The Toyota iQ Might be Dead...

"Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
10/25/2013 at 18:09 • Filed to: Toyota, Scion, oppositelock, smart, iq, aston martin, cygnet

You know that little itty bitty Toyota that tried to be the car the smart couldn't? If global sales meant anything, you don't...

The discontinuation of the Aston Martin Cygnet !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

“We stopped the Cygnet as Toyota itself will stop the iQ in 2014 and we don’t want to invest any more,” (Ulrich Bez)

Toyota has countered by claiming that there are no plans to end iQ production, but could this really be the end?

(Photo Credit: Auto Express)

DISCUSSION (24)

HammerheadFistpunch > Mercedes Streeter
10/25/2013 at 18:12

Actually, rumor has it that the reason the iQ has stopped being produced is because they are retooling for a replacement.

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > Mercedes Streeter
10/25/2013 at 18:17

If only they'd made a TRD version with a stick and a better engine...

davedave1111 > HammerheadFistpunch
10/25/2013 at 18:19

Yup, have you seen the concept pics?

Kinja'd!!!

AMC/Renauledge > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
10/25/2013 at 18:21

If only they didn't price the little dishwasher on wheels at $16.5k.

And at least the Daft looks like they actually put effort into the styling. The iQ is so thoroughly devoid of design, it's almos............

........Sorry. I dropped off there.

And though the Daft has an idiotic transmission, at least it's RWD.

J. Walter Weatherman > Mercedes Streeter
10/25/2013 at 18:21

I think they are pretty neat cars. Hopefully they are just ending that generation and coming out with a new one. In all seriousness, if they sold the iQ here with a manual, I would probably have bought one to be my commuter car instead of my current TDI.

dogisbadob > Mercedes Streeter
10/25/2013 at 18:27

NOOOOOOOOOOOO

What the iQ really needs is a sunroof, and manual transmission availability in the US

Also,it's ironic how we're the ones with the stupid CAFE shit yet Aston never sold the Cygnet over here :(

GreenN_Gold > Mercedes Streeter
10/25/2013 at 18:33

This should be a would you rather: iQ or Smart?

Limited to those two choices, I think I'd rather own an iQ, but I would want to drive both before I made a decision.

Jonee > Mercedes Streeter
10/25/2013 at 18:36

It'd be a blast to drive with a stick shift.

Mercedes Streeter > GreenN_Gold
10/25/2013 at 18:40

It really depends on what you're looking for.

If you want to be able to fit a third and possibly a fourth person inside in a pinch, the iQ is for you.

If you just want a cheap-ish city runabout that's easy to park, easy to get in and out of, and resists bumps and scrapes, the smart is for you.

The iQ drives like just like any other small Toyota, it's not the most engaging thing to drive. The smart has a slightly wonky transmission, but with traction control off is a giggle to drive.

The smart can also have a transparent roof or convertible, neither of which the iQ have.

So, like I said, the best really depends on what you want in your city car. Character and features? Or Reliability and space?

pfftballer > Mercedes Streeter
10/25/2013 at 18:51

See you silly... prayers really are answered.

GreenN_Gold > Mercedes Streeter
10/25/2013 at 18:58

RWD is appealing, but I think I would need the space, that's why I'm leaning iQ.

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > AMC/Renauledge
10/25/2013 at 19:19

Both the Fiat 500 and the Mini Cooper start a couple grand more. And I wouldn't consider either of their base versions any more lux or premium.

JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7 > Mercedes Streeter
10/25/2013 at 19:20

Smart people are happier with their iQs.

That should be the ad campaign.

trynthink > dogisbadob
10/25/2013 at 19:29

Totally agree that the manual would make the iQ way more fun. Also perhaps an option that has more power. I honestly think they'd get as many buyers making a crazy hot version with 160+ hp as they are with this super-lame white good.

I could be completely wrong, but I believe the EU has even more stringent fuel economy standards than we do, they are just implemented differently. (And besides, if they don't have anything like CAFE, they have crazy fuel taxation, and let's be honest, would you trade CAFE for $8/gal gas?)

trynthink > Mercedes Streeter
10/25/2013 at 19:33

Having driven the smart many times (car2go), I'm not sure I'd characterize the transmission as "slightly wonky." Maybe "utterly diabolical" or "soul crushing." It honestly transforms a decent city car with a stiff ride and a bit too much engine noise* into a truly hateful little car.

* engine noise engine sound. Engine sound drops panties. Engine noise bunches panties.

dogisbadob > trynthink
10/25/2013 at 19:45

I didn't know that. I thought only we had that shit (and Japan with its displacement taxes, and Italy used to tax over 2L heavily)

Things like lighter 20-wt oils and shit seem to be US-only; I wonder why they haven't been implemented in Europe!

Mercedes Streeter > trynthink
10/28/2013 at 12:45

The Car2Go models are honestly a really poor representation of the brand. Those cars are abused like rental cars and they aren't even equipped with even the most standard of smart equipment.

Drive a brand spanking new one at a dealership and you'll be mortified at how horrible the Car2Go ones are.

trynthink > Mercedes Streeter
10/28/2013 at 17:07

I joined car2go really early on in the program, when it was just a pilot in Austin. For the pilot, they used Passion trim level cars with a higher level of interior fitment, alloy wheels, panoramic roof, etc. They were definitely nicer but the transmission was awful in those as well. I had read reviews saying the shifting action was awkward and slow, but I was still surprised by the driving experience. In my opinion, the smart to buy is the ED (electric drive). I drove one once and the electric drivetrain fixes all of the problems of the regular smart: no engine noise and no shifting. Around town, the electric motor is punchy and smooth. I know there's the whole range issue with a battery, but I wouldn't want to drive the smart across the country anyway. From home to the grocery store, drugstore, post office, etc. the ED would be great.

Mercedes Streeter > trynthink
10/28/2013 at 17:14

Ah, indeed. There was a transmission update back in 2012 that helped smooth things, but yeah, it's still about the same thing give or take.

trynthink > Mercedes Streeter
10/29/2013 at 16:46

I know it would have added some weight and affected fuel economy a bit, but would it have killed them to just use a conventional automatic, or a DCT in the 2007 redesign? I just wish I could have been in the meeting when the transmission engineering team at MB discussed NVH performance.

corollamike > Mercedes Streeter
11/27/2013 at 01:50

The iQ concept was brilliant, and leave it to the bean counters at Toyota to ruin what could have been a fascinating car. Is it the fault of Toyota's conceptual teams, or the unwillingness of the starched collars at Toyota, to bring strong concepts to ruin? What I've come to realize is that those who conceptualize fail to incorporate known production realities in their designs, and bean counters fail to understand what people really want: STYLE. Children hate it when parents fight, and the failures of both the design and production teams bring about nothing but frustration. WHY don't designers design to build, and WHY don't bean counters understand that what we really, really, really want are cool cars? Ah, screw 'em; I'll just go buy a Hyundai.

anonymousboy > Mercedes Streeter
12/16/2013 at 21:07

They hardly advertised this thing in the states. Had a brief run of spots in 2012 (I only know this because I searched ads on youtube) but never actually saw one on TV. The mistakes they made beyond that is no manual option, a bit overpriced, and they could of jazzed up the interior a little more. I think this car would have been a hit had they done that. But you can't sell what nobody knows exist. Without exposure you disappear.

Mercedes Streeter > anonymousboy
12/17/2013 at 11:02

The same could be said for smart as well. Mercedes Benz USA runs a few ads during the beginning and middle of the year, but generally the car isn't really advertised.

Ironically though, sales have been consistently climbing ever since they took over operations from Penske Auto Group, so they're doing something right.

corollamike > Mercedes Streeter
02/09/2014 at 04:33

What Toyota needed to do with the iQ was produce their brilliant iQ concept, seen here at NetCarShow: Toyota iQ Concept . But, as the gang at Toyota ALWAYS do, they dumbed down the concept into what we've come to acknowledge as a rather complete failure in the style department. I mean, WHY would anyone buy what is a ingenious automobile with those DUMPY, DUMPY wheels they've put on it? Wheels, or rims, are like SHOES to an outfit: wear the wrong ones, and your whole getup is pointless. STYLE is what EVERYONE WANTS, and Toyota perennially FAILS TO DELIVER.