Auto Trends

Scion IQ, originally uploaded by Toyota Scion & Prius

The Smart Car has been pretty much cruising along the past few years as really one of the only vehicles in its class in America. If you want a regular, standard issue vehicle, just follow the sale signs and streaming balloons on just about every street corner. If you want a Neighborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV), your choices are limited to only few glorified golf cart manufactures. But if you want something in between the two, the Smart Car is pretty much it… at least for now.

Toyota knows an ultra-niche when it sees it, and super subcompacts are as much a fashion statement today as they are an economical form of transportation. They stand for intelligence and resourcefulness (hence the name “Smart”). Well, Scion thinks they can throw consumers one better with their own mini-me, dubbed appropriately and predictably, the I.Q. The Scion I.Q. Is meant to be a short-term fashion trend as much as a long-term carbon dioxide reduction strategy. Toyota has already predicted the I.Q as having a shelf-life of approximately 5 years before needing to come up with an entirely different gimmick vehicle.

Besides the unique niche this places Toyota in, it is also an emissions strategy, of which we can expect to see from a number of different manufacturers over the next four to six years. Aston Martin, has already jumped on the bandwagon using the Scion I.Q. base platform from which to bestow their own mini-me version upon. Since the new staunch worldwide emission requirements will be based on averages, manufacturers will be using vehicles like these to lower their overall score, thus reducing the necessity to farming hamsters for base model engines.

The Scion has a unique sport compact look to it, and actually seats more folks than the Smart Fortwo. It is called a 3+1, due to its seat placement, which places one passenger just slightly ahead of the driver and the other a little behind. His accounts for the “3” adults. The “+1″ refers to the slight amount of room behind the driver which may or may not fit a fourth person, depending on how big/tall the driver and +1 passenger actually are.

Toyota has the claimed the I.Q. As having a five star safety rating (NCAP) due to practically surrounding the car in airbags (nine airbags in all). Even the top of the rear window is fitted with an airbag in the case of a rear end collision. There certainly isn’t much substance and distance from which to protect its passengers from impact, so the I.Q. Will be dependent on the force of air to keep the driver and passengers safe.

The Scion I.Q. Will be powered by an 1.0 liter inline-3 (67 horsepower), a 1.4 liter diesel, and for those who may have a little highway time in their future, a 1.3-liter inline-4 (99 horsepower). There is also a plug-in electric version staged to hit showrooms sometime in 2012, featuring a 50-mile radius (range) per 8-hour charge.

 It’s the battle of the mini-me’s… coming to a friendly, environmentally-aware neighborhood near you!

classic white Camaro Z28, originally uploaded by lastsnare99

Is this a classic or a clunker? (photo above)

If you are like a lot of people, the Cash for Clunker program probably won’t mean much at all to you. There are two different frames of thought as to the outcome of this program depending on which side of the political spectrum you reside.

On the one hand, the program is believed will be a runaway success and the designated $1 billion dollars will dry up no later than this coming November. Assuming the program sets on its way by August, this gives U.S. consumers only three months to take advantage of its rewards.

On the other hand, there are folks who don’t believe that the program will be a success at all. Their view is that the people who own the eligible clunkers (1984 or earlier vehicles with less than 18 mph), are not exactly the crowd looking for a brand new vehicle right now.

Let’s take a look at a few rules of the program and let you decide for yourself its value:

Rule 1- First up, this is not going to be just any push, pull, or drag-in affair. The vehicle being traded in has to be in drivable condition, pass emissions, and have been covered by auto insurance for at least the past year. This is of course to keep just any Joe or Joletta from dragging something out of the junkyard to get a quick discount on a new vehicle.

Rule 2- The trade-in must be from the year 1984 on up and exhibit an average, combined mpg rating of 18 or less (both cars and light trucks). They won’t be taking your suggestions on how terrible your gas mileage seems, instead they will be going off the official numbers which can be found on the government website.

Rule 3- You will receive $3,500 for a new car exhibiting no less than 22 mpg on up to as much as $4,500 if the mpg rating is 10 or above the original clunker. Light trucks will find the rules more lenient with $3,500 going to new trucks exhibiting no less than 20 mpg, or $4,500 if it is at least 5 mpg over the original.

Rule 4- The program has $1 billion to work with, and will be distributed on a first come/first served basis. When the money runs out, the program does too, so don’t wait too long. It is estimated to start somewhere around late July/early August and end in November of 2009.

Rule 5- All vehicles traded-in will not be resold. They will be crushed, and there are no if’s, and’s, or but’s about it. So if your late grandpa left you that old Dodge when he died, don’t do anything that you won’t be able to live with. Also if your vehicle is considered a classic, it might be worth more to a collector than $3,500 to $4,500. Just some food for thought!

All in all, it is not a perfect program, but it might save you some big bucks while shedding your old clunker if you are among the right circumstances!

originally uploaded by thomas.merton

There is undoubtedly a lot of Americans who have still not hear of the Nissan Cube, even though it is actually on its third generation of design now. The Japanese have been keeping this cute little boxy vehicle all to their own… until now! The American market has taken a bit of a turn to the unexpected, as gimmicky eco-wagons cars such as the Scion XB and Honda Element, are actually becoming popular.

Wanting to get in on some of the action, Nissan has brought its Cube to the states. If ever there was a car that is 90 percent gimmick and 10 percent automobile, it would have to be this car. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m certainly not knocking it until I’ve tried it, but even Nissan’s Design Direct himself admits to some of the Cube’s gimmicky nature. “It is more product design than automobile design,” says Shiro Nakamura. Yes, I can see tha!

originally uploaded by thomas.merton

To begin with, Nissan has thrown asymmetry out the window for a rather unique rear end. “It says its name,” says Nakamura, in reference to the “C” shaped roof pillar. The rear hatch is also a bit of an oddity opening like a side load refrigerator, rather than a trunk-shaped ice box. Now that is certainly original. We haven’t seen the likes of hinges like these since the hippy vans of the 70’s.

The U.S. bound Cube is rounded off at the corners compared to the first two generations, and will feature a much bolder bumper design due to American crash standards. There will be four models to choose from, each housing the same slow, yet economical (28/30 mpg) 122 horsepower 1.8 liter 4-banger.

originally uploaded by thomas.merton

4 Sides of a Cube
The 1.8 ($14,000) will be the base model and it will feature an engine, a couple of seats (60/40 split bench), standard air bags, anti-lock brakes, traction control, tire inflation monitoring system, and a sweet interior headliner featuring concentric circles simulating ripples from a water drop.

The 1.8 S ($14,700) will feature color coded side mirrors, cruise control, premium cloth seats, vanity mirrors, map lights, 2 tweeters (speakers), and seat pockets. The 1.8 SL ($16,800) will get the addition of a CVT transmission, alloy wheels, climate control, iPod compatibility, and automatic headlights.

originally uploaded by cienporcienmotor

The ultimate Cube will be the Krom ($19,400), featuring a host of interesting, yet unnecessary upgrades such as sport fascia (grill, body side moldings, spoiler), interior accent lighting, aluminum pedals, Rockford subwoofer and amplifier, more speakers, more tweeters, Bluetooth compatibility, leather wrapped steering wheel, and an outside temperature display/gauge.

originally uploaded by cienporcienmotor

If you are looking for something even more outlandish that a tricked out Scion XB, I think you may have found your match made in heaven. While the Cube in undoubtedly a unique and interesting concept, it may not be quite as popular as The Beetles were… but only time will tell!