What You'd Like On The Iq To Improve It

[ianlinux]

I'll kick off, and it might be totally self-indulgent: a little mirror on the main driver's side mirror assembly so when you're parked on the road or a main busy route, you can see the traffic coming as you open the door without having to crick your neck looking through the gap of a slightly ajar door because the main mirror's folded in.

[craggle]

The ability to turn the rear fog light on without having to turn the front ones on first.

Craig.

[ianlinux]

The ability to turn the rear fog light on without having to turn the front ones on first.

Craig.

Yes my Citroen C5 does that, really annoying. But I suppose they argue, if it's bad enough for the rears then then the same applies to the front

[bobkneale]

A few minor things from me:

Radio controls on the dash as well as the steering wheel

No rattles from my passenger seat (seems to be a fairly common issue, as others have it)

Better quality (scratch free) plastics inside

Harder wearing carpets & matts

Engine rubber hose clips that don't rust so easily

Notchy second gear on my manual.

Brake discs that are less prone to rust

A interior color scheem that has not been designed by Stevie Wonder

One major Item:

EGR valve recall for older IQ's it would stop 100's of posts on this forum, and it is also a safety issue.

[ianlinux]

1) Agree Bob re the interior colour scheme. One thing we are grateful for, as opposed to the silver 2011 we sent back, is that now the pinkish/red housing above the CD player isn't there on our replacement burnt orange one - hallelujah. For some reason that really niggled me and my wife. Still, we get a free glued on satnav mount instead

2) The other thing I agree with you on is only having the radio controls on the steering wheel. I think it's a minor safety issue that any passenger that may be present can't intervene - especially with volume.

I'll look out for rusting hose connectors and brake disks - although I think the latter have been fairly common on many of my cars over the years. I am surprised there isn't an engine bay tray to keep out the elements and perhaps why the C5 hose clips haven't rusted where the iQ's have.

The mats in our 2012 are different to the ones in the returned 2011 and appear to be thicker rubber without any carpet inlay making them nice and easy to clean.

[bobkneale]

1) Agree Bob re the interior colour scheme. One thing we are grateful for, as opposed to the silver 2011 we sent back, is that now the pinkish/red housing above the CD player isn't there on our replacement burnt orange one - hallelujah. For some reason that really niggled me and my wife. Still, we get a free glued on satnav mount instead

2) The other thing I agree with you on is only having the radio controls on the steering wheel. I think it's a minor safety issue that any passenger that may be present can't intervene - especially with volume.

I'll look out for rusting hose connectors and brake disks - although I think the latter have been fairly common on many of my cars over the years. I am surprised there isn't an engine bay tray to keep out the elements and perhaps why the C5 hose clips haven't rusted where the iQ's have.

The mats in our 2012 are different to the ones in the returned 2011 and appear to be thicker rubber without any carpet inlay making them nice and easy to clean.

I agree that many modern cars have brake disc rust issues, thats the price we are paying for design concepts that are not made to last in my view !

[aaronfife]

Two things that in my opinion need improved ARE..

1. Suspension, it's horrific. I'm now looking into coilovers as the Eibach springs haven't done much in terms with the spongy ride.

2. Gearbox mount, also known as a 'dogmount bush' needs stiffened up. Every gear change, every clutch release and it feels like the engine is about to jump out the bay! However can't seem to find ANY uprated ones for the IQ?

Apart from that, the IQ is a great car. One I sort these minor issues it should be a very fun daily car.

[Dark Matter]

Nearly lost my door TWICE now thanks to cyclists that "came out of nowhere" as I opened my door with the mirror folded. I know it's my responsibility to check and as a results of these near catastrophes I am now VERY careful. But personally if I was approaching a row of cars ( one of which had obviously just parked up) I would give it a very wide berth indeed. But no. Each time the cyclists skimmed pass a couple of inches from my car on a wide traffic free road. Anyway to answer your original question - that same button that folds the mirrors needs desperately to be ILLUMINATED.

[ianlinux]

Two things that in my opinion need improved ARE..

1. Suspension, it's horrific. I'm now looking into coilovers as the Eibach springs haven't done much in terms with the spongy ride.

2. Gearbox mount, also known as a 'dogmount bush' needs stiffened up. Every gear change, every clutch release and it feels like the engine is about to jump out the bay! However can't seem to find ANY uprated ones for the IQ?

Apart from that, the IQ is a great car. One I sort these minor issues it should be a very fun daily car.

Yes I come from a Citroen HPS so am always going to feel a tighter suspension, but didn't theink the iQ's was that terrible given its axle geometry.

Didn't like the manual on our returned 2011, so opted for multidrive

[Cyker]

Cor, half the things on Bob's list apply to most of the cars in the forum!

One thing re brake discs; I'm starting to think it's due to the pads used - The standard Toyota pads generate almost no brake dust but seem to make the discs more prone to light surface rust.

The EBC pads I put on mine have virtually eliminated the rust and left the discs very shiny :D Any surface rust after rain and what-not gets cleared off very quickly too.

The downside is the massively increased generation of brakedust tho; My front wheels look like I drove through a coal mine after a fortnight!

[Soeley]

Two things that in my opinion need improved ARE..

1. Suspension, it's horrific. I'm now looking into coilovers as the Eibach springs haven't done much in terms with the spongy ride.

2. Gearbox mount, also known as a 'dogmount bush' needs stiffened up. Every gear change, every clutch release and it feels like the engine is about to jump out the bay! However can't seem to find ANY uprated ones for the IQ?

Apart from that, the IQ is a great car. One I sort these minor issues it should be a very fun daily car.

Those two surprised me. I have the Eibach springs and although I felt they only stiffened the suspension slightly I wouldn't class it as spongy. The gearbox I have never experienced anything like you describe even with the odd harsh gear shift.

PS

With the mirrors have you considered just manually folding it in when you have got out of the car?

[aaronfife]

The gearbox mount is sloppy as with most cars so maybe I've being a little extreme as I tend to replace these for uprated inserts. When uprated there is so much more 'feel' and direction to where the gear is going. It's difficult to describe but until you've done it to a few cars, you soon realise how soft the standard rubber actually is.

The Eibach springs have made a good improvement over standard, but I feel the body roll is quite something else on the IQ. Any car I've been in, manufactured around the same year as mine, same size and body type, feels much safer and controlled in the corners than the IQ. I'm not talking about hard driving, 20mph around roundabouts seems like you've got to lift off even more just to safely get around it. BUT this is all personal preference so it might and maybe IS just me ha ha!!

[Dark Matter]

. I'm not talking about hard driving, 20mph around roundabouts seems like you've got to lift off even more just to safely get around it. BUT this is all personal preference so it might and maybe IS just me ha ha!!

Yep ..... I think it's just you ha ha!!

My iQ it's probably one of the most stable cars I've driven and goes around corners like it's on rails.

(And the gear change is just fine)

[johnan]

I agree with Nick about the suspension being OK, but I think it has been changed with the model change in 2011 .

I bought one of the first IQs in 2009 and found the handling not that impressive. I bought the updated model in 2011 and as he says it seems, to me at least, the handling has been improved.

Reminds me now of the old Mini days of brilliant cornering.

Don't know if it is due to geometry changes, dampers or spring rates, but it certainly feels different to me.

The gear change mechanism was also improved with the later model. My first car was reluctant to go into 2nd from 3rd, but no problems with the later one.

John

[craggle]

If your still on the tall side wall 15" tyres that will make a difference to cornering and spongy feeling on the ride. Maybe you need some 17" or 18" wheels on there?

Craig.

[Soeley]

Perhaps they fitted diferent shockers on the later models then, as i was about to say what Johnan said about the iQ reminding me of my old Mini. I can quite happily floor the eccelorator in 2nd gear going round roundabouts and mine is the 1.33l.

I wonder if that is the difference? did they fit different shockers to the 1.33s as to the 1.0s??

[aaronfife]

Bigger wheels are getting bought next year so we shall see lol.

Your maybe right in terms to shocks too I'm not quite sure if they changed them actually

[Soeley]

Bigger wheels are getting bought next year so we shall see lol.

Your maybe right in terms to shocks too I'm not quite sure if they changed them actually

Just found shocker on eBay for sale for a 2009 1.0 engined iQ. Used the compatibility finder and entered 2011 1.3, it came up as not compatible.

[Guest]

For my choice of 'improvements' to the iQ -

1. A HUD (Head Up Display) showing at least Speed and Gear, and for those with Sat Nav, a direction arrow.

2. A better choice of colour schemes inside, so one can mix and match (or if you have bad taste, mis-match) and better quality plastics on heavy use areas; doors for example.

3. Thicker paint on the front of the car to help resist stone chips, so that a stone hitting the front does not go right down to the plastic/metal.

4. Somehow improve the ride, so it's not as harsh on bumps on our crappy road network, but better on cornering.

5. I consider 1. a safety issue as having to look down at your speedo on town and city roads is asking for trouble. You choose your moment to look at the speedo to make sure you are not speeding and WHAM! Some gob****e has stepped out in front of you texting/listening to music on some device or just a plain old moron not concentrating on what they are doing. If it's a kid, they could easily die or be maimed for life, all for the sake of having a HUD fitted.

6. Better factory fitted lighting inside and for the headlights. See David's -aka Tarquin's- detailed interior light upgrade, marvelous.

7. Lastly, but not leastly, choice in seat coverings, and of course better quailty (as in thicker) carpeting for drivers footwell and madatory car mats with the car, not to be an option.

[Dark Matter]

Sorry mate – I have to disagree with you that number 1 & 5 are failings that are unique to the iQ. Frankly, if you are unable to coordinate driving and looking safely at “normal” car instrumentation without hitting something you might need to take a long hard look at your driving technique and your ability to read the road ahead.

[ianlinux]

I found heads up display a little distracting at first when using a car that had it fitted.

On the iQ, I'd say the little screen to the left of the speedo is much more distracting than the speedo itself. And the position of the speedo is about the same as every car I have ever owned, so it fits for me and am happy with it. I think the worry over hitting someone/something is because there are more and more general distractions to contend with, not least the various council money making schemes like speed cameras. When I started driving in the 80s I judged my speed without having to continually look at the speedo all the time - I either kept up with traffic or simply drove according to the conditions. And I sort of judged 30mph quite easily. These days, all the aids have taken that natural judgement away from us, so perhaps we ought to try and reclaim them back again before we lose the ability to think for ourselves at all. I mean, when was the last time some of us even read a map?

One thing I'm unhappy about is the insurance industry's attitude to the nine airbags. When searching for our 2012, I came across about three near new iQs that had been Cat D'd written off, simply because the insurance companies couldn't justify the cost of resetting activated airbags. That's got to be a nonsense and only gets worse the older a car gets. So if we're lucky enough to still have our iQ in 20 years time without incident, but get minor shunted one day in October 2033, then I can't keep it because some insurance spiv denies me my right to keep a perfectly good car on the road due to airbag costs.

Anyway, peak oil, war, famine, draconian car legislation and disaster might mean all this is irrelevant by 2033 regardless

[Soeley]

Sorry mate – I have to disagree with you that number 1 & 5 are failings that are unique to the iQ. Frankly, if you are unable to coordinate driving and looking safely at “normal” car instrumentation without hitting something you might need to take a long hard look at your driving technique and your ability to read the road ahead.

Must admit I'm like DM. In town or slighty heavy traffic I don't look at the speedo, just drive to the conditions/road ahead. If it's busy traffic chances are you will be doing speed limit or lower any way.

[bobkneale]

For my choice of 'improvements' to the iQ -

1. A HUD (Head Up Display) showing at least Speed and Gear, and for those with Sat Nav, a direction arrow.

2. A better choice of colour schemes inside, so one can mix and match (or if you have bad taste, mis-match) and better quality plastics on heavy use areas; doors for example.

3. Thicker paint on the front of the car to help resist stone chips, so that a stone hitting the front does not go right down to the plastic/metal.

4. Somehow improve the ride, so it's not as harsh on bumps on our crappy road network, but better on cornering.

5. I consider 1. a safety issue as having to look down at your speedo on town and city roads is asking for trouble. You choose your moment to look at the speedo to make sure you are not speeding and WHAM! Some gob****e has stepped out in front of you texting/listening to music on some device or just a plain old moron not concentrating on what they are doing. If it's a kid, they could easily die or be maimed for life, all for the sake of having a HUD fitted.

6. Better factory fitted lighting inside and for the headlights. See David's -aka Tarquin's- detailed interior light upgrade, marvelous.

7. Lastly, but not leastly, choice in seat coverings, and of course better quailty (as in thicker) carpeting for drivers footwell and madatory car mats with the car, not to be an option.

I agree with all your points, perhaps No 1 HUD is more of a nice to have ?

[Soeley]

For my choice of 'improvements' to the iQ -

1. A HUD (Head Up Display) showing at least Speed and Gear, and for those with Sat Nav, a direction arrow.

2. A better choice of colour schemes inside, so one can mix and match (or if you have bad taste, mis-match) and better quality plastics on heavy use areas; doors for example.

3. Thicker paint on the front of the car to help resist stone chips, so that a stone hitting the front does not go right down to the plastic/metal.

4. Somehow improve the ride, so it's not as harsh on bumps on our crappy road network, but better on cornering.

5. I consider 1. a safety issue as having to look down at your speedo on town and city roads is asking for trouble. You choose your moment to look at the speedo to make sure you are not speeding and WHAM! Some gob****e has stepped out in front of you texting/listening to music on some device or just a plain old moron not concentrating on what they are doing. If it's a kid, they could easily die or be maimed for life, all for the sake of having a HUD fitted.

6. Better factory fitted lighting inside and for the headlights. See David's -aka Tarquin's- detailed interior light upgrade, marvelous.

7. Lastly, but not leastly, choice in seat coverings, and of course better quailty (as in thicker) carpeting for drivers footwell and madatory car mats with the car, not to be an option.

I think No.2 was resolved with the later models. Non of my plastics have scuffed up.

[Dark Matter]

I'll add one. Rain sensing wipers. They seem unable to cope with a screen that is covered in small droplets from light drizzle. I don't know if this is unique to the Toyota system or all rain sensing wiper system are the same. I find myself moving up and down the control stalk trying to convince myself that "auto" position has been selected. I also get paranoid if "high" means high sensitivity i.e.a little rain will trigger them or "low" means the sensitivity is set to be triggered at a low threshold.