Iq Issues From An Owner's Perspective.

[telecasterisation]

I have had two Aygos and now have a very recent iQ. The last Aygo went due to an ongoing water leakage problem - it was just coming up to three years old and had been back to the dealership about 8 times, but the water just kept on coming in. So much so, that you could smell the damp/mould in the air.

The choice of a replacement wasn't easy. Toyota would give me at least £750 more part-ex than Ford or Fiat, Honda etc, but I was reluctant to go back to a Toyota. After much thought and domestic discussion, I opted for the iQ - I only wanted it for commuting to work, so space wasn't really the issue it would be for a family who'd need the extra seats on a regular basis.

I'd had an iQ several times as a courtesy car and thought I was familiar with all its nuances and shortcomings. I was wrong;

Perhaps the most disadvantaging aspect of any test drive/using a car in daylight, is that you don't get to appreciate how a vehicle changes once it gets dark. There are a whole raft of features that kick in and poodling along at 13:08 in the afternoon and you just don't appreciate the impact darkness has. The key shortcoming here is the iQ's interior lighting. This consists of an appalling underpowered spotlight that has no intention (or capability) to illuminate the rear seating area. I picked up one of my daughters and her friend at night, the friend got in the back and simply couldn't find the seatbelt as it was squirreled in its equally daft 'slot'. I eventually had to get out in the rain, open the rear hatch and find it for her. A reasonable interior light would have saved this scenario from taking place.

Following on from that, the friend could then not find the 'slot' to relocate the seatbelt when she got out, consequently I had to drive home with the belt rattling.

Then there is the lack of exterior door protection strips. Yes, adding a strip would impact the line of the doors, but I find myself attempting to park 'away' from other vehicles as I already have a slight 'dink in each side where someone has enthusiastically opened their car door next to mine.

Next, the visibility issue due to the positioning of the rear side pillars. This is highly dangerous and any angled junction that invloves you twisting to see what's coming and your vision is severely compromised. The length of the door, the pillar and the tiny window often make it a seat-of-your-pants manoeuver.

Equally, the controls of the sound system are mounted on the wheel, which although a personal perspective thing, I absolutely hate. The wife had used it, parked the wheels at an angle and I got in the following morning at 06:03, turned the engine on and Lady Gaga erupted from the Speakers and because of the lack of lighting (the spotlight), and the fact that it took me quite a few seconds to 'find' the controls, everyone in the vicinity was aroused from their slumbers.

The airbag light on the dashboard stays on all the time the vehcile is running, day and night. So I have stuck black tape over that.

Because of the length of the doors, you have to reach an unnatural distance back by twisting the torso to reach the front seatbelts. Anyone with lumbur spine problems beware.

Now to the issue of no spare tyre;

On day five post-taking delivery, I came back to a flat-tyre. I could instantly see the problem, a screw in a location that could easily be repaired. Although I had read the procedure through in the accompanying book, it was raining and it all appeared a daunting prospect and as time was pressing, I took the wife's car to work instead.

Upon getting home later, I jacked the car up, removed the wheel and ran it down to the local tyre place where they happily repaired it at a nominal cost. They asked what car it was from? It transpired that had I filled the tyre with the compressed gunk, it cannot be repaired and you have to buy a whole new tyre regardless of where the puncture is. This may not be true at all tyre dealerships, but certainly at the one I visited.

So if you have the option to avoid using the supplied inflation route, don't as it will cost you heaps - you'll have to buy a new tyre.

As it is the basic model, it requires the insertion of a key to start it. This presents problems in darkness (the spotlight again) as the ignition is positioned in a seemingly odd location and strange angle. Add to that, the key just doesn't like to go in, it is a real fiddle.

Finally, the front number plate is fixed by two screws that are very close together, not positioned at 1/4 to 3 keeping it nice and flush with the bodywork, but at 5 to 1, meaning my front plate has already started to to adopt an annoying 'curved' appearance.

Apparently, it does not need to be recalled to fix the throttle problem.

I do realise I have not endorsed any of things I like about the iQ, but hopefully this will help anyone thinking of buying one to note these issues when test driving.