New iQ city car will cost you pounds 11,495

Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), Oct 17, 2008

Byline: By STEVE HUGHES

TOYOTA has announced prices for its new iQ city car, which despite being one of the smallest on the market, will cost up to pounds 11,495.

That is almost pounds 4,000 more than a Ford Ka and is pounds 4,495 more than Toyota's own Aygo.

Similar money would buy a five door 1.3-litre Toyota Yaris or a 1.6- litre Chevrolet Lacetti SX hatchback.

However, Toyota believes that the current move towards downsizing plus the iQ's 65mpg economy, taxfree running and in-town manoeuvrability will attract enough buyers to make it a viable proposition.

Prices start at pounds 9,495 for the onelitre manual, which has a tax beating CO2 figure of 99g/km. This rises to 110g/km for the same model with Multidrive transmission, which costs pounds 10,495.

There are then two mechanicallyidentical versions with higher equipment levels and price premiums of pounds 1,000, taking the iQ with 2-level trim and Multidrive transmission to the pounds 11,495 mark.

One sale in January, Toyota says it is so confident of the iQ's desirability that it is predicting 80,000 sales throughout Europe next year.

At under 12 feet long, 5ft high and 5ft 7ins wide it will fit into the smallest of parking spaces yet can carry three adults and a child.

A sliding seat configuration allows an adult to sit in the rear seat behind the front passenger. The shoulder-to shoulder distance between the driver and front passenger is wider than in a Yaris while the seating layout means there is enough room for three adults plus either a child passenger or luggage behind the driver.

Initially there will be just a single one-litre petrol engine on offer with a five-speed manual gearbox or the continuously variable transmission system that Toyota calls Multidrive .

The entry-level iQ rides on 15- inch alloy wheels and has heated electrically-adjustable door mirrors with integrated indicator lamps.

Air conditioning is standard, together with a six-speaker sound system, electric windows, remote central locking, tinted glass and leather trim for the steering wheel and gear knob A new 1.3-litre petrol engine with Stop & Start technology will be added later next year.

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WORTH CONSIDERING - this is the new Toyota IQ which will be on the market soon