Motors: Is the Toyota Aygo X more than a city runaround – and is it worth £17K?
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If you’re looking for something different in today’s car market, then this latest little offering from Toyota might just fit the bill.
But that bill might have you digging deeper into your pocket than you’d expect for a small city car – especially when there are a few cheaper options.
What you’ll get with the Toyota Aygo X over the others is some funky, quirky styling and a good range of the latest technology in a compact runabout which will serve you well.
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While it’s perfect for the urban jungle it’ll struggle a bit in the great outdoors, especially on a long run where the low-powered 71 bhp three-cylinder engine will have to work hard as it battles to keep up the speed and provide a comfortable ride for the occupants.
As a small hatchback, it’s aimed fairly and squarely at younger cost-conscious buyers who want something which is cheap to run and won’t cripple them with high insurance premiums.
In a landscape dominated by beefy SUVs and heavy expensive electric cars, the Aygo X sticks out from the crowd and it’s refreshing to see Toyota provide something which is certainly cheerful, if not necessarily cheap.
But they can’t ignore the current desire for everything to give the impression of being tough and rugged – even if they would take fright at the thought of leaving the tarmac – so the Aygo comes as a crossover-inspired version, which is why it has the letter X attached to its name.
The Aygo name has been around for some time but previous versions were simply Toyota derivatives of their mechanically-identical siblings, the Citroen C1 and Peugeot 108, the only differences being the badge and some front-end styling.
The latest model sees Toyota go it alone and is based on the same platform as the Yaris supermini but with its own very distinct styling. Toyota calls it an urban crossover which is shorthand for a city car on very slightly raised suspension with some plastic cladding for a “tougher” look.
The short overhangs, flared arches and large headlights combine with the lower plastic cladding and gloss black roof, to create a unique look.
It’s designed to fit into the urban environment at just 3.7m long and 1.74m wide, and as well as its compact size, its tight turning circle makes it the perfect fit for the hustle and bustle of city streets, squeezing through gaps and into spaces no normal SUV could consider.
It’s a different story out on the open road where it’ll take you almost 15 seconds to get up to 62mph and it’s hard work pushing the 1.0 litre engine to get there. The progress is accompanied by a gruff engine noise which suggests it’s not especially happy with the demands being made upon it.
The positive side of the technical set up is that achieving at least 60 miles from every expensive gallon is very likely.
In spite of its semi-rugged looks, it comes only as front-wheel drive with one engine choice and the only option is between a five-speed manual or CVT auto transmission.
In contrast, competitors like the impressive Suzuki Ignis and Fiat Panda Cross are available with four-wheel-drive and hybrid power and there are more engine choices with the likes of the Kia Picanto and Hyundai i10.
There’s loads of tech as standard and the central touchscreen dominates the cockpit where the exterior colour seeps in on big bold flashes on the doors, dash, seats and air vents to add some life and fun to the interior.
A restricting factor of the Aygo X, literally, is the lack of space inside. It may have four doors but the back ones are small and the two rear seats are a bit cramped. On the plus side, the 231-litre boot is pretty impressive.
You can give the impression of more space by opting for the £895 retractable canvas sunroof but that’s only if the weather looks kindly on you and allows you to open it.
Vital statistics: Toyota Aygo X
PRICE: £17,105
ENGINE: 1.0-litre, three-cylinder, petrol five-speed manual
POWER: 71 bhp
TORQUE: 69 lb/ft
TOP SPEED: 98mph
0-62 MPH: 14.9 seconds
ECONOMY: 57 mpg
CO2: 110 g/km
