The iQ was one of the first models to undergo Euro NCAPs more stringent crash tests in 2009. The new overall rating covers not only adult occupant safety but includes child and pedestrian safety along with a rear impact whiplash test. Toyota iQ safety levels were awarded the maximum five stars which is very impressive for such a small car.

It’s stuffed with no less than nine airbags as standard, including the world’s first rear window curtain airbag which protects back-seat passengers. There’s also Isofix child points in the rear, a seatbelt reminder system and ABS with brake assist and traction control.

On the security front, a perimeter alarm, Thatcham immobiliser and deadlocks should do enough to deter thieves.

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.