A new addition to the budget category from Toyota is bound to get a warm welcome from the SA public and the Aygo certainly packs a lot of features that belie its entry-level status.

Challenging the perceptions that entry-level vehicles should only deliver on the functional needs of first time buyers, the Aygo offers loads of youthful appeal.

Viewed in profile the Aygo shows a coupe-like profile despite its four doors. This is supported by the rearward placement of the rear door handles with character bulge, tinted windows on the Aygo Wild and the blacked out B-pillar. From this angle the Aygo’s wide stance and very short overhangs are clearly visible.

The smart design elements are continued at the rear of the vehicle, where the tinted rear window doubles as the rear luggage door. Stylised rear lights mirror the headlamp design and extended rear wheel arches emphasise the Aygo’s squat stance. A high-mount stop lamp is standard across the range.


The Aygo offers a surprising amount of room for four large adults as well as no less than 16 storage compartments, offering 18 litres of interior storage space in total.

The Aygo is a true city car thanks to its length of 3 415 mm and 4.7 m turning circle, yet its 2 340 mm wheelbase and very short overhangs shows that Toyota has squeezed every inch of interior space into this small city dweller. This is supported by front seats that offer 240 mm of fore/aft travel and the height adjustable steering wheel. The front seats’ slim line design also frees up rear leg and feet space.


Other comfort features abound in the Aygo. All versions offer speed-sensitive electric power steering and air conditioning. The Aygo Wild adds front electric windows, an MP3-player-ready front loading CD-player and a 50:50 split rear bench seat with ISOfix tether points for a child seat. All versions have a full sized spare wheel below the luggage area floor.

The Aygo will be offered in two grade levels to suit the perceived needs of the first time buying market – the entry level Fresh and the higher specced Wild, differentiated by its alloy wheels, colour coded door handles and rear privacy glass.


Toyota’s engineers equipped the Aygo with ultra-modern impact protection. At the core of their design is the combination of high strength materials and a functional safety structure to absorb and dissipate impact forces. High-tensile steel is used in more than 50% of the vehicle’s body. This includes all doors, the bonnet and the reinforced centre tunnel.


Passive safety is further bolstered by the use of two side impact bars in the front doors and bolt on crash boxes in the bumpers. These crash boxes not only absorb energy in an impact from the front or the rear, but can be easily removed to make post accident repairs easier and cheaper.

Active safety features includes a driver and front passenger airbag on all models and side airbags on the Aygo Wild. The airbags feature an on/off switch for the front passenger and a seatbelt warning system for the driver.

All Aygo models are fitted with ABS brakes, electronic brake force distribution (EBD) and emergency brake assistance (BA) and all come equipped with an immobiliser and alarm.


One of the Aygo’s most attractive features can be found under the bonnet - Toyota’s acclaimed 3 cylinder 1 litre petrol engine - which has won its category in the World Engine of the Year competition for four years running.

At 67 kg the Aygo’s engine is the lightest internal combustion engine currently found in a passenger vehicle while its fuel consumption figure of 4.6 litres/100 km and tax-beating CO2 emissions of 105g/km will make an immediate and long term difference to overall cost of ownership.

The Aygo’s engine is equipped with variable valve timing (VVT-i), 12 valves and double overhead camshafts to deliver 50 kW at 6 000 rpm and 93 Nm at 3 600 rpm.

The engine is mated to a five speed manual gearbox. The Aygo’s gearing and very low weight (830kg) translates to energetic performance such a top speed of 157 km/h and a 0 – 100 km/h acceleration time of 14.2 seconds.

Lower down the Aygo boasts an adapted version of the Toyota Yaris front suspension, featuring a McPherson configuration. The damping rates and coil springs have been adapted to the Aygo’s unique driving characteristics and low weight. At the rear the Aygo is fitted with an inverted torsion beam system with integrated stabiliser bars.

Having ticked all the boxes, Toyota has taken it a step further by offering a ToyotaCare 60 000 km/ 4 year service plan on all Aygo models. Service intervals are set at 15 000 km.