New Toyota Aygo debuts

The new Toyota Aygo has been revealed at the Geneva Motor Show, and it features a daring new design that’s something we’ll begin seeing a lot more of on future Toyotas.

The Aygo shares its engines, chassis, windscreen and front doors with the Peugeot 108 and Citroen C1, but has an even greater focus on personalisation.

At the front, intersecting lines run from the A-pillar to the front bumper to form an ‘X’ shape – just one in a wide range of interchangeable parts. The wheels, rear bumper and selected pieces of interior trim can also be colour-coded.

The difference between the Toyota and its rivals, the brand says, is that ‘naked’ cars without certain pieces of trim will be shipped to a hub in the UK, where parts can be added. Advantages include delivery times as short as a week.

The range is simple: it consists of x and x-play trims, with x the entry-level model and x-play the only grade that allows customisation. Two special editions will be available from launch: the brightly coloured x-cite shown in our pictures and the more sophisticated x-clusiv.

Early next year, an x-wave model will be offered, complete with a peel-back canvas roof – as already seen on the Peugeot 108 and Citroen C1. The wheelbase is identical to the old Aygo’s, at 2,340mm, but an increase of 25mm in overall length has added 9mm in the rear. There’s 7mm more headroom, too, thanks to a ‘double-bubble’ roof, while boot space rises by 29 litres to 168 litres.

The only engine option is a 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol, with either a five-speed manual or an x-shift automated manual. This gives an identical 0-62mph time to the old Aygo’s, at 14.2 seconds, but cuts emissions by 4g/km to 95g/km and boosts economy by 3.3mpg to 69mpg.

An eco model promises 72mpg and 89g/km. Standard equipment includes LED running lights, a USB input and hill-start assist, while x-play cars add 15-inch wheels, a multifunction steering wheel and a height-adjustable driver’s seat.

As well as the soft-top, x-wave models get part-leather seats and an x-touch infotainment system as standard. Prices have yet to be revealed, but expect the new Aygo to cost around £9,000 when it goes on sale in July.

Karl Schlicht, executive vice president of Toyota Europe, told us to “expect more risky designs” as the brand aims to become more aspirational. He added: “If 30 per cent of people don’t like a car we produce, that’s fine – we’re only after five to 10 per cent market share.”