Toyota Aygo X hatchback - Interior & comfort

Most city cars are fitted with small wheels and cost-saving suspension, so they can struggle with potholes and speed bumps, but the Aygo X does well here. Its new underpinnings and raised ride mean it soaks up rough surfaces as well as a car from the class above, making it ideal for Britain’s pockmarked streets. There’s a bit of wind and tyre noise at higher speeds, but on the whole, the Aygo X feels solid and it’s the engine’s poor refinement that lets the side down.

Versions with the canvas roof are a bit noisy on the move, so you might wonder if a window is cracked open the first few times you get up to higher speeds. You do get used to it though, and with the roof rolled back (in under 10 seconds) there’s not too much buffeting as you enjoy the open-air experience.

Toyota Aygo X dashboard

Toyota has designed the Aygo to be cheerful, with lots of oval shapes and some colourful trim for the air vents and touchscreen surround to keep it youthful. But it’s also clear this is a car built to have an affordable price tag, with reminders like the hard plastics and exposed metal on the door panels and some of the dashboard. Happily, Toyota does a good job of making these materials feel like they’ve been chosen to be durable, not just to save pennies. We also think the physical climate control dials are far easier to use while on the move than a touchscreen solution.

The touchscreen itself starts off as a seven-inch display and rises to a nine-inch unit in top-spec models. All versions get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality, which is good because Toyota’s system can be a touch laggy at times. Unfortunately, there is no fully digital instrument cluster behind the steering wheel; the Aygo X instead gets a four-inch colour display that can show a small handful of read-outs such as the time, the car’s fuel economy and the current speed.

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Equipment

Buyers have the choice of four trim levels when configuring their Aygo X: Pure, Edge, Exclusive and Undercover, which is technically a limited edition. Starting from around £16,000, Pure is the entry point into the range, yet still provides a decent level of standard equipment. This includes 17-inch alloy wheels, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, lane-keep assist, air conditioning, a reversing camera and the seven-inch touchscreen with Apple Carplay and Android Auto.

Edge trim adds two-tone paintwork, larger, 18-inch diamond-cut alloys, an eight-inch touchscreen and automatic climate control. Stepping up to the Exclusive model, there’s a nine-inch central touchscreen, LED headlights, keyless entry and start, front and rear parking sensors, wireless phone charging and a collision avoidance system. Finally, the Undercover (limited to 5,000 cars in Europe) is a styling and trim makeover created with Japanese fashion designer Jun Takahashi, featuring a bi-tone grey and black exterior with Coral Red accents, including for the 18-inch alloy wheels. There are distinctive “Chaos” and “Balance” logos on the roof and floor mats, plus the seats get unique red inserts and they’re heated for those sitting in the front.

Options

There are few options available for the Aygo X, with most equipment coming as part of different trim levels. Lower-spec cars can be fitted with front and rear parking sensors for around £300, while the novel canvas roof will set you back roughly £900. Aygo X Exclusive cars can be fitted with the JBL sound system for £500, while the only remaining optional extra is the CVT automatic gearbox, which costs just over £1,000 more than the manual.