2010 Toyota iQ

2010 Toyota iQ2010 Toyota iQ side view2010 Toyota iQ rear view2010 Toyota iQ black2010 Toyota iQ interior view2010 Toyota iQ interior view

The new iQ brings both style and innovation. Its size dictated both: a length of 117.5 inches, a mere 11.4 inches longer than the Smart Fortwo, but unlike the Smart, the iQ seats four. The most admirable thing about the iQ is its packaging—the way in which the mechanical parts have been compressed to gain passenger space.

The 2010 Toyota iQ is a conventional transverse-engine, front-wheel-drive car, but the gearbox has been arranged so that the differential housing is located just in front of, rather than behind, the engine. The starter motor is incorporated into the compact flywheel, and the steering rack is mounted up high. A miniaturized air conditioner fits into a pod high up at the center of the dashboard, which allows the fire wall to be moved forward to increase cabin length. The dashboard is asymmetrical, and on the passenger side it is cut almost completely away so that the passenger sits farther forward than the driver, allowing more legroom for the rear-seat passenger. The fuel tank is shallow and housed under the floor, reducing the rear overhang

The models to be sold in Japan and Europe include a 67-hp, 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine and a 1.4-liter diesel, both shared with the European and Japanese Yaris. Later, the 2010 Toyota iQ will get a new 1.3-liter gasoline four-cylinder, the engine that will power the U.S.-bound iQ. That 100-hp engine should allow the 1900-pound iQ to deliver fuel economy of about 40 mpg. Eventually, the 1.3-liter will find its way into other Toyota products, as will the iQ’s platform, which is expected to underpin the next Yaris.