Toyota iQ scores top marks for safety
February 19, 2009 by Matt Brogan
Toyota’s smallest car, the iQ, has just scored itself top marks according to new independent crash testing results from EuroNCAP.
EuroNCAP, which has developed a new rating scheme that focuses on the vehicle’s overall protection performance, awarded five stars to the tiny iQ.
The new rating scheme uses a weighted score, combining all aspects of a car’s safety performance: adult (50 per cent), child (20 per cent) and pedestrian (20 per cent) protection assessment results with the availability of driver assistance devices (10 per cent).
A minimum score of 70 per cent overall is necessary to achieve a five-star rating. To qualify for inclusion, the devices must be fitted, as standard across 85 per cent of the European Union 2009 model range.
Covering this list the iQ managed an overall weighted score of 79 per cent with its standard nine airbags (including a world-first, rear window curtain shield airbag), Anti-lock Brakes (ABS), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and Traction Control.
Print it: 
Pretty impressive for such a tiny car. They’ll be here next year.
Er, CA, what about the other vehicles in the latest Euro NCAP tests? Current Mazda6 (finally tested) got trumps too!
Still wouldn’t want to hit anything bigger though. You know what they say – size does matter.
30% of that score probably comes from the pedestrian and driver assistances components of NCAP.
I agree with Stevo.
5 stars wont mean much when that B-Double with no brakes cleans you up.
5 stars on a b-double means nothing when a 2 kilometer long coal train cleans it up.
5 stars on a coal trail means nothing when a charter boat cleans it up. (Charter boat, what charter boat????)
Toyota are very cleaver to achieve such a high rating in a small car, of course their is risk, but you want to minimize risk were you can. Bigger does not mean better when it comes to safety.
The thing that most worries me about this car is that there are nine airbags. Works for safety but I think that if I was in a crash and the cabin filled up with white pillows I’d be in more shock than if my head hit the windscreen.
Problem is – this car has 9 airbags in Europe. A bit like the “old” EuroNCAP 5 stars awarded to the Yaris. In Oz they de-spec the bejesus out the vehicle and then surreptitiously refer the European credentials, which was then picked up by most articles written about the Oz Yaris. Even NRMA rabbited on about the 5 star crash rating of the Yaris only to mention elsewhere that you couldn’t get this on the bottom spec vehicle.
Now that the rant is over – well done Toyota, but I have to agree VW Freak – what about the rest of the cars tested under the new system. And lets not forget they have only tested 6 vehicles so far – 2 Toyotas and 1 each for Mazda, Mitsubishi, Subaru and Citroen
This car is too expensive, it starts from $9300 in the uk. You can get a Yaris for $9900.
Looks a bit like a SMART For Two from the side.
Is this Toyota copying another Damiler-Benz product yet again?
Mitch, this car is far more relevant & forward thinking than a Yaris – I would take it anyday over the Yaris. I think it would be a clever decision to bring it here.
noone will buy it cause its too expensive for what you get and anyone with money to waste will want something with a brand name
Wow looks small and low,Iv’e got a new name for it called a Small IQ or Low IQ.Imagine driving interstate in that,no thanks,give me a big aussie car anyday.
“Wow looks small and low,Iv’e got a new name for it called a Small IQ or Low IQ.Imagine driving interstate in that,no thanks,give me a big aussie car anyday.”
Ever heard of having more than once car perhaps? This is clearly a city car, and not a car to be driven in the country.
Don’t worry folks, it’s “Dan the Toyota defender Man” to the rescure whenever someone dares point out a Toyota shortcoming.
But I thought Dan didnt like Toyotas ?
Im with Alex, scary stuff !
The fact that at least 2 people in this country prefers to hit their head on a windscreen rather than an airbag perturbs me.
Dan, you are a complete retard. You criticise me for my spelling and yet you are an uneducated bogan that can’t spell the number one.
First letter: o
second letter: n
Third letter: e
one.
Got how to spell the number one now, Dan the Toyota defender man?
They did a test on this car in Fifth Gear and raved about it.
When is it coming here?
Wouldn’t be big enough for Dan and his ego.
I just checked out the video from 5th Gear. Seems like a good car. People buy the Smart 2 seater, so why not this? You can fit an extra adult too. I know people don’t necessarily like Toyota, but they do make some great products (goes with the territory of being the biggest i guess). I believe this is one of them.
http://www.egmcartech.com/2009.....toyota-iq/
My works office over looks a Toyota dealer here in the motherland and the little IQ don’t look too bad and seems to be selling well, despite they are over priced.
Mitch – I think you mean £9300 not $9300. At £9300 they are having a complete laugh. Only £2K more a basic Focus can be had.
Cupid Stunt, what is it with the British and their love of Ford small cars?
Here they are poorly regarded in the market and don’t sell.
SamR – It’s not just Fords. Many folk prefer small cars across Europe. Possibly as cars are reletively expensive to run with fuel here at 90pence/litre (diesel 99p/l). Why they stick to small cars when larger ones are nearly as economical I do not know. Having said that, parking space is a premium here, I often have to park with only ~40cms spare room.
I prefer larger cars personally as between my my wife and I we get through about 80,000Km per year.
I laughed when I saw the picture of this thing. Although I understand its purpose, I just cant imagine driving something like this lol!
Cupid Stunt, thanks but my question is why FORD small cars and not Toyotas and Mazdas?
Here the Focus and old Fiesta were almost salesroom poison. I know some people like them but they sold on price and Fords huge network and even then sales are slow.
looks like a rollerskate for a giant.
If you can’t find a park in the supermarket, you could always squeeze it in the trolley bays. Or maybe a spoiler can double as a handle as you push it round the aisles collecting your weekly shopping.
Looks like its already been squashed between 2 semis. Maybe thats what happened and the people survived,so they gave it a 5 star rating.
Good one stevo.