More iQ - from Jeremy Clarkson (of TopGear)

[andywert]

check out Jeremy's review
-
Jeremy Clarkson Toyota iQ review | Driving - Times Online

[Dave777]

If you're confused by the beginning of the article, continue to the next page to find the iQ review.

[forestacademy]

Keep reading, He gets to the car in the second 1/2 of page 2
"In white, with the tinted windows, it’s like a Stormtrooper’s helmet"

"Yes, there may be space in the back for two seats. But very few people are small enough to actually sit on them. The boot is pitiful as well"

"And finally there is the performance. Or rather there isn’t. To keep those emissions down, the oomph has had to be abandoned"

"As a long-distance car, obviously, it’s about as much use as a horse, but as a station car or an urban runaround, especially if your children have no legs, it’s good"

Dont hold back, Tell us how you realy feel

[Bill Marshall]

Originally Posted by andywert

check out Jeremy's review
-
Jeremy Clarkson Toyota iQ review | Driving - Times Online

Thanks for posting the link.

A couple of important points that he made:

"Now for the bad things . . . there's the price. The entry-level model costs a whopping 9,495 pounds. Add an automatic gearbox & the price shoots up by another 1000." (As a point of comparison the smart fortwo in Britain with the 999 cc enginecosts 6945 pounds - and that's with mhd!)

"To keep those emissions down, the oomph has had to be abandoned, so that it takes a dreary 14 sec to go 0-60." (If American reviewers thought the fortwo was slow at 12.8 sec, I'm sure they'll just love the pickup in this one.)

". . . these cars are the future. Small. Cheap to run. Good looking." (He's identifying the niche that I think that Americans are beginning to appreciate too.)

Finally, here's his best line for humor:

"As a long distance dar, obviously, it's about as much use as a horse, but as a station car or an urban runaroud, especially if your children have no legs, it's good." (That one cracked me up.The horse reference wasn't bad either.)

BTW, as interesting as his observations are, he's talking about a version of the car that we're unlikely to see here in the US.

[Bill Marshall]

Sorry to repeat some of forest's out takes. I guess I was typing while he was posting.

[forestacademy]

You must Type slow, I was in the grocery store when you posted

[2smartArizona]

Originally Posted by forestacademy

Keep reading, He gets to the car in the second 1/2 of page 2
"In white, with the tinted windows, it’s like a Stormtrooper’s helmet"

"Yes, there may be space in the back for two seats. But very few people are small enough to actually sit on them.

I'll bet Richard Hammond could fit back there.....not with Jeremy in the seat in front of him though.......isn't he like 6'5 or something?????....

[VinceLA]

c'mon pple...there are positive notes in there as well.

"It’s a brave new world and we have to get used to it. A thousand cc is the new black. No g in the corners is the future, and that’s that. I suppose it isn’t the end of the world"

[vwW12]

«And I loved the enormous array of equipment too. It’s hard to think of a single toy fitted to my Mercedes that isn’t in the little iQ.»

I liked:

• The Sat-Nav 5.5 inch
• The integrated Bluetooth
• The JBL audio
• The iPod control from the steering wheel
• The Sat-Radio
• The Backup camera
• The Parktronic
• The 9 airbags
• The Keyless doors and start
• The mirrors with built-in turn signals
• The engine that automatically stops and restarts in every stoplight
• The optional 1.3 liter engine with 100HP (50% more than smart)
• The optional continuously variable transmission CVT

When one considers that none of these are available on the smart, our cars start to look dinosaur-like and rather primitive.

The one deal-killer that would prevent us from switching sides:

I disliked:

• No convertible option

[fortow]

You don't need to pay for built-in satellite navigation.
You not only don't need Blue Tooth, but you shouldn't be using cellphones while driving.
Ditto for Ipod.
Satellite radios don't need to be built-in.
Back-up camera - get serious - this isn't a motorhome.
Parktronic - is that something a microcar car needs?
Airbags for rear seat passengers aren't needed if there's no rear seat.
Never thought keyless doors and start were necessary - especially for a microcar.
Turnsignals in the mirrors? - my upscale pickup has them but maybe they are a good idea for that - not for a microcar though.
Stop and start at every stoplight? - Golf carts do that.
Power options? - as if the smart doesn't have them too.
CVT - no comment.

When I bought the smart the idea of outfitting it like a luxury car wasn't considered or desired. The smart served a practical purpose. It has everything it needs. If it cost any more than it did other vehicles would have been chosen. Anyone who buys an overpriced iQ and outfits it with even more costly options may actually have a low IQ already.