Co-worker bought a 2012 Scion IQ.

[dishdude]

The sales staff were probably giving each other high fives as your co-worker pulled out of the lot.

I am intrigued by these micro cars, but they just don't make sense. $15k, 37 MPG no wonder why they are still selling new 2012 models in 2013.

Someone above mentioned a Soul, and I think it would be a lot better value if you're looking for hatchback/tiny SUV versatility for a price in the teens. $15k buys you an entry level, maybe mid range Soul. Resale will certainly be easier.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Hideously-ugly, vastly overpriced, utterly impractical, and inexcusably thirsty. Your coworker got reamed.

 

[Bottom_Feeder]

Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
Folks, this is city car, not hwy car. The city MPG is good for a non-hybrid. Who cares about hwy MPG?

I would only buy it if it helped me with parking in small spaces. Perfect for European cities.

Originally Posted By: sciphi
Looks like a fair runabout. For urban duty where public transit is non-existent or doesn't go where you need, it's a good choice.

Some of you folks complaining it doesn't get good highway fuel economy don't get it. It's a CITY car meant for being easy to park in the urban jungle, not a HIGHWAY car meant to gobble up the wide-open miles.

Exactly on both counts. Anyone who blindly assumes that small car = great mileage and get disappointed when that does not turn out to be the case need to realize what these things are designed for: CITY driving and ease of parking, which they excel at. Anyone who complains about their lack of space and highway mileage obviously aren't the target consumer.

 

[cptbarkey]

my condolences. its pretty much just a coffin with wheels in america.

 

[jigen]

Really funny replies.

The guy is pretty young (24), he has always leased and he definitely had that itch. In the past week he jumped from a Passat, to a Tacoma, and finally to this thing. I don't think he needed much of anything. Just wanted something.

Somehow I feel like the salesman got him on the "fun factor" of a Scion. I agree with other posters, crazy to not get a Yaris over this. At least it has room to seat 4, a trunk, and choice of transmissions.

I'd probably pick a Mazda 2. Get a weird green one with a manual transmission for $14k and call it a day.

 

[asiancivicmaniac]

I like it, but I don't have a kid and usually only use the front two seats.

 

[Hokiefyd]

We all like different things, and that's okay. He liked the IQ and he bought an IQ. I hope he enjoys his new car.

 

[Spazdog]

Originally Posted By: Bottom_Feeder
Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
Folks, this is city car, not hwy car. The city MPG is good for a non-hybrid. Who cares about hwy MPG?

I would only buy it if it helped me with parking in small spaces. Perfect for European cities.

Originally Posted By: sciphi
Looks like a fair runabout. For urban duty where public transit is non-existent or doesn't go where you need, it's a good choice.

Some of you folks complaining it doesn't get good highway fuel economy don't get it. It's a CITY car meant for being easy to park in the urban jungle, not a HIGHWAY car meant to gobble up the wide-open miles.

Exactly on both counts. Anyone who blindly assumes that small car = great mileage and get disappointed when that does not turn out to be the case need to realize what these things are designed for: CITY driving and ease of parking, which they excel at. Anyone who complains about their lack of space and highway mileage obviously aren't the target consumer.


Well, for that you get a used Kia Rio and one of these:

I don't care how good the iQ is at parking, it doesn't beat the Beemer scoot. And if you gotta' have a CVT, this is the way to go.

 

[PandaBear]

Yes, parking is the only advantage of this thing. City car doesn't get driven so much that a slight increase in fuel economy matters that much.

 

[jigen]

Parked next to an impala to get an idea.

 

[mechanicx]

Originally Posted By: jigen
Really funny replies.

The guy is pretty young (24), he has always leased and he definitely had that itch. In the past week he jumped from a Passat, to a Tacoma, and finally to this thing. I don't think he needed much of anything. Just wanted something.

Somehow I feel like the salesman got him on the "fun factor" of a Scion. I agree with other posters, crazy to not get a Yaris over this. At least it has room to seat 4, a trunk, and choice of transmissions.

I'd probably pick a Mazda 2. Get a weird green one with a manual transmission for $14k and call it a day.


I can't imagine being 24 (or any age really) and feeling cool like my man card wasn't revoked driving someting like this. Maybe it's reverse psychology. If a big or fast car is compensating for something then this car means you don't have anything to compensate for

.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: jigen
Really funny replies.

The guy is pretty young (24), he has always leased and he definitely had that itch. In the past week he jumped from a Passat, to a Tacoma, and finally to this thing. I don't think he needed much of anything. Just wanted something.

How long do you think before he gets tired of it and ditches it for something else?

 

[fdcg27]

I think you have a point.
Maybe this kid is secure enough in his manhood that he doesn't need a truck to drive.
There is also the fact that among educated young people, cars don't have the cool factor that they did when I was 24.
Finally, the generation before mine considered Beetles and Microbuses the ultimate in cool.
This little guy would suck the headlights out of any air cooled VW.

 

[Dave Hess]

If I wanted an econobox the 2003-2005 Civic coupe for peanuts would do the job and not look like the clown car you see at a circus.

 

[mechanicx]

Basically the youth today are completely uncool and effiminate. But they're snotty and think their so much cooler and manlier

.

 

[fdcg27]

Originally Posted By: mechanicx
Basically the youth today are completely uncool and effiminate. But they're snotty and think their so much cooler and manlier

.


The youth of today might regard you or I in the same way.
Times, fashions and attitudes change.
Life goes on.

 

[jigen]

This guy is a pretty level headed dude. He went from a Buick, Honda, VW, and then this. Whatever floats his boat. He gets the humor in it. We have had a couple instance already when we leave to our cars we both start cracking up just looking at his IQ. It just looks out of place.

 

[mechanicx]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Originally Posted By: mechanicx
Basically the youth today are completely uncool and effiminate. But they're snotty and think their so much cooler and manlier

.


The youth of today might regard you or I in the same way.
Times, fashions and attitudes change.
Life goes on.


That's my point really. For example they may choose to drive a type of car that has always appealed to women. And that makes them cooler than an older car guy mostly in their eyes only.

 

[Spazdog]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27

Finally, the generation before mine considered Beetles and Microbuses the ultimate in cool.
This little guy would suck the headlights out of any air cooled VW.


Any?

No.



Carb(s) and cam and either of my air-cooled Type-1s would squash an iQ

 

[rslifkin]

The poor highway mileage is due to it being too small. Not enough length to shape it aerodynamically. The light weight leads to good city mileage, but tiny cars will never be highway cruisers.