Clever idea from Toyota - IQ road test

Telegraph after a long session on the malmsey wine.
The truth is that even though your children's best chance of a masters degree would appear to be studying applied Wii, the human intelligence quotient is, in fact, rising- something known as the Flynn effect.
This despite evidence to the contrary. Like the idea that a limited liability scrappage scheme will save the motor industry, planet earth and Liverpool's Premiership chances.
Best of all we are considered daft enough to believe the secret of sustainable sustenance lies in the domestic ring main. That the electricity to power exciting alternative Duracell cars, rather than originating in the gaseous monster that is Drax B power station, is the result of a Paul Daniels magic trick.
Golden Brown says he will dosh buyers up with five thousand worthless English pounds if they promise to drive around in a cocoon of rechargeable fairy lights. Fine if you don't want to go far, very fast or think that £40k is a reasonable price to pay for a bog standard Chevy saloon loaded with 400lbs of poisonous lithium batteries that have a life expectancy of ten years. Because that's the state of the art as it stands.
So, if you want to be fashionably green but are in no doubt that electricity is not generated by morris dancing, what is to be done?
Well, the clever money could be on the Toyota IQ. It's a bright spark city car that claims to have some answers to the problems of our times. Like how to own a tiny motor that hasn't been fitted out as a rickshaw.
First the really good news. not only is the IQ powered by petrol, it is also road tax free, puffing out only 100 grams of soot per kilometre, a first but not an unreasonable expectation from a one-litre, 67bhp engine doing 67mpg.
Such wimpishness means maintaining momentum is hard work through the five speed manual gearbox. There is also a CVT option. Look, it is academic but 60mph takes 14.1 seconds and anyone who mistakenly bought this car thinking it was 'nippy' should seek counselling.
In something so small safety is always a worry. Toyota engineers are confident of five NCAP stars and the IQ features the world's first rear-collision airbags. These used to be known as cushions.
Right, let's hit the road, or rather the streets because you are unlikely to want to do Cornwall in one of these even though it remains refined at higher speeds.
Stability is good and the turning circle unbelievable. As for parking, try that man's briefcase over there.
Two up the IQ is a roomy luxury item. With four it is defying the laws of spatial dimension. Think of it as a two + one unless you have very thin friends
Equipment is good, MP3 plug, ESP, climate control, automatic wipers and lights and keyless entry are standard.
The IQ is far from perfect, not least because £9,495 is a whopping sum for a car that's 100mm shorter than the original Mini. And that's small. However, whatever you think of Tiny Tears urban runabouts they are here to stay and the IQ offers much more than cars like Tata's new ultra-basic Slumdog Nano. In fact it is packaging genius.