A winning iQ

SAE members voted Toyota's new microcar the Best Engineering Vehicle for 2009. The iQ shows its smarts with brilliant packaging, city-friendly efficiency, and superb overall execution.

What a difference a year makes in SAE International's annual Best Engineered Vehicle (BEV) award voting. Last year SAE members gave the top BEV honors to GM's Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon and their clever two-mode hybrid powertrain. This year, however, members shifted their interest to the opposite end of the vehicle spectrum. They awarded the BEV to Toyota's new iQ-a diminutive “micro premium” four-seat car that almost appears capable of fitting into a full-size SUV's cargo area with room to spare.

The iQ is a lesson in ultra-efficient vehicle packaging and superb overall execution. Its exterior dimensions put it squarely in Europe's A segment. But its performance is superior to Toyota's own B-segment Yaris, and its quality and attention to detail rival that of many midsize D-segment offerings-all from a vehicle with an overall length shorter than 3.0 m (9.8 ft).