Scion sets 2012 iQ sales target at up to 2,000/month

According to Ward's Auto, Scion is confident enough in its upcoming iQ minicar that a U.S. sales target of 1,000 to 2,000 units per month has been set. While that may not sound like much, remember that the iQ will have a staggered rollout across the U.S., beginning with the West Coast this Fall, moving to the southern states in January and then the East Coast and Midwest after that. Following the full national roll-out, an all-electric iQ will arrive in late 2012, though will only be available to fleets and car sharing services.

Also keep in the mind that the bar for minicars has been set low by the slow-selling and not-very-well-received Smart fortwo, which sold only 5,927 units in 2010. Even if it only hit its low end target of 1,000 units per month, the iQ would still be crushing the fortwo.

These targets come from Scion vice president Jack Hollis, who Ward's reports as saying that Scion will be relying on the iQ's premium equipment list to do in the U.S. what the fortwo hasn't: sell. Hollis cites the iQ's 11 airbags, including an industry-first rear-window airbag, and infotainment tech like standard Bluetooth and HD Radio, as the big draws.

With a base price of $15,995 including destination, the iQ can hardly be called inexpensive for its size, but its combination of being more fun to drive than a fortwo, decent fuel economy (37 miles per gallon combined) and a funky look means that urbanites who value the smallest footprint possible may finally have a choice they can live with.