After much speculation and anticipation, Scion finally pulled the wraps off its Scion iQ Concept citycar. The ultra-compact hatchback is touted as the "future of transportation" and aims to revolutionize urban American mobility. What you see here is not the final production version, but rather a design concept built by noted Scion tuner Five Axis. It wears a sportier body kit, flashy paintjob and huge 18-in. rolling stock. The aggressive compact design is further accented by matte black head and taillights on all four corners.
Step inside and three adults plus one smaller person (i.e. child) can supposedly fit comfortably with luggage. The cabin is said to be the perfect fusion of "function, style and entertainment." Illuminated door handles brighten up the already eye-catching green and gray upholstered compartment, while raw nickel and aluminum panels rest atop the diminutive dash. A centrally placed 10-in. screen commands all infotainment functions including in-car movie playback (when it's not in motion, of course). To the rear, 50-50 folding seats allow for a bit more extra storage space. As an added bonus, an 'Ecolamp' on the front dash indicates efficient driving to help drivers achieve maximum fuel economy.
Fuel economy shouldn't be a problem considering Scion is thinking about implementing the concept's 1.3L four-cylinder into to the real model. The borderline riding lawn mower engine produces 93-hp and 89 lb-ft of torque, but it's more than likely it'll be replaced by the Yaris' slightly larger 1.5L motor come production time. Just as with the iQ currently sold under the Toyota badge in Europe and Asia, the Scion iQ will come with stability control, anti-lock brakes, brake assist and nine SRS airbags.
