Toyota Aygo X Review 2024

Toyota Aygo X At A Glance

4/5
Honest John Overall Rating
The Toyota Aygo X isn't really a crossover - it's a city car with a faint hint of SUV design. But it's stylish, good to drive, solid and well-equipped, and the raised driving position and tight turning circle make it perfect for town use.

+Yaris platform means grown-up ride and handling. Striking exterior and solid interior. Well equipped even in base trim.

-List price is higher than many rivals. Could do with a more powerful engine option. Canvas roof eats into rear headroom.

On average it achieves 0% of the official MPG figure

The Toyota Aygo has become the Toyota Aygo X, with a sprinking of SUV flavour. No, it won't go off-road, but it's better looking than most rivals, generously equipped and decent fun to drive. With affordable city cars becoming an endangered species, the Aygo X is a worthy addition to the market.

The Toyota Aygo X is the first Aygo ever that's an entirely solo effort for the Japanese brand. Its former partners in this area, Peugeot and Citroen, have decided not to follow up the closely related 108 and C1 with direct replacements.

And they're not the only ones. In the last few years, Ford, Vauxhall, Renault, Skoda and SEAT have pulled their affordable, petrol-powered city cars from the market. Others that used to make one have long since left it, too.

Why? Well as safety and technology standards have increased, and emission regulations tightened, car makers faced a tough choice: sell the cars at an affordable price and barely make a dime on them, or raise the price to the point where buyers are better off buying a larger supermini. Some brands, such as Smart, have gone all-electric instead with comparatively expensive models. 

Still, that's left plenty of market share for the remaining brands to feast on. The new Toyota Aygo X's main rivals are the Kia Picanto, Hyundai i10, Suzuki Ignis, Volkswagen Up and, well, that's about it. There's the Fiat Panda and 500, too, but both are over a decade old now. 

To help mark out the Aygo X (the X stands for cross), Toyota has looked to the ever-growing small SUV crowd for inspiration. It gets chunky, rugged looks, bigger wheels and a seating position raised by 5cm over the old car, which Toyota claims makes it easier to spot and interact with pedestrians and cyclists in city streets. 

It's certainly a striking bit of design - a bit like the old Aygo on steroids. But to our eyes it works. Inside, you'll find a modern-looking, well-equipped cabin with typical Toyota solidity, although it's a lot less practical than the similarly micro SUV Ignis. 

The Toyota Aygo X is powered by a simple 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine which can be mated to a five-speed manual gearbox or a CVT automatic. The latter is best suited to town use, with the former being more fun to drive out of it. Unlike every other Toyota there's no hybrid power here: it simply couldn't be done without the price going up.

Speaking of price, the Aygo X is one of the more expensive city cars on paper, with high-spec models (equipped with an electric canvas roof) coming in at more than £20k. You don't need to spend that, though - even the entry level car gets an impressive amount of standard kit, including adaptive cruise control, 17in alloys, a touchscreen and a vast suite of active safety aids, which should make the Aygo one of (if not the) safest cars in its class. 

Looking for a second opinion? Why not read heycar's Toyota Aygo X review.

Ask Honest John

My Hyundai i20 is due for change, what should I replace it with?

"My Hyundai i20 has a FSH & just 35,000 miles but is coming up for 9 years old. It has been reliable but the build is not up to our Toyota CH-R. I prefer high up position of SUVs plus I'm now a dog owner. Do you have any recommendations for a replacement?"
If you are looking for a replacement with a higher driving position, you may wish to consider the Toyota Aygo X, which is similar in size to the i20 but with higher set driving position you are looking for.
Answered by David Ross

Best small car with a sunshine roof?

"What is the best small car with a sunshine roof? "
Take a look at the Toyota Aygo X. It's a brilliant little car available with a retractable canvas roof. If you'd prefer a conventional glass sunroof, we'd recommend a Volkswagen Polo - it's a great little car available with an optional panoramic roof.
Answered by Andrew Brady

Should I put my Toyota Aygo X in neutral at traffic lights?

"I have just purchased the Toyota Aygo X with the CVT and find it brilliant. As with my Lexus, do I have to leave in gear at traffic lights etc or put into neutral like an ordinary auto? The problem I find is that if I do not keep my foot on the brake pedal and in D then the auto engine stop does not work. If I apply the handbrake and take my foot off the brake then the engine starts. This seems silly as I do not like dazzling other drivers when stopped with my brake lights. "
Ordinarily, we'd recommend leaving it in 'drive' with your foot on the brake. Only shift to neutral and apply the handbrake if it's dark and you're going to be stopped for an extended period. Only do this after the car behind has come to a stop, too - it's good to keep your brake lights illuminated for extra visibility.
Answered by Andrew Brady

Why is my Toyota Aygo X delayed?

"I am due to collect my new Toyota Aygo X Pure soon but I've just been told by the Toyota dealer that Toyota have put a stop on all Aygo X cars. What is going on?"
We haven't heard of any other Aygo X models being delayed but have checked with a Toyota spokesperson. This is their response: “As part of our normal process, we have been holding some of these vehicles for final quality confirmation and we will release the vehicles for delivery very shortly. We apologise for any convenience to our customers.”
Answered by Andrew Brady
More Questions

What does a Toyota Aygo X cost?