Toyota Aygo X review

Bigger dimensions mean a bigger kerb weight, and on Millbrook’s scales our fully loaded Limited Edition test car came in at 974kg, 84kg more than the Aygo we weighed in 2014. Still, it’s a touch lighter than a Hyundai Hyundai i10, so Toyota has done well at minimising the weight gain.

What has been carried over from the old Aygo is the engine. It still uses an evolution of the original Aygo’s ‘1KR’ mill, which was designed by Daihatsu for small cars. 

The 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol unit has had some updates through the years to keep it compliant with the latest emissions regulations but it hasn’t had any significant boost in power, so the Aygo X still has to make do with just 71bhp and 69lb ft.

The chassis deals with simple vertical inputs well enough, but one wheel catching a roadside dip can elicit a shimmy from the rear axle that you certainly wouldn’t find in anything with independent rear suspension, but it is also better controlled in most superminis.

Comfort and isolation

Comfort, especially for taller drivers and on long journeys, isn’t usually the strength of A-segment cars. They are called city cars for a reason. However, it’s here that the Aygo X makes the greatest strides.

Becoming slightly taller has greatly benefited the Aygo’s driving position. With more head and leg room, and ample adjustment in the steering column, it’s easier to relax behind the wheel.

The seats themselves contribute to that, too. Even on the cheapest version, they are height adjustable. There is no adjustment for the lumbar support, but none of the testers found that to be a problem. The seat base is also relatively long and angled upwards more steeply than in most cars, which provides good thigh support to taller drivers.

Acoustic refinement is on a par with other small cars, with a constant but perfectly acceptable level of road noise, and a bit of wind whistle around the B-pillar. Our test car was fitted with the canvas sunroof, and despite sealing fairly tightly, it lets through some ambient noise, so we suspect that at speed, an Aygo X with a solid roof could be one or two decibels quieter.

Those 18in wheels look like they could be disastrous for the ride comfort but once again serve to illustrate the positive knock-on effects of a light kerb weight. Controlling less than a tonne of mass doesn’t require particularly stiff springs and dampers, so the Aygo rides relatively comfortably. 

Assisted driving notes

Toyota makes a point of fitting its whole arsenal of active safety features to all its passenger cars, including the cheapest ones. Depending on how you look at it, it’s a noble gesture or something to needlessly inflate the price of what is supposed to be a cheap car.

This means automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection (cyclists only during daylight hours), lane keeping assistance and active
lane following, and adaptive cruise control are all present and correct. Blindspot monitoring is a surprising omission, though.

The lane following can ping-pong a little within the lane, but it’s easily turned on and off using the dedicated steering-wheel button. The lane keeping assistance can be slightly bothersome on country roads but is also very easily disabled. The adaptive cruise control works well, too, as it has the ability to adopt speed limits and you can set it to plain cruise control if you wish. 

CAP doesn’t have figures for the running costs yet, but we are slightly concerned about how much attention has been paid to this in the Aygo X’s design. For instance, those 18in wheels may look sharp, but the tyres are an unusual size.  We found only three options for 175/60 R18 tyres, with the cheapest costing £120 a corner, excluding fitting. That’s not an unusual price for 18in tyres, but Aygo owners might still baulk at it.