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Toyota Aygo Hatchback full 9 point review
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Performance
Just one engine is available, a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine with 67bhp. In such a light car, that’s enough. The Aygo is nippy around town and can hold its own on faster roads if you use the gears. A semi-automatic gearbox with a full auto programme is optional.
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Ride & Handling
The Aygo isn’t as nimble as the best city cars, because of its sluggish initial steering response and small front tyres that soon run out of grip in bends. The steering is also pretty heavy around town, which isn’t really what you want in a city car. The ride isn’t ideal, either – it’s hard and noisy over sharp surface changes.
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Refinement
The thrummy note of the three-cylinder petrol engine is ever-present and part of the vehicle’s charm. It becomes irritating at out-of-town speeds, though, and it’s joined by too much road and wind noise. That means that this city car is best kept inside the city. The gearshift is notchy, but the semi-automatic gearbox swaps cogs pretty smoothly.
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Buying & Owning
The Aygo is similar in price to newer rivals, which are better cars. Resale values are pretty weak, too. It’ll cost peanuts to keep on the road, though. Insurance groupings are among the lowest around, routine servicing takes just over four hours in the first three years and you’ll do around 66mpg on an average run.
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Quality & Reliability
The Aygo’s cabin is funky, but the materials used have a distinctly cheap, flimsy feel, and do not match those of modern rivals like the Volkswagen Up. However, given Toyota’s record for mechanical reliability, we’ve every reason to expect the car to be hardy, and if you have any concerns, they should be allayed by the five-year warranty.
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Safety & Security
Front airbags are standard in the base model, and the rest of the range also features side ’bags, while anti-lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution are standard. However, you'll need to stretch to the options list if you want stability control. There are no deadlocks, but etched windows, a fully integrated stereo and marked mechanical parts make life a little more difficult for thieves.
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Behind The Wheel
The driving position won't suit everyone because the steering column adjusts only vertically and there's no seat height adjustment. The heater controls are poorly-marked, too, making them tricky to use. Still, there's a fresh and fun-loving character to the cabin, and visibility is very good.
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Space & Practicality
Four people will fit in the Aygo, as long as they’re willing to share out what space there is. They’ll struggle to get all their luggage on board, however, because the boot is tiny and accessed through a small, oddly–shaped hatch. The 50/50 split rear seats can be folded down for larger items, while there’s good oddment storage around the cabin.
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Equipment
The entry-level model is particularly spartan – you get a CD player with an MP3 socket, but not a great deal else. Aygo+ models are our favourite, because they add electric windows and remote locking. Move higher up the range, and things like a USB port and Bluetooth connectivity become available, but these versions look very pricey.
What Toyota Aygo Hatchback owners say:
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Our pick of the range
Toyota Aygo Hatchback 1.0 VVT-i + 3dr
The Aygo + is our pick of the range, as it combines excellent value for money, with decent equipment levels.
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