The 2014 Scion iQ gets a new audio display and the limited-edition Scion 10 Series trim level.

Imagine you're going to a show late on a Saturday night, somewhere downtown. You've circled the block a dozen times looking for a suitable parking spot. There are a few places, but, after closer investigation, you find that they're just too small. Maybe if your SUV wasn't so big you'd be walking up to the box office by now.

For times such as this, cars like the 2014 Scion iQ are priceless.

Of all the cars on American roads, only the Smart Fortwo has a smaller footprint than the 2014 Scion iQ. But the iQ is a better car in almost every other measurable way. The Scion iQ has more interior space than the Fortwo, plus it has a rear seat. As such, it's possible to get four adults (hence the "3+1" passenger designation) inside the Scion. Two full-size adults can sit one behind the other on the passenger side, and you can still fit someone of meager proportions behind the driver. Of course, we're talking about short jaunts through the city, as the iQ really isn't intended for long-distance travel.

The more conventional powertrain on the iQ sets it apart from its rival as well. It's absolutely not fast, but it's significantly quicker than the Smart, and its larger four-cylinder engine and continuously variable transmission (CVT) are better suited for accelerating in urban traffic than the Fortwo's tiny three-cylinder engine and automated manual gearbox. More important, when you're in the iQ, you feel as if you're driving a real car.