It’s going to be a battle of Smart vs. IQ

By WorkCabin.ca Staff

With so much emphasize on hybrid and plug-in vehicles these, it's been easy to overlook another emerging trend in cars: the super subcompact.

The price of hybrid vehicles is still out of reach for many consumers (although that price point is falling lower with each passing year), and the price of the plug-in Chevrolet Volt coming in 2010 is expected to surpass $40,000CDN. So going the mini subcompact route may become more viable option in the immediate future for drivers concerned about fuel economy and low emissions. Expect several automakers to roll out super mini cars in the coming years.

That means the Smart car is finally about to get some competition. German automaker Daimler AG's super mini Smart car has been a familiar urban site on Canadian roads for several years. In fact, in North America it has basically been the it car in the mini car segment. In Canada alone, more than 3,000 Smart cars have been sold this year, a 46 per cent sales increase over the previous year. The Smart car is the only non-hybrid car in Canada to qualify for the federal government's full $2,000 ecoAuto rebate that brings the base cost of the car down to about $13,000 CDN.

But expect this vehicle segment to get a lot more attention now that Toyota, the world's No. 1 manufacturer of hybrid vehicles including the famed Prius, has launched its first mini subcompact car. Toyota's three-metre long IQ, already named best concept car of 2007 by Car magazine, is expected to make its North American debut at the Los Angeles car show this month, albeit it under Toyota's niche small-car brand Scion. The four-seater (yes, that's right, a four-seater!) travels 54 miles on a gallon of gas and is anticipated to cost less than $15,000US. Oh, and back to those four seats, for a minute. The world's smallest four-seat car is possible thanks to a flattened gas tank and no spare tire (better make sure you have a phone number for your road assistance service handy).

On Nov. 20, the IQ will go on sale in Japan where sales are expected to hit 2,500 vehicles per month. The car will go on sale in Europe in 2009.

Toyota has not announced when or if the IQ will be available in Canada, but odds are the car will end up in showrooms at some point because Canadians have already demonstrated a Smart (pun intended) fascination with low-emission super subcompacts.

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PHOTO SOURCE: Toyota

Toyota IQ Screensaver, very geeky stuff
http://techmagazine.eu/2008/12/toyota-iq-safety-screensaver-the-ultimate-geek-toy/

I think that this model of car looks lovely.

Amazing car..This should set eyeballs rolling.
http://www.gadgets4nowt.co.uk/

Fabulous car, i like it very much. How can we buy this car?
Leather Chesterfield

Fantastic design and it should add new technology which make it unique.

Nice car ! small shape but it looks so attractive.
Although its prise is so high.

Wow what a top shot!  I absolutely love this!  amazing Really impressive your shot are brilliant Fantastic ╔═════════════════╗ ║ ŋϊсє ŋϊсє Ŋϊсє ŋϊсє ŋϊсє Ŋϊсє ŋϊсє ŋϊсє ║ ║ ŋϊсє ŋϊсє Ŋϊсє ŋϊсє ŋϊсє Ŋϊсє ŋϊсє ŋϊсє ║ ║ ŋϊсє ŋϊсє Ŋϊсє ŋϊсє ŋϊсє Ŋϊсє ŋϊсє ŋϊсє ║ ║ ŋϊсє ŋϊсє Ŋϊсє ŋϊсє ŋϊсє Ŋϊсє ŋϊсє ŋϊсє ║ ║ ŋϊсє ŋϊсє Ŋϊсє ŋϊсє ŋϊсє Ŋϊсє ŋϊсє ŋϊсє ║ ║ ŋϊсє ŋϊсє Ŋϊсє ŋϊсє ŋϊсє Ŋϊсє ŋϊсє ŋϊсє ║ ║ ŋϊсє ŋϊсє Ŋϊсє ŋϊсє ŋϊсє Ŋϊсє ŋϊсє ŋϊсє ║ ║ ŋϊсє ŋϊсє Ŋϊсє ŋϊсє ŋϊсє Ŋϊсє ŋϊсє ŋϊсє ║ ║ ŋϊсє ŋϊсє Ŋϊсє ŋϊсє ŋϊсє Ŋϊсє ŋϊсє ŋϊсє ║ ║ ŋϊсє ŋϊсє Ŋϊсє ŋϊсє ŋϊсє Ŋϊсє ŋϊсє ŋϊсє ║ ║ ŋϊсє ŋϊсє Ŋϊсє ŋϊсє ŋϊсє Ŋϊсє ŋϊсє ŋϊсє ║ ╚═════════════════╝ Keep Up The Good Work

Nice car and small car is always favorable for every one.

Excellent car! I need one like this.
commercial insurance

This is really a great car. Please checkout my Audi hub where you can get many accessories
regards,
Matt

Well design & smart car you give here.It’s true that small car is always favorable for every one.
Political Commentary

Cool design with great finishing touches at edges

This is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks for sharing this great article! That is very interesting smile I love reading and I am always searching for informative information like this! You are bookmarked!
Thx

Kickass design. I’ll be on the lookout for more of these in the days ahead.

GOod stuff keep it up/

I think that this model of car looks fun and cool.

Amazing car and it looks awesome.

Strong stuff..keep up the brilliant work.
Freezer vans

nice post! tnx

Great Site.thanks for this interesting post

Good design & Shape. Really it’s looks so attractive.
Document Management System

the world’s No. 1 manufacturer of hybrid vehicles including the famed Prius, has launched its first mini subcompact car. Toyota’s three-metre long IQ, already named best concept car of 2007 by Car magazine, is expected to make its North American debut at the Los Angeles car show this month.
Young Writers

Nice article. Shed insight on a rather inconclusive topic.

Smart car is finally about to get some competition. German automaker Daimler AG’s super mini Smart car has been a familiar urban site on Canadian roads for several years. In fact, in North America it has basically been the it car in the mini car segment.

Cool car! Wow

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