Toyota banks on tiny, green but pricier iQ model

I still like my Vitz, though I do wish I'd gone for a slightly bigger engine - she struggles to do 80 up the Harbour Bridge in the mornings. Still, the fuel economy's good and she's easy to manouvre....

Not much into cars (a Hijet kei-truck is my ideal!) but this one caught my interest after a client let me try his out (2nd-car, for his wife). It's definitely petite, but the car-body felt strong and secure, with plenty of interior space both front and back. At 190 cm tall, climbing inside felt like entering the Tardis! Perhaps for after the kids are all grown up and the wife and I have retired...

“In a sense, it’s a very un-Toyota-like car,” Nakajima bragged.

What's he bragging about? This suggests that he thinks either his company is not very good, or the iQ is not very good.

I like it, and I actually thought of buying one until I saw the price... 1.4 mil. yen to 1.6 mil yen!!! I know... new product, new R and D, higher costs, good on gas, yada yada yada. But for what it is, I wouldn't pay more than 1 mil yen.

The article also says:

It fits three adults plus a child, dog or luggage

I sat in one at a dealership, and there is NO WAY a third adult can fit in this car! The 2 seats in the back could fit 2 midgets, or 2 toddlers, or 2 dogs at best. To me, it looks like they put in those 2 back seats for the purpose of avoiding being labeled a "2-seater" which would drive insurance costs up.