Toyota Aygo Review (2014-2022)
Toyota AYGO cars for sale
3.0
Expert review
Pros
Excellent reliability, as you'd expect of a Toyota
Very economical to fuel and inexpensive to run
Easy to drive and park
Cons
Noisy on the motorway
So-so Euro NCAP safety rating
Small boot, even for a city car
The CarGurus verdict
If you want a small and efficient city car that will run like clockwork indefinitely, and cost buttons to run, the Toyota Aygo is a good option. It may not be as good behind the steering wheel as some competitors, and isn’t the best on the motorway, but what it lacks in some areas is compensated for by its long warranty and outstanding reliability.
There are more upmarket and premium-feeling options such as the popular VW Up, but the trade-off is a shorter warranty and reduced reliability. If the latter is more important to you, and alternatives such as the Kia Picanto don’t appeal, a used Toyota Aygo could be just the ticket.
What is the Toyota Aygo?
The compact Toyota Aygo is a small, efficient and reliable city car that competes with cars such as the ever-popular Fiat 500, Volkswagen Up, Skoda Citigo and Citroen C1.
It first arrived on the market in 2005 but this, the second-generation model, made its debut in 2014 and went off sale in 2022. It aimed to retain the strengths of its predecessor, such as its compact footprint and low running costs, while adding more playful exterior styling and more modern features. Like the original Aygo, this second generation model shares its underpinnings with the Citroen C1 and Peugeot 108.
In 2024, we named the Aygo as the best used car for new drivers, following a survey of 1,000 UK drivers who had recently passed their test.
How practical is it?
Both three-door and five-door versions of the Aygo were available originally, although the range was later slimmed down to just the more practical five-door model. Toyota has also continually updated the Aygo range with new options, including the limited-edition x-claim model and the Toyota Safety Sense forward collision warning system.
Inside, you’ll find a decent amount of space up front, but in the rear seats, things are unsurprisingly a little more cramped. Also note that this is a strict four seater: you can fit two people in the back of an Aygo, but there's no third seatbelt.
The boot space is small by class standards, and not particularly easy to access due to a high loading lip, which limits practicality. It’s claimed to offer 168 litres of storage space but alternatives such as the Fiat Panda offer quite a bit more. The interior isn’t as neatly styled or as well finished as some rival offerings, either, but it is at least straightforward and well laid out. Optional colour-coded inserts on some models add extra appeal, and there's a reasonable amount of storage in the front including a decent glovebox and a couple of cupholders.
What's is like to drive?
Only one engine was offered in the second generation Aygo – a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder petrol – which remains the case to this day. Initially, it produced 68bhp and could accelerate the Aygo from 0-62mph in around 14 seconds, and flat out, the Toyota could touch 99mph. There would be a 3bhp hike in power later on, but the performance of the Aygo remained effectively unchanged. It’s not as quick or as flexible as some alternatives, but it is claimed to average more than 60mpg, and will easily return more than 50mpg in real world driving conditions.
The Aygo is also available with an automated manual transmission (not technically a proper automatic gearbox, but it does basically the same thing). It can feel ponderous, but the option is at least present. The more popular manual model has a light clutch and an easy shift action.
Around town, the Aygo proves extremely easy to drive and manoeuvre. It’s also comfortable, and tackles small bumps well for such a small and light car, but at higher speeds it tends to struggle; the engine has to work hard and things get a little noisy and strained. Cars such as the Kia Picanto and Volkswagen Up tend to feel more relaxed on the motorway, and are better to drive, so make a beeline for those if lots of longer trips are in order.
Technology, equipment & infotainment
The UK line-up initially consisted of five models: Aygo x, Aygo x-play, Aygo x-pression, Aygo x-cite and Aygo x-clusiv. The Aygo x came with features such as LED daytime running lights, electric front windows and a USB connection for its two-speaker stereo, but the x-play was the preferable entry-level option, as it added air-conditioning, a tachometer, Bluetooth and more upmarket trims.
Some versions of the Aygo were offered with a retractable canvas roof, which was originally called the x-wave. The full-length canvas roof is electrically operated and, rolled back, allows all occupants to enjoy an unobstructed view of the sky above. This option would later be renamed Funroof and would feature on models such as the x-claim and JBL Edition. As well as adding a bit of wind-in-your-hair fun, it also add some retro flair and fun to the Aygo.
The Aygo wasn't available with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, but the seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system is responsive to use and includes a reversing camera.
Toyota Aygo running costs
One of the Toyota Aygo’s strengths is that it offers very low running costs. It will average more than 50mpg in normal driving, and on models registered before April 2017, there's currently no VED to pay. Models first registered after that date come with an annual VED bill that's currently set at £190.
With its excellent fuel economy, either a manual or an X-shift automatic Aygo should be able to cover more than 350 miles from its 35-litre fuel tank.
A conventional yearly or 10,000-mile service is required, which typically consists of an oil and filter change and numerous minor checks. That service and inspection, from Toyota itself, should cost around £145. The company also offers a range of service plans, tailored to your mileage and usage, which can further help you keep tabs on the running costs of your Aygo. Small tyres means that replacement costs for those are similarly inexpensive, with branded tyres clocking in at about £60 a corner.
Pleasingly, the petrol engine in the Toyota uses a timing chain instead of a belt, so there won’t be any substantial bills or surprises later down the line, which can be particularly tiresome when you’re looking at used example.
While not the cheapest city car to insure, the Aygo still only sits in insurance groups six to nine. A basic Fiat Panda has an insurance group of three, making it cheaper to insure, but the Toyota is in line with most of its other rivals.
Toyota Aygo reliability
When new the Toyota Aygo came with a competitive five-year, 100,000-mile warranty, a 12-year anti-corrosion and perforation warranty and a three-year, unlimited-mileage paintwork and surface rust warranty. This was particularly good when compared to rivals such as Volkswagen, which only offers a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty. Only Kia bettered the Toyota’s offering, with a seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty.
Since then, Toyota has launched its 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty, which puts it at the front of the pack when it comes to aftermarket care as far as we are concerned. All owners need to do is have their Aygo serviced at a Toyota main dealer, and it'll qualify for another 12 months or 10,000 miles of cover, all the way to until it is 10 years old or has covered 100,000 miles.
Toyota, more to the point, regularly tops customer satisfaction and reliability surveys, meaning problems with an Aygo – which is a simple car already, so unlikely to be troublesome – will be rare. There have also only been a few recalls, which occurred early in the life of the Aygo, suggesting future problems are unlikely.
As most Aygos will spend their life doing short around-town trips, you’ll want to ensure that any used example drives properly and that the clutch doesn’t slip. Check for any signs of parking-induced damage, car park dings and kerbed wheels as well. These are very reliable and tough little cars, however, so issues are uncommon.
- Although the Aygo isn't the best car in its class to drive, Toyota wins when it comes to its warranty. Toyota will now offer a year’s warranty free of charge on any car taken to one of its main dealers, regardless of its previous service history, up to a maximum of 10 years and 100,000 miles. That means if you buy a 2021 Aygo, you could keep it within warranty right through to 2031. That, coupled with the brand’s tremendous reputation for reliability, means that problems should be few and far between. If you want a durable, affordable city car with low running costs, the Aygo is hard to beat.
- There’s an array of options and personalisation available for some variants of the Aygo. Go for an x-trend, for example, and new car customers cold add the Funroof, mudflaps, rear parking sensors, interior trim upgrades and a range of extras, such as scuff plates, a cargo net and rubber floor mats. The exterior colour palette isn’t that extensive but there was a range of wheel designs available, which allows further personalisation.
- The first-generation Aygo was the result of a joint development project between Toyota and the PSA Group, which owns several brands including Peugeot and Citroen. The collaboration also resulted in the Peugeot 107 and Citroen C1, which were effectively the same as the Aygo but had a different badge, equipment options and minor styling tweaks. The second-generation model continued this concept; Toyota used the new platform to produce its second Aygo, Citroen used it for its second-generation C1 and it also forms the basis for the Peugeot 108.
- If you want the best all-rounder: Cosmetic options aside, there’s not a huge range of variety in the Aygo range. But that helps make buying an Aygo easy. We’d just keep things simple and affordable and go for an x-play model, which features manual air-conditioning. Stick with the five-speed manual gearbox if you can, too, as it’s better than the x-shift automated manual alternative.
- If you want to stand out: If you’re looking for something more eye-catching than the standard Aygo, go for the JBL Edition. It comes with distinctive Electro Grey metallic paint with Mandarin Pop highlight and gloss black alloy wheels, as well as orange interior stitching, which makes it far more distinctive. You get a lot of extra kit, too, including climate control and a five-speaker JBL sound system.
- If you want lots of tech in a subtle package: Those wanting the most creature comforts should go for the x-clusiv version of the Aygo. It comes with automatic headlights, climate control, keyless entry with a push-button start, a reversing camera, lane departure warning, Bluetooth and DAB. It also comes as standard with a useful space-saver spare wheel instead of a tyre repair kit, unlike the similarly high-spec JBL Edition.
