Toyota IQ (09 on) - Review

Toyota's clever development results in a car with space-defying proportions – great news for passengers in the front. As the iQ uses its width so well on the inside, the two in the front are treated to excellent levels of elbow and shoulder room, plus headroom is good, even for taller drivers. Most will find the rear seats cramped after a short time, while poor rear legroom behind the driver makes that seat suitable for young kids only.

The iQ is as clever a car as its name suggests, but it’s not without its shortfalls. To fit the rear seats into such a small space, Toyota sacrificed a huge chunk of the boot. There's only 32 litres of space, while folding down the seats boosts this to just 242 litres - that's only marginally larger than the standard boot area in the Smart Fortwo. This leaves drivers with the choice of using the rear seats for passengers or for luggage - the iQ’s greatest limitation is its inability to carry both. But use it exclusively as a three seater, and the back seats for coats and bags, and the Toyota reveals its true colours as a super city slicker: small to drive but large inside.

Toyota has succeeded in making a plum and chocolate-coloured interior look tasteful, which pays testament to how well the iQ’s innovative and quirky style works. The V-shaped centre console groups the heating functions together to remove clutter, while the audio controls are only located on the steering wheel for the same reason. A space-saving dashboard with a detachable glovebox allows the front passenger to sit further forward, freeing up room behind. The large rear headrests can obscure the view out of the back window, but otherwise visibility is fine.