Toyota Aygo X Review

Read Caroline’s Toyota Aygo X review for everything you need to know about buying Toyota’s small car in Ireland.

For over 15 years, the Toyota Aygo has been Toyota’s answer for the city car segment. Now Toyota has launched a new version of the Aygo and given it a rugged makeover.

The new Toyota Aygo X is something of a small crossover for the city car class and goes on sale in Ireland priced from €19,370, making it one of the most affordable new cars you can buy in today’s market.

Powered by a small petrol engine, it goes up against other city cars such as the Hyundai i10 and Kia Picanto. But with its crossover inspired styling, this new Aygo X has arguably more style and presence than rivals.

So is there any substance behind that style? Let’s find out.

Styling

The new Toyota Aygo X is styled as a small urban warrior with lots of rugged design features to help its crossover credentials. It’s a bit longer and wider than the old Aygo and it also sits higher off the ground. At the front it looks a bit more modern and chunkier, with a high bonnet and large headlights (some versions get full LED). Big wheels are also part of the deal. 17- or 18-inch are fitted depending on the trim level and they fit the flared wheel arches beautifully, adding to the little Toyota’s chunky charm. Other crossover-inspired design cues include cladding around the sills and wheel arches. Some versions of Aygo X get a contrast coloured roof, which extends to the rear wings of the car for even more style. At the back, it still bears a resemblance to the old Aygo city car with a full glass boot lid and signature light design.

Interior

Toyota has given the new Aygo X a fun and colourful cabin, that feels very solid and well-built for a small car. There are three trim levels for the Aygo X in Ireland: Pulse, Design and Envy. The size of the touchscreen differs depending on which version you go for. The standard size is 7-inch but top of the range models get an impressive 9-inch screen. It also offers wired or wireless smartphone connectivity via Android Auto® and Apple CarPlay®, depending on which trim level you go for. Manual air conditioning is included as standard, while top of the range models get climate control and wireless smartphone charging.

The Aygo X also takes a big step forward in terms of safety by introducing Toyota Safety Sense as standard including Pedestrian Detection, daytime Cyclist Detection, Collision Mitigation Support, Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Trace Assist and Emergency Steering Assist.

Practicality

The Aygo X comes with five doors as standard, which makes it more practical than a Fiat 500 for example. Albeit, the rear doors don’t open very wide and when you do squeeze into the back, you’ll find just two seats and pop-out windows. It’s possible to seat adults in the back but there’s really not a huge amount of legroom or headroom. If rear passenger space is a priority in your small car, you might want to step up to the larger Toyota Yaris. The Aygo X has a bigger boot than the previous Aygo and is up about 60 litres to 231 litres, which is acceptable for a city car and not too far off the boot volume of a Hyundai i10. With the rear seats down, the boot space increases to 829 litres.

Engines

There’s just one engine available. Toyota is famous for hybrid but the Aygo X uses a simple 1.0-litre petrol engine with 70bhp. The 0 to 100km/h benchmark is a leisurely 15.5 seconds, but it manages to feel nippy around town at low speeds and can even hold its own on motorways once cruising speed is reached. However, it can run out of power quickly on more challenging uphill roads so frequent gear changes will be required from the 5-speed manual gearbox to keep it in its sweet spot. The Aygo X is relatively efficient and cheap to run. There’s also the option of a CVT automatic gearbox.

Driving

The Aygo X is built on the same platform as the Yaris and the Yaris Cross. On the road the Aygo X feels light and agile; it’s everything you could want from a city car. The steering has been tuned for city driving so it’s easy to park and manoeuvre, while also offering a tight turning circle of just 4.7 metres. You also sit higher than in the previous Aygo so you get a better view out of the road ahead.

There’s more sound insulation than before to create a quieter cabin, while the suspension has also been tuned to improve comfort. It’s surprisingly fun to drive too, with good road-holding ability through bends.

The Aygo X’s small petrol engine makes it naturally best in town and city driving, as the revs run high on the motorway making it quite noisy at high speeds. The Toyota Yaris might be a better option if you will spend a lot of time on bigger roads by providing more power and comfort for passengers.

Pricing

The Toyota Aygo X Pulse is available from €19,370. The Aygo X Design is available from €20,565. The top of the range Aygo X Envy is available from €22,245.

Summary

The city car class has been in decline in recent years, so Toyota has made a smart move by turning their smallest car into an attractive small crossover.

The crossover makeover gives the Aygo X bags more visual appeal than some of its competitors. It has more presence and it’s a stylish option in the city car class, with the strength of the Toyota badge.

If you’re willing to spend a bit more on a small car like this and go for one of the higher trim levels, the Aygo X does boast some great features and all versions come with lots of standard safety equipment.

It’s a small car so there are limits to its comfort and practicality, but the Aygo X is ideal for drivers who spend a lot of time in town.  Sturdy and stylish, the Aygo X is now one of the best city cars you can buy.

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Written by Caroline Kidd

Founder and Editor of Changing Lanes, Juror for Irish Car of the Year