While being a leader in any industry is usually determined by having an idea first, in the auto sector, it's often the case that success is based more on getting a product right. Toyota has in many ways grown to be the global juggernaut it is today, thanks to exactly that: perfecting modest transportation for the masses. And it's looking to do so again with the iQ, launched in America under the youthful Scion brand.

A "micro subcompact" car, the iQ is preceded, by over a decade, by the Smart fortwo. Then there's the modern Fiat 500, which may have beat the iQ to our shores (due in part to a delay in its launch as a result of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami), but the tiny Italian city car is arguably less as a form of mainstream transportation, and more an accessory for wealthy housewives.

The idea behind the iQ is to deliver urban transportation, but not a sort of stripped-down approach one might take with a vehicle for emerging markets. Rather, it is designed for modern urban centers, not to mention the tastes and expectations of consumers there.

Watch the video after the jump!

More: 2012 Scion iQ Review [Video] on AutoGuide.com