Toyota

Aygo/Aygo X

Generously equipped for such a small car, the new beefier Aygo X is competitively priced and boasts great performance figures. It can be specified with a pagoda-style roof and all the excellent safety kit is standard across the line-up.

The good

Fun, funky city car with plenty of personalisation options

The bad

Stiff opposition out there

Tech Specs

Price from

£8.845

Combined Fuel up to

68.8mpg

0-62 from

14.2 seconds

max speed up to

99mph

co2 from

95g/km

Test Drive

Toyota Aygo X – First Drive (2022)

Toyota’s new Aygo model has had quite a growth spurt and has evolved into a striking compact crossover.

It’s called the Aygo X (pronounced ‘cross’) and it replaces the outgoing Aygo model.

Prices range from £14,805 to £20,750 and there are well-equipped trim levels to choose from called Pure, Edge, Exclusive and Limited Edition. All models are powered by Toyota’s highly-acclaimed and award-winning three-cylinder, one-litre petrol engine delivering 71bhp and 93Nm of torque. And it can be matched to a five-speed manual transmission or CVT automatic gearbox.

The Aygo X can complete the 0-62mph dash in 14.9 seconds if fitted with a manual box and the auto shaves a tenth of a second of that time. It has a top speed of 98mph (94mph on the CVT model) and when it comes to running costs, the car can deliver a combined 56.5-58.8mpg with carbon emissions of 109-110g/km on manual models and 56.5mpg with CO2 emissions of 113-114g/km on CVT versions.

There’s no denying the Aygo X is a looker that’s guaranteed to turn heads wherever it passes and it comes with its own distinctive palette of colours called Cardamom Green, Chilli Red, Ginger Beige or Juniper Blue. There is bi-tone black paint and customers can also specify a pagoda-style open-top roof, costing £895.

The Aygo X has been transformed from a hatchback to a crossover and that means it boasts larger dimensions, stretching 3,700mm in length (235mm longer than the outgoing car), 1,740mm across (an increase of 125mm) and 1,525mm in height which is 65mm taller than the Aygo.

It has a bolder, more dynamic appearance with design cues including flared wheel arches, a shorter front overhang plus larger wheel sizes at 17 or 18 inches. Entry-level cars have halogen projector headlights while the top models gain LED lights and daytime running lights. There are black wheel arch mouldings, pop-out rear windows and rear privacy glass.

Moving inside, the Aygo X is fresh, bright and cheery with a choice of fabric, synthetic leather or part leather upholstery. There is climate control with pollen filters, a three-spoke leather-trimmed steering wheel and gear level. An ‘X’ symbol is discreetly stitched into the seat upholstery on higher trim levels, along with the ‘Aygo X’ model name subtly featured in the LED headlamps.

On-board tech is generous with Toyota’s latest multi-media system offering cloud-based navigation – that means the car is always connected on the move with fully automatic over-the-air software updates.

Wireless smartphone connectivity is offered via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with a charging tray on Exclusive and Limited Edition models. Also, dependant on the trim, there is a four-speaker audio with DAB or five-speaker JBL premium sound system. The touchscreen also ranges from seven, eight or nine-inches in size, but all versions have Bluetooth and USB connection, along with audio controls on the steering wheel.

Range-topping models gain Toyota Smart Connect. This not only adds the larger touchscreen, but introduces the MyT smartphone app that allows you to track fuel levels, trip data, driving analytics and it even works as a vehicle tracker.

We tested the European equivalent of the Exclusive grade Aygo X with the manual gearbox costing £17,725 – Toyota predicts 75 per cent of Aygo X sales in the UK will be manual. And it’s easy to see why, it’s an absolute cracker of a car that fizzes along weaving through the busy city traffic.

Some rivals may beat the Aygo X for pace and sheer dynamics, but this car is very capable on motorways and nicely balanced through winding country lanes.

The three-pot engine does get a little vocal under heavy acceleration but generally the Aygo X is beautifully refined. The suspension has been specifically tweaked for this car and it does a worthy job of settling the vehicle on uneven surfaces.

And the steering has been perfected for European roads so offers ample driver feedback and comfort levels also impress with nicely cushioned seats.

There is more shoulder space up front and the two designated rear seats are ideal for children or grown-ups if the seats are not pushed back too far.

The boot is larger and can swallow 60 litres more kit compared to the outgoing Aygo. It has a capacity of 231 litres, increasing to 829 litres with the 50:50 split-folding rear seats dropped down. If the model is fitted with the JBL sound system, it reduces the boot limit by up to 50 litres.

Another factor that really impresses with the Aygo X is all the safety equipment and driver assistance aids that are standard across the entire range. These include Toyota’s Safety Sense package featuring a pre-collision system with vehicle detection that now functions at higher speeds. The day and night pedestrian detection, daytime cyclist detection, collision mitigation support functions, intelligent adaptive cruise control, lane trace assist and emergency steering assist all make their Aygo debut.

Additional safety specifications include two Isofix child seat fixtures, child safety door locks, seatbelt reminders, anti-lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution, vehicle stability control, hill-start assist, a tyre pressure warning system, speed limiter, eCall and six airbags.

All in all, the new Aygo X is a fabulous compact crossover that is easy on the eye and pocket, packed with tech and great fun to drive. Quite the all-rounder.

Test Drive

Toyota Aygo – new generation (2014)

The compact city car segment is fiercely competitive with increasing expectations from buyers who demand quality vehicles, flashes of flair, inspired driving dynamics, economical running costs and a price-tag that doesn’t break the bank.

Thankfully, the snazzy new Toyota Aygo meets all those requirements and raises the stakes along the way too.

First introduced back in 2005, when it was the result of a joint venture forged with PSA Peugeot Citroen aimed specifically at the European market, the Aygo had a young market in mind.

Over the years, Toyota has regularly updated the Aygo with the introduction of new features and colour schemes. But now, new Aygo takes the car to a whole new level.

With prices starting from £8,595 it is on sale in three richly-equipped trims – x, x-play and x-pression. A further two special edition models called x-cite and x-clusiv are also on offer. Clearly Toyota has a theme going on here!

Many motorists these days want to stamp their own identity on cars, especially those buying in the compact city segment. So with this in mind, Aygo owners can take advantage of a vast array of combinations, adapting colours, materials and finishes to make their car truly distinctive both inside and out.

The introduction of these packs will see an increase in cost, but there are packages to suit all budgets. For example, a double-bubble roof with contrasting coloured decal costs an additional £195, the OUTstand pack costs £395 or OUTburst pack at £245 and these allow buyers to transform the exterior colour schemes. Then, the INspire pack along with the INtense pack each costing £165 add colour changes to the air vents, instrument panel, centre console and gear shifts. These features can be changed at a later date if required to keep the car looking fresh.

New Aygo is powered by Toyota’s award-winning three cylinder 1.0-litre VVT-i petrol engine which can deliver up to 68.9mpg on a combined run with carbon emissions from 95g/km.

There is a choice of three or five-door versions along with a manual or x-shift automated manual transmission. The latter is a fully automated shift mode with no clutch pedal. It uses a computer-controlled system to synchronise engine, clutch and transaxle for quick and precise shifts.

There are three driving modes E (easy), M (manual) and R (reverse). In M the driver can change gears using the steering wheel-mounted paddle shifts or use the gear stick.

Another notable plus factor is how feature-rich the car is – even at entry Aygo x level where LED daytime running lights, a tyre pressure monitoring system, wireless door locks, Isofix child seat anchors and plenty more are included as standard.

Move on up through the range and you will see the addition of part leather seats, Bluetooth, DAB radio and Toyota’s x-touch multimedia system which introduces a 7-inch colour touchcreen, smartphone connectivity, multimedia technology and a Rear View Monitoring System which is a first in the city car segment.

Toyota officials believe that 90 per cent of sales will be five-door manual models in the mid to high trim grades, so our main test drive was in the five-speed x-play priced at £10,195. It also featured the x-touch technology (£295) and x-nav (£395) systems.

The new-look Aygo is certainly an attention grabber with the distinctive colour-contrasting large cross at the front end, sweeping lines and neat design cues throughout.

The spacious interior is another plus factor with front seat passengers treated to bundles of room and back seat occupants benefiting from enough leg room provided the front seats are not pushed too far back.

The boot is not massive, but the 168-litre capacity can easily accommodate the weekly shopping or small suitcases.

The interior is bright, modern and very funky in its design with a clutter-free layout. All controls, dials and instrumentation are perfectly positioned for ease of use and the driver benefits from very good all-round visibility too.

The Aygo is a sprightly little car and it copes beautifully with city centre traffic, weaving in and out of queues with ease. But that’s not all because it can certainly hold its own on faster motorways and country lanes too where it grips the road like glue and there is constant supply of power on tap.

Admittedly, the clutch takes a little getting used to and revs have to be fairly high at times to avoid stalling, especially when pulling away on a slight hill, but that aside it delivers a fun-packed ride.

We also had an opportunity to test out the Aygo x-cite, also in five-door format, but with the x-shift transmission. Although this model is only expected to attract about 10 per cent of the sales market, it is certainly worth considering.

The automatic gear changes are nice and smooth and you can take control yourself via the steering wheel paddles or gear stick whenever you want.

Engine and road surface noise have both been reduced on all models thanks to improved insulation and the introduction of revised wheel designs has improved the all-round ride quality considerably.

Being the economical city car that it is, the Aygo is not startlingly dynamic and takes 14.2 seconds to reach 62mph (15.5 seconds on x-shift model) with a top speed of 99mph, but it’s certainly a lively and sprightly little car which is great fun to buzz around in. And in reality, that was the aim of the car.

Economy is impressive with combined fuel efficiency of 68.9mpg on the manual version and a slightly lower 67.3mpg on the x-shift with carbon emissions at 95 and 97g/km respectively.

With a young target audience in mind, the Aygo boasts a comprehensive range of safety specifications, such as anti-lock brakes, electronic brake force distribution, emergency braking signals, stability control, hill-start assist and lots more besides.

All in all the new Aygo may find itself in a fiercely competitive section of the market, but it has all bases covered when it comes to design, economy, performance, practicality and appeal – all qualities any city car should have in spades.