Toyota Aygo Ice 1.0 VVT-i 5dr Car Review - February 2012

With a small car like the Aygo many people will expect almost go-kart like handling, but although it does have power steering it is still unusually heavy. The ride is quite firm, meaning that most of the bumps and potholes are felt in the cabin, and especially when cornering quickly the Aygo does start to lose grip. The driving position isn’t the most adjustable, with no option to adjust the height of the seat or the reach to the steering wheel, but visibility is quite good.

The 1.0 litre engine is designed to deliver efficiency, and this does reflect in the overall performance figures for the Aygo. The acceleration from 0-62mph takes place over a sluggish 14.2 seconds, and the top speed of 98mph means that driving at motorway speeds isn’t going to be the most comfortable experience.

Car aficionados will already know that the Aygo is based on the same chassis as the Citroen C1 and the Peugeot 107, and the similarity in looks is inevitable. The short front end slopes sharply towards the windscreen, and the headlights and grille are small enough not to look out of place. The back end is tidy, even if the rear bumper is a little too big, and on the whole it is a reasonably nice looking car. On the inside the large speedometer is easy to read, and the level of trim does add a bit of quality to the seats.

Alloy wheels are included as standard on this version of the Aygo, and it also has air conditioning and electric windows in the front of the car. The CD stereo is perfectly adequate, and the leather trim on the steering wheel is a nice touch of luxury in what is essentially a fairly basic city run-around.

The space in the front of the seats is quite good, but anyone who is of average height will not want to have to spend a long journey in the back of the Aygo, as legroom is limited. The tiny boot is certainly a concession to the small size of the car, but it probably isn’t even large enough to transport the average family’s weekly shopping, let alone a case full of holiday clothes.

Toyota has a good level of reliability, and this is supported by the good warranty provided with the Aygo. In terms of the safety kit, it does come with front and side airbags for the driver and passenger, but there is no curtain airbag to look after passengers in the rear. ABS will help under braking, but no option for traction control and ESP only being an optional extra is disappointing.

Part of the philosophy of the Toyota Aygo is to deliver a small practical car at a good price, but with this level of trim towards the top of the range, the price of £10,210 is a fair amount of money.

However, once you have bought the Aygo the running costs are very competitive, with the fuel efficiency being a particular highlight. The 1.0 litre petrol engine is able to deliver an average 61.4mpg. The road tax is very low, and the insurance group is also one of the lowest available, meaning that these costs should be minimal. Depreciation is a little bit of a problem with the Aygo, but there will always be people looking to buy small practical cars. The Aygo is provided with an excellent five year warranty, and also has a year’s membership of the AA included too.