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Toyota’s New Small Car (NSC) program: Toyota iQ city

As everybody rethinking its small car concept, Toyota’s upcoming iQ city car is poised to offer new levels of space and utility in a very small package. One of the major advantages of the iQ is in the layout of its powertrain, with the differential moved ahead of the engine, the front wheels moved ahead of the crankshaft’s center line, and a much narrower transmission.

Much of these innovations are a result of Toyota’s New Small Car (NSC) program. Now reports in the September 17 issue of Autocar magazine suggest that technology from NSC is likely to find its way into another spacious and small Toyota. Company engineers are reportedly looking at a car that could replace the popular Yaris in the next three years by creating a vehicle that has a Yaris-like footprint but seats up to seven passengers. Such an improbably capacious small car would likely have to use every trick in the iQ book, including an ultra-thin fuel tank under the floor pan, and the new heating and ventilation system which is 25 percent smaller than normal.