Ultra Modern Micro car, The Toyota IQ 

So is it a Toyota or a Scion?

 Its a Toyota...  manufactured in Japan by Toyota and since the Scion brand was discontinued in 2015 no more Scion cars are being built under that licence.

Let`s call the IQ a TOYOTA from now on. In fact I already switched out the Scion badges for the Toyota ones. 

Due to the very small production the IQ had limited tuning aftermarket suppliers.

The Transverse engine was so revolutionary nothing was really available off the shelf that "bolted on" to give it more performance.

Although companies like TRD,  Megan, Tein and some body Kits from  suppliers like 5 Axis Design meant the limited supply of tuning parts would mean most owners had to be creative and custom fabricate a lot of the parts.   

The Toyota iQ is a transverse engined, front-wheel-drive city car that was manufactured by Toyota and marketed in a single generation for Japan (2008–2016), Europe (2008–2015), and North America (2012–2015) where it was marketed as the Scion iQ.^[2][3] A rebadged variant was marketed in Europe as the Aston Martin Cygnet (2009–2013).

Designed at the Toyota European Design and Development studio in Nice, France, the iQ is noted for its specialized engineering to maximize passenger space, while minimizing exterior length. The design accommodates three passengers—and provisionally a fourth, under very tight conditions. 

The 1.33 1NR-FE Toyota  Engine

In the USA we got the 1.33  (1329cc) engine with the boring CVT transmission.

The rest of the world got the much more racy 6 speed manual gearbox,  this was without doubt the biggest mistake that Toyota made in selling this in the US., as a lot more would have been sold if they were offered with the 6 speed manual box.

GRMN Racing IQ Supercharged

Evasive Tuning has a good example of what could have been.

The best looking IQ built by Evasive Motorsports.

Tuning Menu
2012 Scion iQ “EVS iQ-RS”
Owner Scion/Evasive Motorsports
Hometown Sante Fe Springs, CA
Occupation Building and Tuning Race Cars
Engine Evasive Motorsports carbon air induction box w/headlight duct and gold thermal heat shield; custom oil cooler, custom transmission cooler with carbon cover, custom coolant overflow tank; custom Koyo full-size radiator; custom center-exit exhaust; custom oil and radiator caps; Earl’s fittings and lines
Footwork & Chassis Air Runner suspension; custom under-chassis brace; custom 6-point rollcage
Brakes Wilwood 6-piston front calipers, 4-piston rear calipers, 11.2" 2-piece rotors front and rear, stainless lines; Evasive Motorsports custom rear big brake conversion; 

Race inspired interior of the Evasive IQ

Project Mu brake fluid
Wheels & Tires Custom red powdercoated 17" Advan Racing RT wheels; 215/45R17 Toyo R888 tires
Exterior Evasive Motorsports custom fender flares, vented hood, carbon front lip, carbon front splitter, carbon rear diffuser, carbon side splitter, wing mount w/Voltex GT wing; Voltex carbon canards; Wraptivo matte-white wrap, custom red pinstriping
Interior Custom 11" touchscreen display; Stack tachometer w/data logging; Defi oil and fuel pressure gauges; custom mounted kill switch; Sparco EVO seats, racing side mounts, steering wheel, pedals, weld-on racing quick-release, 6-point harnesses; custom carbon-fiber door panels, custom race epoxy chassis coating, custom fuel cell, custom rear trunk panel, custom carbon dash trim, custom trunk reinforcement plate, custom warning indicator/toggle switch panel, custom carbon-fiber center console w/suspension switches, custom rally style shifter
Thanks You Advan Racing, Mackin Industries, Tint Factory, Toyo Tires, Wilwood Brakes, Sparco USA, Koyo Radiator, Wraptivo, Air Runner
WWW airrunnersystems.com; evasivemotorsports.com; 

koyoradracing.com;mackinindustries.com; (Advan) sparcousa.com; tintfactory.net;

 toyotires.com;wilwood.com; wraptivo.com

GAZOO Racing Toyota IQ

Limited edition Japan market only, Price $33,107.00

GAZOO Racing  launched a special limited edition 100 unit run of a tuned up Toyota iQ called the Toyota iQ GRMN Supercharger, priced at 3,550,000 Japan Yen which translates to about RM144k at current exchange rates. In this case, GRMN stands for Gazoo Racing tuned by MN.

The Toyota iQ GRMN Supercharger has an 1NR-FE 1.33 litre engine with a supercharger slapped on, mated to a 6-speed manual. Peak output is 122 PS at 5,200rpm and 174Nm of torque at 4,800rpm, which is the torque equivalent to a 1.8 litre engine, all in a small 990kg car. As a comparison, a standard Toyota iQ has either a 1.0 litre motor that does 68 PS and 98Nm or a 1.33 litre motor making 94 PS and 118Nm.

Similar race inspired interior.

A common mod among race inspired IQ owners is removing the radio and installing some Gauges.

Plenty of private owners customized their IQ.

This owner has a good eye for bringing out the best in the IQ.

To get that just-right stance, Mark opted to go with an Air Runner Low Down system with a three gallon tank and a Viar 380C compressor. To help in the cornering department, he threw on the TRD rear sway bar, and Tanabe Sustec frame and strut tower braces. The iQ rides on 18x7.5 FIVE:AD R6:F wheels that he powdercoated Candy Sparkle Teal. They're wrapped in 215/35/18 Falken tires and bolted on with Muteki lugs. He also added custom caliper covers from MGP.

Further enhancing the exterior, the car has O-Nex 6K HID lights and 3K HID fogs, LED back up lights, and side mirrors with LED turn signals.

The stance in this IQ is spot on.

Under the hood, the little 1.3-liter mill breathes through a DC Sports intake, is fired up by an Odyssey battery, and has an NRG Innovations ground wire kit, battery stabilizer, and radiator cap. This is probably one of the prettiest iQ engine bays you'll see

Super clean engine bay.

The Toyota IQ is such a unique car,  lots of potential with a fantastic build quality.

Due of the low production numbers it has gained the reputation status of "rare car", in fact I am lucky to see another IQ even in heavily populated areas.

I like it when someone says "what is it?  a Smart car?