The Toyota Aygo X is the regular Aygo’s pumped-up replacement.
The Toyota Aygo X will compete with the likes of the Volkswagen Up, Citroen C1, Hyundai i10 and Kia Picanto.
It’s expected to cost from around £15,000 and will go on sale later this year.
One of the Aygo X’s biggest selling points is its pumped up SUV looks, it’s similar to the Fiat Panda 4x4 in that respect although, without four-wheel drive, it doesn’t have the Fiat’s genuine go-anywhere ability.
Along with chunky looks, you get a wide range of customisable options, a choice of bright colours (Cardamon green shown here) and alloy wheels up to 18 inches in size.
While it doesn’t look like it in the pictures, the Aygo X is a big small car. At 3700mm long it’s longer than a Volkswagen Up, has a 10mm longer wheelbase and is almost 100mm wider. All of which should translate into more interior space. It’s an important point because the VW is currently the roomiest small car on sale.
That said, the Aygo X’s 231-litre boot is 20 litres short of what the VW offers.
As well as having a surprising amount of passenger space, the Aygo X will have big-car features like a nine-inch infotainment screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Plus a 300W JBL stereo with a boot-mounted subwoofer. A carry over feature from the old Aygo is the car’s roll back fabric roof, it’s 20 per cent bigger than before and transforms the Aygo X into a mini convertible.
Or a mini convertible SUV to be precise. Okay, so calling the Aygo X an SUV is stretching the truth to political levels but its raised ride height will be ideal for clearing potholes and speed humps, and gives you a view from your seat that’s 50mm higher than in the car it replaces.
The Aygo X will feel most at home in town, where its wheezy 72PS 1.0-litre engine – 0-62mph takes 15.5 seconds in manual form; 15.6 with the optional CVT – performance deficiencies are hidden better. The flipside of the ponderous performance is cheap road tax (£160 a year) and around 60mpg fuel economy.
It will be slow but the Aygo X won’t be completely out of its depth on the motorway. Expect it to have the feel of a bigger car because it’s based on the current Yaris and shares that model’s excellent autonomous driving aids that can accelerate, brake and steer on the motorway.
It’s one of the many reasons the Toyota Aygo X is worth holding out for if you’re in the market for a new small car.
