The Toyota iQ is a 3-door hatchback that was first unveiled at the 2008 Geneva Auto Show. The iQ was designed by the Toyota European Design and Development team to compete with the Smart Fortwo, and invests heavily on the car’s intelligence quotient: individuality and innovation meeting quality. The iQ is a spacious city car that handles like big cars due to the exterior design. Market for the vehicle first became available in Japan in 2008, with European markets following suit in 2009, and the US and Canada in 2011.
A rebadged version, the Aston Martin Cygnet, was marketed starting 2011. The changes to this version include slight interior and exterior modifications.
The iQ has spawned multiple concept cars since 2009. Among these are the FT-EV, a battery electric vehicle; and iQ for Sports with interior customisations for the public. Editions which have since been produced include the iQ Customize Car, exclusively marketed in Japan; and the sporty GAZOO Racing package. A US version by Five Axis, the Scion iQ, was first introduced at the 2009 New York Auto Show. A concept EV version of the Scion iQ was unveiled at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. This version features Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive technology.
