocking their heads on the glass if you're hit from behind.

That does make for some interesting conundrums if you need a repair, as there is, as yet, no crash standard for rear impacts.

Driving it? The one-litre, three-cylinder engine is surprisingly effective, thanks in part to the CVT transmission. It's not at its best on demanding open roads, but feels more stable than expected, perhaps in part because iQ is almost as wide as it is long.

Visibility is great - even the wide B-pillar is easily seen around, given that all the windows are so close to the driver. And she's frugal; my car drank 6.2l/100km because my hilly open-road commute is well outside iQ's comfort zone. With more around-town and highway running, it soon comes down.

Specification varies from this base car to top-spec variants with leather and parking aids; yes, iQ is an urban toy, not a cut-price entry to motoring.

Clearly Toyota knows this car won't have instant appeal until city-dwelling New Zealanders accept that a tight turning circle and a weeny footprint are as attractive as a big motor and assertive presence; that a tiny car can make sense.

Toyota iQ

We like
Cheeky persona, tiny footprint, frugal, versatile cabin, lots of safety aids, funky adopt-an-iQ website

We don't like
Open road handling so-so; attracts too much attention; pricey toy and available only as a Toyota-approved used car

Powertrain
1.0-litre three-cylinder with 50kW at 6000rpm and 90Nm at 4800rpm, CVT auto drives front wheels

Performance
0-100 in 15.2 seconds, 4.3l/100km

Safety
Stability and traction control, ABS brakes, nine airbags

What it's got
Varies, but expect a CD player, air con, and multi-function trip

Vital stats
2985mm long, 32 (four seats in use) to 238-litre (two folded) boot, 32-litre tank