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Even microcars are becoming more mature, as Toyota's brand new Aygo X shows. The tiny automobile is by no means only fun for the forces of mobile care services as a minimum solution. If you want, you can spice up the Japanese quite a bit.
Where does one fit in microcars better than in a metropolis of millions? So our test drive starts with the one that costs at least 15.390 euros Aygo in the middle of the capital of Catalonia - in Barcelona. But Toyota expects the 53 kW/72 PS vehicle with an average WLTP consumption of five liters to be more than just city traffic. After the hustle and bustle in the cosmopolitan city, you head towards the mountains on well-developed country roads. That's interesting, because this is where it crystallizes how the base engine acts when it's called for.
It's enough for the city
It is a simple one-liter three-cylinder without supercharging. On the other hand, the unit is light, and the whole car generally weighs just a ton. The practical four-door city car drives off in a correspondingly lively manner – well, at least that can be said for urban conditions.
When operating on steep inclines, you can feel that the small engine is being challenged. Now it suddenly sounds like a three-cylinder, which is completely appropriate. It delivers the power you would expect from its performance. And the fact that he diligently climbs inclines is probably due to the short translated but smooth-shifting five-speed gearbox. If you want, you can get a stepless automatic, which actually means a gain in comfort thanks to the non-returning mode of operation. But it immediately raises the minimum price to 19.090 euros because the CVT is not available for the two basic lines.
gotten bigger
The Aygo, which is based on the GA platform (the larger Yaris is also based on it) is quite grown-up despite its super-compact dimensions - an external length of 3,70 is definitely suitable for the city. Its wheelbase has grown by 9 centimeters to 2,43 meters. It almost reaches those of previous Yaris models. The result is a passenger cabin in which the passengers do not push each other too hard. And families don't have to suffer when a longer trip with four people is on the agenda, especially since the seats are ergonomically convincing.
The Aygo X is not exactly cheap, especially considering that there are still competitors who operate much closer to the 10.000 euro threshold in this segment. But to be fair, it should also be said that the latest Toyota has good standard equipment. It not only offers many comfort and safety features such as pedestrian detection, lane departure warning or traffic sign recognition. Even an active cruise control stays free on board. It shines with attentive vehicle recognition. This cruise control can be used well in moving traffic, but the cruise control does not brake down to a standstill in this configuration - in the version with manual transmission it is not practical anyway because the driver has to use the clutch.
With Apple CarPlay
The air conditioning is also included, so the basic Aygo actually meets all comfort criteria. Admittedly, you don't want to drive without a radio, so the manufacturer uses a clever lever to persuade customers to at least buy the "Play" equipment, which is EUR 1.100 more expensive. In addition to the audio system, there is also smartphone integration, so that you can simply mirror the surface of your mobile device to the monitor in the center console using Apple Carplay or Android Auto, which makes an integrated navigation system obsolete.
Sliding rear seat in a small car?
Higher equipment lines still offer the integrated pilot for an additional charge of 650 euros or free of charge. There are also features such as LED headlights, parking beepers or a keyless locking system for the Aygo X - what more could you want? Perhaps the simple yet ingenious idea of a sliding rear seat. The Yaris used to have that, but not anymore.
On the other hand, the cheeky Aygo X makes people happy with an optional two-tone finish to demonstrate in a colorful way that it belongs in the equally colorful city. But there is only for the higher equipment versions. On the other hand, the TFT multi-information display – also colored – is already used in the basic model and is used to display various data, so it serves a useful purpose for the driver. In this segment, there has not yet been any progress towards the instrument cluster consisting purely of a display area – some customers may even appreciate it, because analogue instruments also have an aesthetic charm.
The Toyota Aygo X has charm in general, and therefore it should contribute its part to the urban streetscape in the future. After all, it looks neat, especially with the fender panels and makes a solid impression of quality, for which the customer may be happy to spend a few euros more.
Technical data
Small car, length: 3,70 meters, width: 1,74 meters, height: 1,51 meters, wheelbase: 2,43 meters, trunk volume: 189 to 831 liters
Toyota Aygo X 1.0: 1,0-litre three-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine, 53 kW/72 hp, maximum torque: 93 Nm at 4.500 rpm, five-speed manual transmission or continuously variable automatic, front-wheel drive, 0-100 km/h: 15,6, 15,5 (158 automatic) s, Vmax: 151 (4,8 automatic) km/h, average consumption: 5,0 to 2 l, CO109 emissions: 114 to 6 g/km (WLTP), emission standard: Euro 15.390 AP , Prices: from XNUMX euros
In brief
Why: Because he's unbeatable in the city, but also a grown-up all-rounder
Why not: Because with 72 hp it is a bit sparsely motorized
What else: Volkswagen Up, Renault Twingo, Kia Picanto, Hyundai i10
When: April 23