Sensha

This afternoon, I installed (if that is the word to use) my tourneau cover in our new iQ. Bought as part of a package of parts from a Japanese vendor, it came in the original Toyota packaging, complete with an instruction sheet that listed all of the parts in the bundle (three total), including the instruction sheet as part of the itemization.

(It took me a while to figure out what that oblong thing with the little rectangle in the upper left corner was on the sheet. I guess that you were to somehow figure out the itemization on your own if the sheet wasn't included. Of course, it didn't help that the sheet was in Japanese...)

Installation of this particular part was pretty simple. You figured out the correct orientation from the pictographs on the instruction sheet, turn the fabric cover so that the pattern of the cover matched the sheet, and then turned to the covers on the pre-installed snaps.

The attachment points are already installed in the back of the car, with silver-colored covers snapped over each one. Taking a padded screwdriver or similar device, you pry off the covers (which fly off in all directions, then crawl around in the car tracking them all down.

Now for the hard part. The cover is made of a stretch fabric, with a pattern to match that on the seats, with female snaps around its periphery. Three snaps a side, and the cover is installed - it's just that simple.

The cover is flexible, except for two flat panels sewn into the rear edge. These form a turn-down that drops down into the cargo area. It is mounted high enough that the rear seat backs can be in the up position, yet will still be beneath the cover.

When I first saw one in use, I was worried that any seat reclining would require the frontmost snap on each side to be unfastened, but there is enough give in the fabric that it is not necessary. If you drop the passenger seat all of the way down, you will have to unsnap at least the first snap.

The cover comes with a storage bag, along with meticulous instructions as to how to fold the cover for storage. I have read that 2013 Toyota iQs ship with the cover included, but as of last week there was no parts listing for this cover with the US Scion brand.

I've also read that there are those in Great Britain that are willing to part with their covers for less than I paid a Japanese firm. Either way, it provides a ready-made solution to the wide open spaces in the rear of your iQ.

ExtHIGHiq

Here is a picture of the part installed I found.