At $4,999, Is Buying This 2012 Scion iQ Actually a Smart Move?

The 2012 Scion iQ, a subcompact city car with a 120-inch overall length and an 80-inch wheelbase, is up for grabs on Facebook Marketplace for $4,999.

Toyota’s pint-sized runabout was designed to park in spaces too tight for most cars, and its engineering tricks—like mounting the engine behind the final drive and using a compact beam rear axle—allowed it to squeeze four passengers into a footprint smaller than a Mini Cooper.

The iQ’s 1.3-liter inline-four churns out 94 horsepower through a CVT, making it a far cry from a performance machine but a practical choice for urban commuters.

The Nevada-based dealer claims the car has undergone extensive preventative maintenance, including a serpentine belt replacement, fuel injection cleaning, spark plugs, air filter, brake pads, rear shocks, intake manifold, catalytic converter, and multiple oil changes, despite its 111,000-mile odometer.

The interior is described as clean but oddly upholstered, with a full-screen double-DIN stereo and functional A/C with vertical controls.

While the iQ’s original price tag was comparable to larger, more versatile cars, its niche appeal and Scion’s discontinuation have left it as a rare find today.

The question remains: Is $4,999 a fair price for a car that can fit three abreast in a standard parking space, or is it still too steep for something so dinky? The ad doesn’t mention the iQ’s parking prowess, which feels like a missed opportunity.

The car starts, stops, and drives as expected, but its lack of fuel savings and modest power output made it a tough sell new—and today, it’s a curiosity rather than a necessity.