The Toyota iQ may be the smallest four-seater car on the market, but is also one of the safest according to new independent crash testing results.
Euro NCAP, which has developed a new rating scheme which focuses on the vehicle's overall protection performance, awarded the tiny traffic buster five stars. The iQ's British-built big brother, the new Avensis, also earned a five star rating.
The new rating scheme uses a weighted score, combining all aspects of a car's safety performance: adult (50 per cent), child (20 per cent) and pedestrian (20 per cent) protection assessment results with the availability of driver assistance devices (10 per cent). A minimum score of 70 per cent overall is necessary to achieve a five star rating.
Despite its compact urban-friendly dimensions, the iQ makes no compromises in the fields of active and passive safety, achieving a remarkable overall weighted score of 79 per cent. Every iQ features as standard, nine airbags - including a world-first, rear window curtain shield airbag, Anti-lock Brakes (ABS), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and Traction Control.
The new Avensis's overall weighted score of 81 per cent highlights the new Toyota's comprehensive levels of active and passive safety technology, which include a pre-crash system, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist and lane departure warning.