If you reside in a crowded city, chances are you've spent some time circling your street, looking for a suitable parallel parking spot. Maybe you've wished you could fit between those two SUVs parked in designated "Compact" spots at the grocery store. For tasks like these, it's hard to do better than the 2015 Scion iQ. A tiny city runabout, the iQ is one of the easiest cars on the market to park, and it's highly fuel-efficient, too.
The 2015 Scion iQ is seriously small on the outside, and that's its biggest selling point. From bumper to bumper, the iQ is only 10 feet long, making even the toylike Fiat 500 seem bloated at 11 feet, 8 inches. With such a small car, you expect good fuel economy, and the iQ doesn't disappoint, returning an EPA estimated 37 mpg combined. That number may not be not surprising, but it is certainly impressive for a non-hybrid vehicle.
Unfortunately, the 2015 Scion iQ doesn't offer much in the way of performance or versatility. Even as petite as it is, this 94-horsepower Scion isn't quick -- and while it may be easy to park, it doesn't inspire confidence at higher speeds. The two-passenger backseat can really only fit one average-sized adult, and you wouldn't want to go on a long trip that way. Moreover, cargo space behind the rear seats measures just 3.5 cubic feet, which is barely enough for some grocery bags.
We don't recommend the iQ's most direct rival, the 9-foot-long 2015 Smart Fortwo. But if you can deal with a few extra feet of automotive real estate, you'll likely be more satisfied with a more traditional subcompact. The four-door 2015 Ford Fiesta hatchback is one of our favorites, as it's fun to drive, fuel-efficient and has a more usable backseat. It's a similar story with the four-door 2015 Honda Fit, which is also great at carrying a lot of cargo. The aforementioned two-door 2015 Fiat 500 is more refined than the Scion, though also a bit more expensive. Overall, the Scion iQ has some appeal, but unless "parkability" is your top priority, larger subcompacts are simply better values.