I don't think I even want to know what happens when you get t-boned or rear ended in one of these...YIKES!
I haven't driven one, not really interested or in the market for one of these, but Alan Cesar's review was one of the funniest things ever! For those that missed it...
"The iQ is a horrible pile of failure. There’s no cruise control available at all. It makes tons of noise at highway speeds. Its interior is an abysmal sea of plastic, with more ugly plastic embellishments glued on top of already ugly plastic.
You’d expect a tiny car called iQ to have at least clever storage solutions to make the most of its tiny dimensions, but you’d be horribly, horribly wrong. There’s no glovebox as we would normall know it; the optional glovebox is actually a sad little tray under the passenger seat. The trunk isn’t deep enough to fit a gallon of milk without folding the rear seats down; even a package of pitas is a tight fit.
Folding the seats down requires that you remove the rear seat headrests. But where do they go? Again, something that deserves a clever solution—like what the Yaris has—but is not actually implemented in the car that needs it.
For all this misery you’d expect blazing fuel economy or a staggering four-digit price. You’d be disappointed. Fuel economy is 36 city (not bad), 37 highway (huh?). For about $2000 less you can buy a Yaris, which will fit five people in much more comfort and return better highway fuel economy. Fitting four people in iQ is a desperate-situation option only; limbs will crisscross, belongings will mash together. Dropping off a couple kids at school? Good luck fitting them and their backpacks.
This car would make sense with the Yaris drivetrain and its five-speed stickshift; those 100 or so horsepower would make the iQ into a real hoot to drive. But it has an anemic 1.3-liter engine and sad little CVT. It’s just too slow and too small for its own good, and doesn’t really make sense in any American environment.
Everything about this car sucks hard. And for its high sticker price, you don’t even get a full tank of gas. For a full 6 gallons of fuel when you leave the dealer lot, you need to check an option box. Seriously.
Toyota already has a small car in its stable that does a lot of things just fine. Unless you’re after parking prowess or high city MPG numbers, the Yaris is a better answer to every automotive question."
