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Shoehorned in under that tiny bonnet is a 67bhp, 3cyl, 996cc petrol engine. With the optional, dual mode CVT ‘Mutidrive’ auto transmission (a 5sp manual is standard) this equates to 0-62mph in 15.5secs with a 93mph top speed. A good spread of torque (up to 67lb/ft) means acceleration in town is adequate, but nifty, power-reliant manoeuvres on the open road aren’t the iQ’s forté. Once up to speed though, it motors along quietly and comfortably enough, maintains 70mph or more with ease, and even when on full throttle at high revs the iQ remains refined and unflustered.

Although a tiny city car, there’s nothing Toytown about how the iQ rides and drives. My test drive route included some horrendous cobbled streets which it took comfortably in its stride, although potholes and railway level crossings can send a slightly uncomfortable but temporary jolt through to the cabin’s rear. To maximize interior space Toyota started with a clean sheet of paper when it designed the iQ’s steering system, and with electric power assistance it’s well-weighted and responsive. The tiny 3.9m (12.7ft) turning circle proved very handy, while its skinny, low rolling resistance tyres grip surprisingly well.

The iQ I drove was a pre-production version and Toyota was keen to point out that some aspects (eg. panel gaps) may not be quite as perfect as on the forthcoming full production model. That said, apart from an easily scratched soft plastic finish on the interior door cappings, there was really nothing to fault. The iQ uses basically the same engine as the Aygo supermini, so that shouldn’t cause any problems. Additionally, the iQ will very probably help contribute to the brand’s excellent ratings in ownership surveys.

If it’s true that some city cars have compromised safety in the quest for size and economy, then the iQ certainly bucks that trend. Check this list of standard equipment airbags: driver’s, front passenger twin chamber, front side (2), driver’s knee, front passenger seat cushion, curtain shield (2) and even a rear window airbag. There’s also Isofix child seat mountings on the rear seats, front seatbelts with pretensioners and force limiters, four three-point seatbelts with Emergency Locking Retractor, ABS, EBD, Brake Assist and Vehicle Stability Control with Traction Control. The top spec iQ2 model also boasts dusk-sensing headlights, rain sensing wipers and an auto dimming rear view mirror.

Another trend bucked is that tiny city cars must, by definition, also be tiny inside. Not so with the iQ, although, with an overall length of just 2,985mm, the term ‘4-seater’ shouldn’t be taken too literally. By starting with another clean sheet, the iQ’s designers made it possible for the front passenger to sit well forward of the driver, thus allowing sufficient space for a 6ft+ adult to sit directly behind. This renders the iQ a definite 3-seater, but to seat four requires that either the driver, the passenger behind, or both, be relatively short-legged. There are motorbikes with more bootspace when all four seats are in use – 32 litres, or enough for two umbrellas or a slim briefcase – but the two rear seatbacks can fold flat, thus expanding loadspace to 242 litres, or plenty enough for a supermarket trip or a week away for two.

With prices at around £9,500 to £11.500 (tbc, dependent on recent VAT change) the iQ isn’t cheap to buy, but with so much technology and sophistication, you shouldn’t expect it to be. This isn’t a paired-to-the-bone runaround for people who can’t afford a proper car. Instead it’s a stylish urban machine with many big car features, but not big car running costs… Fuel consumption is 60.1mpg combined (auto) or 65.7 (manual), while the manual version emits just 99g/km of CO2 and so is exempt from road tax. In the current economic climate it’s likely that many will realise that they never really needed a Range Rover, or even a MINI, and that an iQ is just the ticket.

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