Good afternoon everyone, sorry for the lack of activity the last few days, it has been a rather busy weekend! Yesterday I was able to lay my hands on Toyota's budget city car, the Aygo. The model in question is the X-Play which features Bluetooth, air conditioning, electric windows as well as cruise control. All this comes in a 5 door package which costs £10, 495 new.
But you have little idea of what toys the Aygo when you first climb inside as the centre console looks a bit bare. Rest assured though, although town car comes with a small exterior and price tag to match it does have a few tricks up it's sleeve. Upon discovering the Bluetooth I was expecting it to be fiddly and frustrating but simply make sure your Bluetooth is on, pair the phone up with the media device and you're ready to enjoy your favourite tunes.
Not everything is good news in the cabin however. For starters I could not for the life of me find a comfortable driving position. The steering wheel offers only rake adjustment which worsens the problem. I am 6 foot 2 so it is fair to say I am tall so I imagine shorter drivers will have less problems. Despite having the steering wheel set to it's highest setting the bottom was still rubbing on my thighs and I could not put the seat back further as I wouldn't have been able to reach the wheel. Space in the back? Well, sitting behind me than it's almost out of the question unless you are a child or willing to get rather uncomfortable. Having said that space in the back will come as a premium regardless because of the small dimensions of the car. The boot is also rather small so will struggle to get a week's shop in there.
On to driving the car itself and I must say it took me a while to get used it. The pedals light, very light so it's very easy to press them more than you think you are. The clutch has a very high biting point so you may find that you rev it highly like a learner the first few drives! The featherlight throttle does not help with this situation either. Just the mere curl of the toe and the 1.0 litre engine roars in a rather unrefined manner. Once you have finally set off and the valves have come out of the bonnet you'll find it's quite nippy and pleasant. This is not a car you would want to drive for long journeys though as it will lack the punch needed for motorway commuting and the power in 5th takes time to get going.
Despite it's flaws the Aygo is rather likeable so if you're looking for a nice simple car to drive around town then this is definitely worth a look. It does have fierce rivals however, such as Citroen's C1, Peugeot's 108, Volkswagen's Up! and Skoda's Citigo.
