2013 Scion iQ Base

The Scion iQ, which debuted for 2012, is a subcompact hatchback available in a single trim level. Standard equipment highlights include full power accessories, air-conditioning, a leather-wrapped tilt steering wheel with audio controls, a 50/50-split-folding rear seat, Bluetooth and a four-speaker sound system with a CD player, HD radio, an auxiliary audio jack and a USB port. In typical Scion fashion, there are plenty of dealer-installed accessories instead of factory options. Among the main offerings are alloy wheels, a sport-tuned suspension, illuminated door sills and a premium sound system with satellite radio and a navigation system. As mentioned earlier, the iQ boasts amazing space efficiency. Thanks to clever packaging, the front passenger seat moves up enough to allow a full-size passenger to ride behind. As such, the iQ essentially has an odd but usable 3+1 seating arrangement. Although there's just 3.5 cubic feet of cargo space with those rear seats up, folding them down opens up 16.7 cubes -- about the same as a full-size sedan's trunk. Though it looks like a grown-up Smart Fortwo, the Scion iQ actually performs like a downsized Toyota Corolla. It's calm and composed at freeway speeds, tracks through turns with confident stability and churns through city errands with minimal discomfort. Although it has expectedly slow acceleration, the iQ's combination of a 94-horsepower engine and a continuously variable transmission (CVT) gives it the kind of smooth, unstressed performance one might otherwise associate with an electric vehicle. Strong crosswinds can be unsettling at highway speeds, but that's about it for the iQ's bad manners.