http://www.sub5zero.com/car-events/sema-show-2009-epic-cartel-custom-scion-tc-op...

Today, Scion unveiled the iQ concept minicar at the New York Auto Show. That leaves us wondering what you think about it. Do you like it better than the Smart ForTwo?

Discuss this topic on the forum page, or browse our forums for other topics.

+ NextAutos Forums: Scion iQ or Smart ForTwo?

• Previous Image
• Next Image
• Enlarge Image

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Toyota has been toiling with their new iQ minicar for quite some time, and now that the car is on sale in other markets, it only makes sense that the little iQ comes to America... as a Scion. A direct competitor for the Smart ForTwo, the Scion brand takes things one step further, as seen here with beefy eighteen-inch wheels, mega-flared fenders, and a really funky green/yellow color.

Powering the iQ is a 1.3-liter four capable of 93 horsepower and 89 pound-feet of torque -- more than enough power for the little Toy. Overall length of the car is only 126.9 inches, width is 71.4 inches, and the wheelbase is 78.7 inches, so this car should slot nicely beneath the Scion xD. Inside, Toyota says that the Scion iQ "fuses function, style, and entertainment" with a three-plus-one seating arrangement. Funky seat covers, a high-tech dash design with a ten-inch LCD screen, and illuminated iQ logos will surely be a hit with the tuner/new-age crowd, and city-goers might prefer the iQ's simpler driving technologies over the more complicated Smart.

Click through the post for the full press release, and see the cute little Scion for yourself in the gallery above.

As readers have amply demonstrated and discussed in our Forums, price has become an even greater factor in new car purchase decisions as of late. And although shrunken budgets may be altering car-buying habits everywhere, we’re of a mind that a reasonable sticker price doesn’t have to mean a dearth of driving fun.

In fact, with smaller form factors, better fuel economy, lighter weight, and funkier styling, there’s a lot to love about the modern lineup of vehicles the stay south of the $20,000 mark. Over the next two months, we’ll dive deep into the frugal end of the new car pool, testing eight vehicles that we believe are as cheerful to drive as they are painless to pay for. Within our criteria, there’s still a pretty substantial range of price on offer here—MSRPs from around ten grand to twenty—though we’ve done our best to identify the cars the perform particularly well on a per dollar basis.

+ Click here to continue reading The Best Cars Under $20,000, Part One.

Like what you’re reading here? Click on the link below to subscribe to a year’s worth of Winding Road PDF downloads for the special introductory rate of $4.99! Individual back issues are available as well, all at NextNewsStand!

+ NextNewsStand: Subscribe Now!

It wouldn't truly be an auto show unless Scion debuted some sort of Release Series for one of the three economy cars in its portfolio. This time around, the tC coupe gets a limited-edition makeover, though this one proves to be a bit more serious than just a simple appearance package.

The tC Release Series 5.0 will have a TRD (Toyota Racing Development) theme, with special eighteen-inch wheels in matte black, lowering springs, rear sway bar, sport muffler, and an optional rear lip spoiler. Moving inside, the tC 5.0 will have a black leather steering wheel with red stitching, black cloth seats with red accents, and special floormats.

Only 2000 of the Release Series 5.0 tCs will be made, retailing at $17,000 with a five-speed manual transmission and $17,800 with a no-hassle automatic. Click through for Toyota's press release.

• Previous Image
• Next Image
• Enlarge Image

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Have you ever wondered if there was a way to combine the fuel-efficiency and style of a Scion xB with the convenience of a rolling taco stand? Well, Toyota and Louie Contreras have your answer -- the Scion xB Taco Truck. Even though the SEMA show ended last week, this is indeed a better-late-than-never contender worthy of some laughable attention.

Marketed as a taco and paint supply truck, this xB comes complete with a custom body and white aluminum skin. Inside, there's a stainless steel kitchen, diamond plate floors, rear cooking chimney, griddle, industrial stove, food/drinks, paint supplies, a trucker seat, and a flip-up passenger seat. As Toyota says, it has "everything and the kitchen sink."

Would you flag this xB down if it came rolling through your neighborhood? Leave a comment and let us know. Also, click through our gallery to see detail shots of the Taco Truck.

+ Carscoop: Scion xB Taco Truck

• Previous Image
• Next Image
• Enlarge Image

Caption:

ACURA TL

Last Generation: 2004 - 2008
Current Generation: 2009

A lot of controversy has been stirred over the contrasting chevron grille that Acura has put on most of its new models, and while the last-gen TL wasn't necessarily a huge step forward in sporty expression, we prefer its cleaner lines and less-contrived aesthetic.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Most of the time, when an automaker completely overhauls one of their models, it's a good step forward for not only the car, but for the brand it represents. However, there are other times where the design teams make some questionable decisions and the new products end up looking worse than their predecessors.

Thus, we present our list of ten cars that, from a design standpoint, we think looked better in their previous generation. Scroll through our gallery to see all of the contenders, and leave a comment with any cars that you think we may have missed, and/or maligned.

Scion has pulled the sheet off of its newest concept car, the stunningly orange Hako Coupe. The automaker isn’t pulling any punches with the hyperbole surrounding the concept’s radical styling either, describing it at one point as “The sporty version of a box.

Toyota announced it will unveil an all-new Scion concept at this month’s New York Auto Show, the Hako Coupe Concept. The concept – which Toyota says is the “sporty

• Previous Image
• Next Image
• Enlarge Image

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

What happens when you mix a Subaru Outback with a Scion xD? We're not sure why you'd want to breed such a creature, but the result is Toyota's Urban Cruiser, a baby-SUV introduced at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show.