The market for small city cars is getting smaller and weaker. You can no longer buy a new VW Up in Croatia! and its clones from Seat and Skoda, neither the Citroën C1 and Peugeot 108 nor the mini-models Suzuki Splash and Alto are offered anymore. More and more small cars are disappearing, but the Toyota Aygo is not giving up.
The last generation of Aygo, which shared the technology and most of the components with the Citroën C1 and Peugeot 108, “has expired”, and its successor is called the Aygo X (the Japanese imagined it to be the Aygo Cross). The new little Toyota is in keeping with the times in which SUVs dominate the market a kind of crossover car. We tested it before the official start of sales at the international presentation in Barcelona where we did the first kilometers behind the wheel of the Ayga X.
This crossover character is visible primarily in appearance. The car has plastic protective accessories on the body and deliberately oversized 18 “wheels that give it an” SUV “look. But the Aygo X is not just a crossover in appearance. Compared to its predecessor, it is significantly higher than the floor and has a 55 mm higher position seating.
Compared to its predecessor the Aygo X has grown really a lot. The car is 23.5 centimeters longer and now has a total of 370 centimeters. The width has also increased significantly to 174 centimeters, so the car now offers much more space in the interior. The rear bench is spacious enough for people up to about 180 centimeters, and the trunk holds 231 liters (829 liters with folded rear seats).
One reason for the increase in dimensions is the fact that the Yaris was created on the same platform as the Yaris, which makes it a single car in the class that was created on the platform of a higher class car. This makes the Aygo X noticeably more convincing to drive than you would expect from a car of this class.
The Aygo X has taken a huge step forward in terms of equipment and now offers a 9 ”multimedia system that is constantly connected to the Internet, fully LED lights, adaptive cruise control and a dozen new safety technologies to help with driving. There is also an Air version with a sliding canvas roof in which you can experience a kind of convertible feeling.
Despite having grown greatly and pon on new technologies, the Aygo X has less mass than its predecessor, an achievement that deserves praise. The car is thus the lightest in the segment, and thanks to this fact and significantly improved aerodynamics, the Aygo X is extremely economical with a consumption of 4.7 l // 100 km and CO2 emissions of 107 grams of CO2 per kilometer.
The Ayga X engine is the only thing that hasn’t changed. The same petrol engine with three cylinders and one liter of volume has been powered by the Aygo for decades in the new generation of cars, the engine has been slightly modernized and modified again. It now develops 70 hp and works a bit quieter. Motory Ayga X deserves a boost because it consumes little regardless of driving style, works quietly for a three-cylinder and loves high revs which can make driving more exciting.
The manual transmission has unusually long gear ratios, just like its predecessor, so you can reach almost 100 km / h in second gear. That’s why you shouldn’t change gears too much in city driving.
In addition to the manual transmission, the Aygo is also offered with a CVT automatic transmission without gears, which is quite comfortable.
While the Aygo X isn’t made for sporty driving and fast acceleration, it can be quite fun to drive. However, the most important thing is its agility and practicality. Its turning circle is minimal, so maneuvering in the city is much easier. The praise that is unexpectedly high deserves special praise, especially from the lying policemen, of whom there are more in Barcelona and its surroundings than in our country.
Sales of the Ayga X officially begin on April 15. But you can already order or book a model from the limited series online, which will be available only a few months after the start of sales. The price of the basic model will be 99,900 kuna, but this model is quite modestly equipped. Best sales are expected for the richer level of X-Play equipment. Thus equipped Aygo will cost 109,900 (without alloy wheels) and 114,900 kn with them.