Plus amplifier, speaker, and subwoofer upgrade (see sidebar).

Although you might think the iQ is out of its element on the freeway, such was not the case. The iQ is rock solid at 80 miles per hour, staying well planted in the wake of 18-wheelers. This feeling is partly due to the illusion you're driving a car far larger than its modest exterior dimensions. Aiding that are 16-inch wheels combined with P175/60R16 Goodyear Assurance Fuel Max tires--generous choices for such a small car. The tires are biased towards all-season fuel efficiency, which brings us to the iQ's biggest disappointment.

The EPA says the 2012 Scion iQ gets 36 m.p.g. in the city, 37 m.p.g. on the highway, and 37 m.p.g. combined. Given the car's small size, such numbers border on unimpressive, especially given the slew of far larger cars, such as the Chevy Cruze Eco, that deliver in excess of 40 m.p.g. During the 500-plus miles of mixed California city (30 percent) and highway (70 percent) driving I spent behind its wheel, the 2012 iQ returned 37 miles per gallon.

So where does the iQ fit into the sub-mini matrix? If you buy cars like prime rib (by the pound), the Scion comes up short, pun intended. But if space efficiency, being easy to drive and especially park, and Toyota's well-earned reputation for refined powertrains (the CVT notwithstanding) are important, the iQ is a compelling car.

With gas prices in a holding pattern between $3.50 and $4.00 a gallon, the Scion iQ's appeal is decidedly limited. If we see another gas price spike, though, urban dwellers and those who wave their green credentials under a "small on the outside, big on the inside" banner are certain to give the iQ more than a passing glance.