Last month, at the invitation of the Smart Car people, I took one of the tiny cars to Sebring for the weekend. This weekend, I’ve got the Smart Car’s competitor, the Toyota Scion iQ, 14 inches and one cylinder larger. The road trip: Marco Island and Naples.
The
iQ has a very different personality. That fourth cylinder – the Smart Car has
only three – makes an enormous difference, for this car has a lot more get-up-and-go.
Unlike the Smart Car, the iQ has a pretend backseat, a bench that wouldn’t seat
two full-grown adults or anyone with knees. But that backseat folds down and
turns into cargo space approximately the equivalent of the Smart Car, which is
plenty for two people going away for the weekend. The Smart Car’s front seats
are more comfortable, however.
Stuff stowed in the back seat, I headed across Alligator Alley, with Daniel Silva’s latest audio book, The Fallen Angel, in the CD player.
This is low season for Collier County. The advantages: I got a great deal on Priceline for a room at the Hilton Marco Island Resort, $99 a night, compared to $199 a night on Hotel.com. I booked a massage at the hotel spa at the last minute. I had my choice of waterside tables at the Capri Fish House. Disadvantages: The art museum is closed until late September, as are some restaurants.
And the car? It's just fine for a weekend getaway.
