Typically, an automotive award from overseas wouldn’t grab our attention. However, the diminutive Toyota iQ cleaned house to claim the 2008 Japan Car of the Year honors, raking in 300 more points than the second-place finisher. That is head-turning news.
The judges praised the iQ for its space efficiency and design, particularly the iQ’s capacity for seating four people within a body less than three meters long, as well as its combination of high levels of safety and low CO2 emissions.
As we covered before in “Toyota iQ Coming to the U.S.”, the iQ reportedly achieves 54 mpg based on Japanese test protocols. That extreme fuel economy is enabled by the vehicle’s sub-compact dimensions and thrifty powertrain, yet the interior space is maximized by clever packaging. Compensating for its tiny size, the iQ protects occupants with eight airbags, including the world’s first rear-curtain airbag.
Industry rumors suggest Toyota may bring the iQ to the United States as a Scion product. This would give the youth-targeted brand a fresh, exciting model that could reinvigorate salesroom traffic. Scion stumbled with the launch of the second-generation xB--a vehicle redesigned based specifically on owner feedback. Would-be buyers wanted more space and more power than with the original xB, yet to achieve that Scion delivered the less-desirable trade-off of lower fuel economy, more weight, and compromised visibility. As the nation went on a gasoline diet, it was the right vehicle at the wrong time.
The iQ could be quite the opposite, an unexpected model striking at just the right time. As successful as the Smart ForTwo has been, imagine a more brilliant, Toyota-ized Smart car with all the innovation, reliability, and affordability that suggests. Sounds like a winning combination, indeed. And apparently the 65 Japanese jurors agree.
Results of Japan Car of the Year 2008
1. Toyota iQ (526 points)
2. Citroën C5 (223 points)
3. Nissan GT-R (201 points)
4. Audi A4/A4 Avant (180 points)
5. Jaguar XF (115 points)
6. Daihatsu Tanto (100 points)
7. Fiat 500 (90 points)
8. Honda Freed (62 points)
9. Mazda Atenza (60 points)
10. Suzuki Wagon R/Wagon R Stingray (37 points)
11 Subaru Exiga (31 points)
Research Toyotas in the 2009 new car buyer's guide.