Toyota Aygo 1.0 VVT-i 5dr Car Review - March 2012

The Aygo 1.0 WT-i 5dr has a willing 1.0-litre, 3-cylinder 16v 998cc petrol engine that produces 67bhp. Its peak torque of 68 lb-ft is enough to sustain a decent pull at higher revs. The engine responds best in town where torque demands are low. On the motorway, it is lazy and has to be worked really hard. Acceleration is slow, with the car clocking 0-62mph in 14.2 seconds.

The Aygo is stable and grips well on the road. Steering is light and responsive, making parking, turning and taking corners enjoyable. The suspension set-up gives a good balance between ride quality and handling. As a result, body lean, though present, is controlled.

The engine is generally quiet but becomes noisy when revved hard. Wind and road noise is at a minimal level in town. It does however, become intrusive at motorway speed.

The Toyota Aygo 1.0 WE-i 5dr is a charming city car, designed in hatchback styling. It has five-doors and four-seats and is exquisitely designed both inside and out. The firm lines defining its frame give it an edge over the Citroen C1 while flared wheel-arches add a sporty edge to its looks.

The cabin is well-designed. There are lots of hard plastics used but they all have the Toyota touch and do not look as low-quality as they are in reality. The panels are tightly fitted and every surface has a solid feel to it. You won’t be replacing any of these parts anytime soon, as they are all quite durable.

Standard equipment is what draws the short straw in the Toyota Aygo. Only the basics are provided. These are power steering, driver airbag, passenger airbags, immobiliser, MP3 connectivity and CD player. You will need to pay an extra £694 for Vehicle Stability Control (VSC).

Cabin access is easy with the five door structure. The cabin itself is spacious enough for four adults. Rear passengers, particularly the taller ones, will not enjoy much headroom though due to the sloping roofline. However there is enough legroom to somewhat compensate for the discomfort.

You can adjust the driving position to suit your height by adjusting the height of the driver’s seat or steering wheel. There is however, no reach adjustment for the steering wheel.

The boot is tiny at 139 litres. Folding the rear seats, which fold flat, gives 751 litres, which is big for such a small car and enough for two or three bags. The boot opening is a good size but the load lip is high and inconveniencing. Storage space in the cabin consists of a small glove box and multiple door pockets.

The Aygo misses out on front side airbags and stability control, but most of the other essential safety technologies are installed. The car got a four star rating for occupant and child safety and two for pedestrian safety in the Euro NCAP crash test.

Toyota’s reliability is famous the world over. The Aygo, in spite of its small size, bears the same good Toyota quality. That aside, the car comes with a 5-year/100,000 mile warranty, which is a reassuringly good deal.

The Aygo 1.0 WT-i 5dr is competitively priced, and is one of the cheapest city cars in the UK market. It has strong resale values and will fetch you a good percentage of the original price if you decide to sell.

Fuel economy is excellent at 61.4mpg. Emissions average 105g/km to put the car in road tax band B, for £20 a year. The car sits in insurance group 3 and will be cheap to insure. It has a 10,000 mile service interval, which won’t cost you much, thanks to affordable service rates.