Q: I’m claustrophobic. I know what to avoid, and it’s mostly fine. This summer I’m going to visit my daughter and I just learned she purchased one of those tiny cars — a Scion iQ. I’ve looked at pictures of it, and I’m afraid that when I get inside I’ll feel way too closed in. I can’t find anyone who’s ever been in the car and can tell me if it feels closed in. I’m OK in normal cars.
A: I wouldn’t feel comfortable giving you a recommendation one way or the other. I don’t know what your dimension limits are, of course. So I’d like you to (1) take what I am about to say as only preliminary information, and (2) take the additional step I’ll recommend.
I was recently a passenger in a Scion iQ and as long as I didn’t turn around to see that there’s not much car behind me (it’s got a sawed-off butt rather than a sawed-off nose) it seemed like any other car. The cabin is not cramped.
Consider this comparison to the Toyota Corolla, a compact: The Scion iQ is only about 3 inches narrower than the Corolla, and the Scion iQ is actually taller than the Corolla (59.1 inches vs. the Toyota’s 57.3 inches – and I always feel less compressed if I’m in a car that’s not squatty in height). Naturally, the iQ is shorter than the Corolla by a lot: 120 inches vs. 182.6.
But that’s all just numbers. It’s impossible for me to suggest that you’ll find riding in it OK enough that an attack won’t be triggered. My advice: call your friendly Scion dealer, explain the issue and say you’d like to sit in the passenger seat for a little while to see if you can tolerate it. I’d be stunned if they’re not entirely accommodating.
Q: We’ve been interested in the Infiniti QX60, but doing our Sunday window-shopping at the dealership to avoid salespeople, we’ve discovered this Infiniti is now just front wheel drive, not allwheel drive. Why does a carmaker do this with a $48,000 vehicle? Seriously, I’m interested.
A: You can get all-wheel drive. It’s optional though, so you must cough up more cash.
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What’s your question? Sharon Peters would like to hear about what’s on your mind when it comes to caring for, driving and repairing your vehicle. Email [email protected].