New Toyota iQ likely to be a big hit

I must admit I’m intrigued by the new Toyota iQ.

It’s like Japanese miniaturisation gone mad. Sub 3m in length, yet able to take four people – at a pinch.

But it should be great for local journeys. And scores over the similar sized Smart because it has the extra interior versatility. There’s also no road tax to pay.

I was actually contacted by my local Toyota dealer about the iQ. Many manufacturers tell me that their dealers are constantly prospecting local businesses. But this is the first one that’s ever contacted me.

While the initial contact calls from an agency were clunky, the sales exec who came round certainly wasn’t. Brimful of enthusiasm, Dusen Kudabayev – a business centre consultant with Currie Motors, Twickenham – was knowledgeable and informed. But not pushy. Just the right balance.

Dusen said Currie Motors did 1000 business sales a year. He looked after some 200 SMEs. Their business car requirements varied between one and 200 cars.

Dusen said that while many small businesses were simply avoiding further capital expenditure at the moment, it was not all doom and gloom. Far from it. He said many of the construction firms were booming, with contracts for the next five years.

Dusen said he expected the iQ to do well. But for now the hybrid Prius was doing exceptional business. “Many businesses are buying it because of the 100% writing down allowance for low emission cars,” reckoned Dusen. “It gives them an accelerated tax advantage.”

I asked Dusen what he drove: a Prius came the answer.

“It’s very economical. And I like the low tax band!”