Toyota Aygo review | Auto-Express

The current Toyota Aygo is mechanically not too different from its predecessor, but its looks are refreshingly contemporary with a youthful touch.

There’s not much power or dynamic capabilities involved, and while improvements to noise attenuation make this car a more refined car for driving at speed, it still lags far behind the city car class leaders for highway driving. Practicality also suffers from the super compact dimensions of the Aygo.

Yet the newest Aygo retains the same fun factor as before, and there are small but rewarding technical improvements under the skin, including some major advances in vehicle safety. It’s also super economical, easy to personalize and well connected to Toyota’s latest x-touch multimedia system. So it can only deserve three stars from us, but if you like it – you will love it!

About the Toyota Aygo

The Toyota Aygo was one of the first wave of sub-supermini-sized city cars to create the modern formula for compact, lightweight bodies designed for four adults, bold three-cylinder power, and plenty of room for personalization.

The first model came on the market in 2005 and was manufactured together with the siblings Citroen and Peugeot in a joint venture factory in the Czech Republic by Toyota and the PSA Group. Clever design, low operating costs and a cheeky look made all three variants popular in markets across Europe.

Almost ten years later, this first generation of cars was still being built, which is a sign of their success. The second generation, which has been in production since 2014, has also proven to be durable – albeit with a facelift in 2018, which, in addition to a few small technical improvements, refreshed the look.

While the Aygo’s longevity is admirable in some ways, it means Toyota can’t offer an EV option or even a hybrid. That’s an upgrade we’d expect in the third generation Aygo, but that probably won’t come out until 2022, which gives certain rivals a significant head start.

Aside from its French stablemates, with whom it shares much of its mechanical makeup, the little Toyota has a number of popular competitors such as the Fiat 500, Hyundai i10, Kia Picanto, Renault Twingo, SEAT Mii and VW up!

Although billed as a new replacement model, the Aygo Mk2 retained much of the tech of its predecessor, including the 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine. The styling has been significantly refreshed, however, with a bold new look purported to be inspired by Japan’s manga comic art. The interior has also been greatly improved, as has the cabin technology and connectivity.

While the Aygo continues to be built alongside new versions of the Peugeot 108 and Citroen C1, there is greater visual differentiation between the brands. You can get manual and automatic transmissions, both five-speed, while the rest of the package is pretty conventional, including front-wheel drive landing gear with MacPherson front struts and twist beam suspension at the rear. The brakes are discs in the front, drums in the rear and the steering is kindly supported by an electrically assisted rack and pinion adjustment.

The Aygo series begins with the entry-level equipment x-play with 15-inch steel wheels, electrically adjustable heated mirrors, exterior cladding in body color, air conditioning and on-board technology such as smartphone integration, DAB radio and Bluetooth.

Next comes x-trend with 15-inch alloy wheels, colored side skirts and matching exterior highlights, automatic headlights, fog lights and privacy glass. There’s also an x-clusiv model that adds everything but the kitchen sink – albeit at a price. The spec adds a range of two-tone exterior finishes, smart entry, push button start and automatic air conditioning.

Toyota is also not afraid to produce Aygo special editions. In 2017 it launched the limited x-claim with an electrically retractable roof and special stickers, while in 2019 it launched the x-cite Mandarin, which features a bright orange paint job with a contrasting black roof and orange interior highlights.

For an alternative review of the latest Toyota Aygo hatchback, visit our sister site carbuyer.co.uk