Toyota announces prices of new iQ

Oct 13 2008 Steve Hughes

TOYOTA has announced prices of its forthcoming iQ city car, which despite being one of the smallest cars on the market will cost up to £11,495.

That is almost £4,000 more than a Ford Ka and is £4,495 more than Toyota's own Aygo.

Similar money would buy a five-door 1.3-litre Toyota Yaris or a 1.6-litre Chevrolet Lacetti hatchback with SX trim.

However, Toyota believes that the current move towards downsizing plus the iQ's 65mpg economy, tax-free running and in-town manoeuvrability will attract enough buyers to make it a viable proposition.

Prices start at £9,495 for the one-litre manual model, which has a tax beating CO2 figure of 99g/km.

This rises to 110g/km for the same model with Multidrive transmission, which costs £10,495.

There are then two mechanically-identical versions with higher equipment levels and price premiums of £1,000, taking the iQ with 2-level trim and Multidrive transmission to the £11,495 mark.

One sale in January, Toyota says it is so confident of the iQ's desirability that it is predicting 80,000 sales throughout Europe next year.

At under 12 feet long, 5ft high and 5ft 7ins wide it will fit into the smallest of parking spaces yet can carry three adults and a child and travel at motorway speeds with none of the range restrictions that apply to electric-powered city cars.

A sliding seat configuration allows an adult to sit in the rear seat behind the front passenger. The shoulder-to-shoulder distance between the driver and front passenger is wider than in a Yaris whilst the seating layout means there is enough room for three adults plus either a child passenger or luggage behind the driver.

Initially there will be just a single one-litre petrol engine on offer with a five-speed manual gearbox or the continuously variable transmission system that Toyota calls Multidrive.

The entry-level iQ rides on 15-inch alloy wheels and has heated electrically-adjustable door mirrors with integrated indicator lamps.

Air conditioning is standard, together with a six-speaker sound system incorporating a radio, CD player and MP3/WMA file playing from disc. There is also an auxiliary socket for connection to an MP3 player.

Electric windows, remote central locking, tinted glass in the rear window and leather trim for the steering wheel and gear knob are also included, together with a tonneau cover for the rear luggage space.

Upgrading to iQ2 brings high-gloss alloys, front fog lights and bi-halogen headlights with a smoke-tinted finish to their glass covers. The door mirrors are electronically retractable, air conditioning is upgraded to automatic climate control, there is keyless entry and push-button start, automatic headlights and wipers plus an auto-dimming rear view mirror.

The nine airbags include front and side airbags for the driver and front passenger, curtain shield airbags to guard the head and upper body of all four occupants, a driver's knee airbag and an airbag built into the front of the passenger seat cushion.

In addition, iQ boasts the world's first rear window airbag to give protection to back seat passengers in a rear-end impact.

A new 1.3-litre petrol engine with Stop & Start technology will be added later in 2009 and although a 1.4-litre diesel will be offered in some European markets, it is not expected to be offer in the UK.