There have been long-standing concerns that high fuel costs could one day force everybody into driving tiny pod cars instead of the hulking SUVs and pickups America enduringly loves. If the tiny pod cars of the future end up anything like the Toyota i-Road, you can sign me up right now, because it looks fun as hell.
All-electric and with just enough space for two passengers and a few grocery bags, the Toyota i-Road recently began limited trials in Tokyo…and it legit looks fun. It swoops and slices across the road, and even though it isn’t going fast, the active suspension system leans into the turns, allowing it to change direction in a snap. To be specific, the turning radius is…wait for it…less than three feet.
Not only does it look fun, but in a crowded city like Tokyo, it is super convenient as well. You can park almost anywhere, just jump in and go, and not have to worry about being rained on like motorcyclists and scooter drivers are. The three-wheeler looks far more appealing than GM’s EN-V pod vehicles.
The best part though is that it returns a sense of “driving” to the car experience, as you’re not insulated from the road by a massive machine. Instead, you lean with the i-Road, and you have more control on the overall experience than you’d find in almost any other production car. As long as Toyota could keep it affordable, I’d say the future is bright for a production version of the i-Road.
Source: Gas 2.
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