Iq V Smart Engine.

[bokkie]

Chaps, If I read correctly the direct competitor to the iQ is the Smart FourTwo? I was chatting to a mate about the merits of both cars this morning and I was asked about the engines. True, you can't compare them directly but I remember reading somewhere in a review that one of the negatives against the Smart was that its engine is based on "old" technology. I don't know if that translates into meaning that the iQ, being the newer car, has "new" technology? To you engine aficinados out there, is the iQ engine more modern in design and how it works compared to the Smart? In other words, today's diesel engines are more cleaner, efficient and smoother than engines from a few years back. I'm interested to know if the iQ engines are innovative on the same lines.

[reece]

The 1.33 found in the iQ3 is a new engine by Toyota.

The 1 litre three cylinder I'm not so sure about.

[lil.smartie]

Chaps, If I read correctly the direct competitor to the iQ is the Smart FourTwo? I was chatting to a mate about the merits of both cars this morning and I was asked about the engines. True, you can't compare them directly but I remember reading somewhere in a review that one of the negatives against the Smart was that its engine is based on "old" technology. I don't know if that translates into meaning that the iQ, being the newer car, has "new" technology? To you engine aficinados out there, is the iQ engine more modern in design and how it works compared to the Smart? In other words, today's diesel engines are more cleaner, efficient and smoother than engines from a few years back. I'm interested to know if the iQ engines are innovative on the same lines.

The newest fortwo (not fourtwo! lol) has a Mitsi 1 litre engine with vvt so not 'old' technology at all, maybe the older 600/700cc ones were but the new ones are a modern design.

Kate

[PabloElFlamenco]

Whilst I cannot on a "direct" level compare the "Smart" and "IQ" engines, I may say that, according to a French comparative report I recently read, the IQ just scores much better in almost all respects, due to being such a better and balanced overall package. This reflects more, especially, on the transmission, gearbox, suspension than, specifically, the engine.

What I have learned is that the IQ 1-liter engine was designed by Daihatsu (a Toyota subsidiary company), and that it won a "best engine of the year" award very few years ago. This aluminium block powerplant weighs-in at ...67 kilos (let me just say that is very light)...produces 68 bhp, comes with double overhead camshaft, four valves on each of its three cylinders, distribution is chain-driven (no need to replace a belt at 60-120 K), and has some type of variable (with rpm) valve-lift modulation. These features belong, to a rather old-fashioned motorhead like me (I have driven an 1988 3.2 liter Porsche for some 20thousand miles), to the ...high tech... class of engines. Oh, it only produces 68 horses per liter, I've also been given to understand (from scouring the internet) that fleet owners consider this engine to be ...indestructible. All that, to me, signifies: good stuff. Even if, personally, I have no plans to modify my forthcoming (next friday!) one liter IQ, I've already found a Dutch company http://www.ziptuning.nl/chiptuning/Toyota-iQ-1.0-68-pk.html#header which chips it into 85 bhp for €500 or so. Not my cup of tea, but...it's there for those who are into such stuff!