Five-Point Inspection: 2012 Scion iQ

Forgotten Little Touches Make a Big Deal

Tiny touches Scion could have easily included, but didn’t, make the car a chore to deal with at all times. A digital display shows average mileage, the time, remaining fuel and more, but it’s almost impossible to read in bright light.

If that’s not frustrating enough, there isn’t a dome light either. Instead, a swiveling LED that barely illuminates the cabin makes finding things after dark a ridiculous charade.

Finally, the car lacks cruise control, which doesn’t matter in the city, but gets annoying on the highway where it’s tough to keep the 1.3-liter four-cylinder at a consistent speed.