One Way to Get Impressive Fuel Economy: The Smart IQ
There is no question that building a really small car can result in impressive fuel economy, and the smart 42 is an excellent example of this. Another model that excels in this area is the IQ, which seems to be designed for urban driving. One of its standout features is its incredibly small turning circle, measuring just 28 feet, making it easy to park almost anywhere.
Despite its tiny size, the IQ is a very different design from the smart. The engine is located at the front, and the designers have managed to squeeze in a very small rear seat, which is only suitable for children or emergency situations. However, this tiny 1.3-liter four-cylinder puts out an impressive 94 horsepower, which is channeled through a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that shifts in steps, making it feel more like a conventional automatic.
The IQ's engine works hard to bring as much power as possible out of this tiny little engine, but acceleration off the line is quite slow. As a result, drivers need to keep their foot in the throttle to keep up with traffic. The fuel economy, however, is excellent, reaching an overall rating of 34 miles per gallon. However, one would expect even more from such a small car, and there are more civilized alternatives that can achieve similar numbers.
The IQ's tiny fuel tank adds to its short cruising range, which might be for the best since taking long trips in this car could be unpleasant. The noise level is also quite high due to the lack of sound deadening, with a whole lot of road and wind noise, as well as engine noise from the CVT transmission. The ride can feel very busy and choppy, like riding on a buckboard, and it's even nervous on the highway. Handling isn't impressive either, with a feeling of nervousness due to overly quick steering that lacks driver feedback, combined with a short wheelbase.
Despite its handling issues, emergency handling is secure, thanks to the car's aggressive stability control system. However, driver visibility has some impediments, including a thick windshield pillar that blocks the view over the shoulder and makes merging difficult. The small back window also provides limited visibility. On the other hand, getting in and out of the IQ is relatively easy, although once inside, there are some issues with space and ergonomics.
One of the problems with the IQ's front seats is that they're very basic, don't adjust for height, and have firm cushioning with flat contours, resulting in modest support. The tachometer is tiny and looks like a toy, making it difficult to read, and some of the climate control knobs can be stiff to turn. The aftermarket-look radio has small buttons, cryptic letters, and no tune knob at all, adding to the overall lack of user-friendliness.
Another issue with the IQ's front seats is that they're very basic and don't adjust for height. However, this also means that there's decent room in front for two adults, despite some compromises elsewhere in the car. The rear seats are barely usable due to packaging that squeezes them into tight spaces, resulting in limited legroom and trunk space. Only when you fold down the rear seat can you carry luggage, which might be a practical solution but not ideal.
The biggest hurdle to owning an IQ is its price tag, which starts at over $16,000. While it's possible to buy a more likable and more practical subcompact car that still achieves impressive fuel economy, there may be specific situations where the IQ's unique features make it a better choice for drivers who need a tiny car for urban driving.
In conclusion, while the smart IQ is an interesting example of how a small car can achieve impressive fuel economy, its limitations in terms of space, ergonomics, and handling make it a less appealing option for many buyers. However, for drivers who require a tiny car for urban driving or have specific needs that the IQ can fulfill, it might be worth considering.
"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enone way to get impressive fuel economy is to build a really small car there is no question to sign iq qualifies like the smart 42 the iq excels in an urban setting it seems like this tiny car can be parked almost anywhere helped by an amazingly small 28 foot turning circle even though the iq looks sort of like a smart it's actually a very different design unlike the smart the science engine is in the front and they squeezed in a very small rear seat that tiny 1.3 liter four-cylinder puts out all of 94 horsepower power is channeled through a continuously variable transmission or cvt it shifts in steps making it feel more like a conventional automatic it works pretty hard to bring as much power as possible out of this tiny little engine as you might expect acceleration off the line is pretty slow you really need to keep your foot in the throttle too to keep up with traffic fuel economy is excellent at 34 miles per gallon overall however you'd kind of expect more out of such a small car also there are more civilized alternatives that approach this number plus a tiny 8.5 gallon fuel tank means your cruising range is pretty short maybe that short cruising range is for the best because you really don't want to take a long trip in the iq the car is very noisy there's very little sound deadening a whole lot of road and wind noise and there's always engine noise from that cvt transmission keeping the revs high the ride is also very busy and choppy feels like you're riding on a buck board it's even nervous on the highway handling isn't impressive the car feels dirty to drive it's a combination of overly quick steering that has next to no driver feedback and a car having a very short wheelbase it all makes the car feel quite nervous on the highway at least emergency handling is secure on our track thanks to very aggressive stability control driver visibility has some impediments the base of the windshield pillar it's quite thick over the shoulder vision for when merging that's quite difficult as well and the view out of the small back window is blocked a lot by the large rear head restraints it's really easy to get in the front of the iq then again the whole side of the car is basically a door once inside there's actually decent room in front for two but there are some problems here the steering wheel only tilts it doesn't telescope and it's too far away plus the pedals and the left foot rest they're too close to you controls could be better the tachometer's tiny looks like a toy it's a reach to some of the stiff to turn climate control knobs worst of all though is the aftermarket look radio with its tiny buttons cryptic letters a small display and no tune knob the front seats don't get much praise either they're very basic and they don't adjust for height cushioning is firm and the contours are flat so support is modest it might seem like a miracle packaging that signs squeezed in a rear seat but they're not doing anybody any favors here there's basically no leg room and the seat consumes the trunk space carrying luggage only really becomes possible if you fold the rear seat down maybe the biggest hurdle to this small car is its price tag at over sixteen thousand dollars you can buy a much more likable and much more practical sub compact that still gets impressive fuel economy so unless you need to squeeze your car into a tiny parking spot every day you really should buy something else youone way to get impressive fuel economy is to build a really small car there is no question to sign iq qualifies like the smart 42 the iq excels in an urban setting it seems like this tiny car can be parked almost anywhere helped by an amazingly small 28 foot turning circle even though the iq looks sort of like a smart it's actually a very different design unlike the smart the science engine is in the front and they squeezed in a very small rear seat that tiny 1.3 liter four-cylinder puts out all of 94 horsepower power is channeled through a continuously variable transmission or cvt it shifts in steps making it feel more like a conventional automatic it works pretty hard to bring as much power as possible out of this tiny little engine as you might expect acceleration off the line is pretty slow you really need to keep your foot in the throttle too to keep up with traffic fuel economy is excellent at 34 miles per gallon overall however you'd kind of expect more out of such a small car also there are more civilized alternatives that approach this number plus a tiny 8.5 gallon fuel tank means your cruising range is pretty short maybe that short cruising range is for the best because you really don't want to take a long trip in the iq the car is very noisy there's very little sound deadening a whole lot of road and wind noise and there's always engine noise from that cvt transmission keeping the revs high the ride is also very busy and choppy feels like you're riding on a buck board it's even nervous on the highway handling isn't impressive the car feels dirty to drive it's a combination of overly quick steering that has next to no driver feedback and a car having a very short wheelbase it all makes the car feel quite nervous on the highway at least emergency handling is secure on our track thanks to very aggressive stability control driver visibility has some impediments the base of the windshield pillar it's quite thick over the shoulder vision for when merging that's quite difficult as well and the view out of the small back window is blocked a lot by the large rear head restraints it's really easy to get in the front of the iq then again the whole side of the car is basically a door once inside there's actually decent room in front for two but there are some problems here the steering wheel only tilts it doesn't telescope and it's too far away plus the pedals and the left foot rest they're too close to you controls could be better the tachometer's tiny looks like a toy it's a reach to some of the stiff to turn climate control knobs worst of all though is the aftermarket look radio with its tiny buttons cryptic letters a small display and no tune knob the front seats don't get much praise either they're very basic and they don't adjust for height cushioning is firm and the contours are flat so support is modest it might seem like a miracle packaging that signs squeezed in a rear seat but they're not doing anybody any favors here there's basically no leg room and the seat consumes the trunk space carrying luggage only really becomes possible if you fold the rear seat down maybe the biggest hurdle to this small car is its price tag at over sixteen thousand dollars you can buy a much more likable and much more practical sub compact that still gets impressive fuel economy so unless you need to squeeze your car into a tiny parking spot every day you really should buy something else you\n"
