Should I Buy An Iq?

[mjpHiace]

Hello there.

New to the toyota Owners club.

I am considering buying a small car on scrappage scheme and am very intrigued by the IQ, free road tax and 60mpg around town. We are a family of three; mum, dad and a little girl. It would usually be Mum and daughter using the car and maybe the three of us occasionally but we would also have another car. The thing that that bothers my wife in particular and has got me thinking is the non-existent rear end of the IQ and hence its rear crash performance. I know it has the worlds first rear air bags but how good is it really?

What do you guys think? Was this a concern for you when you bought yours?

I look forward to hearing from you.

[reece]

5*

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[reece]

... or a nice little cheap Fiat Seicento...

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or even a Rover Metro...

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For your wife and daughter I'd go for the iQ

[mjpHiace]

its a horrible thought. No chance on the fiat or metro. IQ is a very modern car and I have read all the Euroncap pages, but there isn't actually a rear crash test performed is there?

[reece]

I don’t think there is a rear crash test on any car, however, Toyota have installed the worlds first rear curtain air bag due to possible concerns about the size.

Bigger isn’t always better, take a look at the Chrysler Voyager, big car, poor crash test results.

[SallyIQ]

9 airbags....what more can you say!

It didnt really concern me that much, after all i would be in the front if someone rear ended me so im not bothered about the back half! But Im sure i saw a vid of the rear airbag going off....looked good

[ScifiPaul]

Don't expect 60mpg around town though - more like high 40s and 50+ on motorways. I haven't seen 60mpg average but then I haven't been trying for economy as I'm happy with what I get.

All round it's a fabulous car and very exclusive - how many do you see about ? Great.

[MD1]

go for it, if most of the time there are only two in the car you'll have no worries, as everyone else has said 9 airbags - come on!!!!

It's a great car, funky, modern, cheap to run and no where near as common as the MINI I owned before!

Also, 2nd in this years european can of the year!

[Salsadicto]

It's a safe car but when I bought it I also wondered about security for the rear passengers... in the crash test videos seen there isn't any rear test. But it'as also true that it is the only car with airbags all around for rear passengers (sides and behind)...

I think the question isn't "is the IQ safe enought" but "does a small car is safe enought for rear passenger as it will be my daughter's place".

[iq-ownersclub.com]

plus the headlights are so agressive. looks like peekachoo from the front.

so much style aston martin are using it as a blueprint for their new mini car. that last sentance says it all really

[Zulley]

I would have thought you dont have much of a chance being in the back of any small car and being hit from behind, unless its at low speed or another small car hits you.

[reece]

If you look at how strong the side impact tests are, then I wouldn’t be too concerned about a rear end shunt.

With a side impact you have the door and airbags for protection, with a rear end impact in an iQ you will have the door airbag and seat and more crumple zone space. Worse case scenario with all the air bags it will like having a crash in a Bouncy Castle

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[Danny_TTE_compressor]

I think it is a little unwise asking the owners of a car whther they think its safe! i doubt anyone who forked out for an IQ would say 'yeh like the car but i doubt my kids would survive a crash!'

I've always believed the manufacturers and Ncap claims about car safety untill i saw the smart car crash on 5th gear where it was compared to an old corsa. the smart looked fine after it got slammed into a wall where as the corsa looked a real mess, however neither car really protected its occupant, the corsa fell apart and the smart stayed rigid both of which are no good in an impact, regardless of what anyone says on here you need some way of absorbing the energy of the impact, and typically that would be done with a crumple zone...how can a car thats so short have a crumple zone....it just does'nt. As for the 9 air bags argument i thought they were to cushion the occupant and hold them in place during the accident, not as some on here seem to think stop a 3 tonne van making the IQ even more compact! unless the IQ deployes them out of the rear bumper to soften the impact......now theres a thought.......

The IQ is'nt, in my opinion unsafe, far from it, just don't go thinking it will protect you like a big 5 star car would! it can't.

I just want a simple yes/no system, all i want to know is 'if hit by a truck will this car save me?'

[curly kittten]

i have just bought an amythist iq under the scrappage scheme,i used to own a fiat cinquecento,that was about as save as driving a chocolate bar on wheels,so i am very happy to be driving an iq. no car is going to stop 40 tons of lorry ,you could always buy a tank you will have no problems parking just a little bit pricey on petrol.i must add the toyota dealership i bought my car from were brillant. :D :D :D

[elvyn]

Deep down you must decide for yourself after considering all the information you have to hand. Perhaps go for a white /pearl one for visibility? (other drivers to see you) Don't go for one unless you and your partner are sure or it will worry you and you will never enjoy the car. I have three daughters, grown up, but reguarly take two of them in the car to see their grandad. It does not worry me all four up. They have never said anything.

25 years ago not many cars had airbags let alone all the electronics nowadays with ABS, TC, Brake Assist, Stability Control you wonder how any of us survived in a car at all. We did and enjoyed it ( I had a Metro for a while, seeing that NCAP clip did make me cringe though) :) :)

It makes me cringe when I see kids in the back of cars not wearing seat belts.

[Andrewp]

For the money being asked for an IQ I'd seriously consider a new Mazda 2 which is really fun to drive, just as economical in real life and more practical. Wishing I bought one for my wife instead of a Yaris!

[reece]

For the money being asked for an IQ I'd seriously consider a new Mazda 2 which is really fun to drive, just as economical in real life and more practical. Wishing I bought one for my wife instead of a Yaris!

Its a Fiesta underneath

[Andrewp]

Its a Fiesta underneath

Just slipping my grey anorak on :) ..........That's true of previous Mazda 2 models, the 2007 model started as the Mazda Demio (2) and Ford used that as the base for the Fiesta, so in this case the Fiesta is a Mazda underneath, it's an excellent car but costlier.

[steveybaby]

I like my IQ however I wished I'd also looked at tha Alfa Romeo Mito too.

I *know* that I'd be standing on the hard shoulder now and then and that it is a Fiat underneath but just my thoughts!

Whatever you do, you'll probably regret it at some stage so just do what you think is right today.