A version has been available in Japan since 2008 and Aston Martin enlisted one in its struggle to meet 2012 European Union fleet-efficiency standards, but the Toyota iQ is a late entry in the North American market.
The Japanese automaker announced Wednesday that sales of the microcar, which is branded for the United States as a Scion, will begin in October in select Western states, with a wider rollout to follow.
In keeping with the no-haggle pricing scheme championed by Scion, the iQ will cost $15,955, inclusive of destination charge.The iQ is equipped with 11 air bags, four-wheel antilock brakes, standard Bluetooth and a continuously variable transmission mated to a 1.3-liter 4-cylinder engine, good for 94 horsepower and 89 pound-feet of torque. A manual transmission is not offered in the United States. Toyota claims an E.P.A. combined fuel-efficiency rating of 37 m.p.g.
The iQ has a 78.7-inch wheelbase, a full foot shorter than that of a Fiat 500. Scion would expect consumers to cross-shop the iQ with cars outside of its segment, including the coming Chevrolet Sonic subcompact. But in pricing terms, there probably will be little daylight between the iQ and its larger Toyota Motor Company relation, the 2012 Toyota Yaris, scheduled to arrive in showrooms by the end of the year.
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July 21, 2011
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