2009 Toyota iQ Photos, engines & full specs

Toyota tried to conquer the supermini car market with this three-seat vehicle, built for those looking for crowded cities and small parking spots, but it failed.

Little knew Toyota that the world financial crisis would hit the automotive industry so hard that some brands would cease to exist. Not even the big names were spared from that era, and customers switched their attention to more practical cars. While the iQ was an intelligent choice, at first sight, it wasn't fit for those times. Yet, the Japanese automaker kept this supermini vehicle on the market for seven years.

When Hiroki Nakajima penned the car, he focused mostly on the cabin. Toyota wanted to create a car shorter than 3 meters (9.9 feet) and still provide enough room for two rows of seats. Yet, due to the large cabin needed, the front end was very short. The car's headlights were designed in the new-edge styling, with curved lines and sharp corners flanking a panel. Toyota placed only a narrow air intake in the front fascia's mid-section and a slightly broader grille in the lower bumper. At the back, the iQ was abruptly ended by a vertical tailgate.

Inside, the front seats were cramped and high-mounted to provide better legroom for the rear passengers. Tucked behind the right side of the dashboard, Toyota squeezed the AC unit. But the automaker also added unusual features for those cars, such as an infotainment system fitted with a color screen atop the center stack. In the back, there was hardly room for more than a person. In some markets, it was sold as a three-seater. Nevertheless, the trunk was good enough for a newspaper and a pencil.

Under the hood, the iQ started its career with an inline-three, one-liter engine. But, despite its innovations, the sales didn't meet expectations. The car was sold in less than 50,000 units in its best year.