Toyota AYGO hatchback (2005 – ) expert review

From its puppy-dog headlamps through to its comically-short rear doors, the Toyota AYGO oozes charm from every angle. Its wide-mouthed front bumper is less severe than the jowls of its sister cars, the Citroen C1 and Peugeot 107, all three of which are manufactured in a joint project. Add in its diminutive size – it measures just under three-and-a-half metres in length – and our test car’s 14-inch alloy wheels, and you have a perfectly proportioned city car.

Climb inside and you’ll find acres of headroom – the Toyota AYGO stands 1,465mm tall. But sticking to its budget-car roots means the interior is a stripped-out affair. The central dash features a CD player with a handy input for your iPod – standard on all models – while the heating and ventilation controls look like plastic children’s toys. But you won’t care – the seats are solid and surprisingly sporty, and the driving position is spot on, giving a commanding view of the road ahead.

Don’t expect to get more than an overnight bag into the boot. The Toyota AYGO gets a 139-litre luggage space at the back, while an assortment of cubby holes in the cabin adds another 25 litres. Rear legroom is tight, but for short trips and the school run, it is more than capable of transporting the kids or a spot of light shopping.

The AYGO isn’t exceptionally grippy and there is noticeably more body-roll through the corners than in a Ford Ka, but the little Toyota is guaranteed to leave a grin on your face. However, although it feels energetic, it doesn’t respond well to being hustled too hard.

The Toyota AYGO is powered by a fizzy 67bhp 1-litre petrol engine with just three cylinders – Toyota claims the engine is the lightest internal combustion engine on sale today, weighing in at just 67kg. Read the on-paper acceleration figures and you’ll be forgiven for overlooking the AYGO in search of something more powerful – 0-62mph takes 14.0 seconds and the top speed is 98mph. But in the real world of traffic, congestion and more traffic, the AYGO feels quick and spirited. The bulk of city driving is dispatched with enthusiasm, while motorway cruising is comfortable – if a little noisy.

The Aygo is designed to be as low-maintenance and cheap to run as possible. It sits in low insurance groups and, in the first 60,000 miles, Toyota reckons it needs just 4.2 hours of servicing. With a combined fuel consumption of 65.7mpg and engine components which can last for up to 100,000 miles, the AYGO promises hassle-free ownership.

Most of the body is made from galvanised steel and Toyota is providing a 12-year anti-corrosion warranty as standard. Add this to the Japanese carmaker’s solid build quality and you have a reliable city run-around. That said, there have been reports of accelerator pedals becoming hard to depress, slow to return and in rare cases getting stuck half-way through their working travel in AYGOs with MMT semi-automatic transmission. A total of 180,865 Toyotas have been recalled in the UK to cure the problem, with a reinforced pedal taking 30 minutes to fit.

The Toyota AYGO originally scored four stars from Euro NCAP, but in line with the newer, more stringent tests, the organisation has downgraded the car’s score to just three, saying that Toyota has ‘failed to keep abreast of latest safety developments and standards’. Front airbags are standard on all trim levels, as is Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), but the most basic cars miss out on side airbags.

Low-budget motoring means drivers have a limited amount of standard kit, especially on the cheapest models in the range, which have steel wheels, black mirrors and black door handles. Go for the Aygo+ and it’s a smarter-looking car, with more body-coloured bits and pieces, but you need to buy the Fire to get alloy wheels and front fog lights, while the Ice is the only model with standard air-conditioning.

Combine the fun handling, fizzy engine and puppy-dog looks with Toyota’s impeccable build-quality and higher residual value over its French counterparts, and the AYGO is a superb city car.