Introduction
First introduced back in 2007, the trio of the Peugeot 107, Citroen C1 and Toyota Aygo were all built on the same platform and have gone on to be successful city cars each in their own right.
The Aygo received its second generation in 2014 and that brought a fresh design as well as new technology to bring it in-line with rivals from Volkswagen Group – the VW Up!, Seat Mii and Skoda Citigo.
Having revealed the new facelift earlier year at the Geneva Motor Show, here is the latest version of the Aygo, which has been given a design refresh and some new tech.
But can this new model perform as well as the old Aygo and remain a competitive model in the city car market? We take a look…
Performance
Unlike its 108 and C1 chassis siblings, the Aygo only comes with one engine – a 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine that produces 71bhp and 93Nm of torque, which isn’t too much in the grand scheme of things but more than enough for zipping around town.
That low level of power means that 0-60mph takes 14.2 seconds and the Aygo can reach a top speed of 99mph. This suits the car’s characteristics and works well within the city limits, It is also paired to a five-speed manual transmission or a five-speed semi-auto.
Ride & Handling
The lightweight steering of the Aygo is to be expected from a city car, meaning you can chuck it into corners and nip in and out of narrow roads. The chassis and steering aren’t the most responsive and the soft ride means it can roll through the turns.
It is comfortable though, meaning that potholes and poor road surfaces can be smoothed out easily on your travels. Toyota has improved the refinement of the model to advance the quality of the Aygo, but wind noise can be intrusive at higher speeds.
Enquire Now on a new Toyota Aygo
Interior & Equipment
With the updated facia, the ‘X’ design of the front bumper has been made subtler and incorporates LED daytime running lights, while the rear end has stayed the same with a glass hatch. The new Aygo is available in six trim levels – x, x-play, x-press, x-plore, x-cite and x-clusiv – and you get many design extras and details depending on trim.
Interior space is as you would expect from a city car but for such a small car, there is practicality to be found. Yes, the boot is only 168 litres in the standard format, but that can be extended to 812 litres when the rear seats are folded down – and that’s quite useful in a car this size. It is a bit smaller than other rivals though.
Standard features on the Aygo include LED daytime running lights, electric front windows, grey fabric upholstery, a sound system with USB and Aux connections, vehicle stability control and hill start assist – pretty normal fare for a city car. In the x-play trim we tried, Toyota fits 15-inch steel wheels, the x-touch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth and DAB radio, a reversing camera, manual air conditioning, leather multifunction steering wheel and grey dashboard and trim detailing. You can add the Toyota Safety Sense system as an optional extra, which includes pre-collision braking and lane departure alert.
With the infotainment system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come as standard, which will please the Aygo’s younger target market. Higher spec options come with little extra and many of the changes are cosmetic, such as colour packs and trim detailing.
Cost
Available mostly as a five-door – with only the x trim available as a three-door – the new Aygo starts from £9,995 in the base x specification, but prices can climb quickly depending on the trim level you go for. The x-play we tried starts from £11,375, which does put it up against key rivals like the VW Up! And Skoda Citigo, as well as its chassis mates from Peugeot and Citroen.
What the Aygo is is very cheap to run, as emissions can be as low as 89g/km and fuel consumption is also very good at 68.9mpg. Insurance costs will also be low.
Verdict
This latest version of the Aygo is an improved continuation of the model which has proved to be quite popular in the city car segment. Its looks are more refined than before but remain cool to attract younger drivers, and technology on offer has also been enhanced. Some rivals may be better to drive overall, but the Aygo is one of the most efficient microcars on offer and is well worth looking at if you spend most of your time in town.
Test drive a new Toyota Aygo
