Toyota Aygo x-play, road test (engine, performance, handling and consumption)

For a few days we have shared experiences with one of the smallest cars on the market, which a few months ago was completely redesigned for the arrival of its second generation.

We’re talking about the Toyota Aygo, the micro city car manufactured and developed in collaboration with the French group PSA. Our test unit, equipped with a 1.0 three-cylinder engine, featured a 5-speed semi-automatic gearbox called X-Shift, which resulted in a very peculiar combination.

Engine

Our little Aygo featured the, for now, only engine available in the micro city car’s range. It is a 1.0 three-cylinder naturally aspirated unit with variable valve timing. The engine, mounted in a front-transverse position, is an evolution of the one used in the Toyota’s first generation, now offering 1 CV more (69 CV at 6000 rpm) and also improving the maximum torque figure, which rises to 95 Nm, delivered at 4300 rpm.

It is an engine that always shows a desire to rev, with that very distinctive sound that characterises three-cylinder powerplants. Speaking of noise, the engine is not especially loud, and it is possible to drive on the road with the radio at a normal volume without engine noise interfering, although at 120 km/h we will be around 4000 rpm.

It is also important to mention the gearbox, a 5-speed manual-based automated transmission which, compared with the manual gearbox, has noticeably shorter ratios, especially in 3rd, 4th and 5th. It can be operated in manual mode using the gear lever or the paddles, located on the steering wheel and fixed to it.

Performance

With a 0 to 100 km/h acceleration time of 15.5 seconds and a top speed of 160 km/h, it is more than obvious that, overall, the Aygo’s figures are not brilliant. The Aygo is a slow car, but it manages to move with ease through traffic as long as we are aware of what we are dealing with.

In town there will be no problem, as it manages to pull away quickly from traffic lights. On the open road things change, since although the small engine delivers everything it has, the figures are what they are. Overtaking recoveries are slow, taking approximately 14 seconds to complete the 80-120 km/h manoeuvre in automatic mode. As we have said, in overall terms it is a slow figure, although within its segment it is a figure that falls within the normal range.

The hydraulic system that replaces the clutch pedal has been revised in this second generation, making the gearbox more pleasant to use. In automatic mode and at low speed it changes gear quickly and with relative smoothness, although when we demand power from the engine we will feel jerks that are too evident and annoying. I personally used the gearbox in manual mode most of the time, since with some anticipation and slightly lifting off the throttle at the moment of the gear change, a much smoother and more pleasant experience is obtained. In addition, when downshifting, the management system blips the throttle to synchronise the revs, resulting in a very “exciting” sound when arriving at traffic lights.

Handling

The overall handling of the Aygo is quite satisfactory. The suspension is tuned mainly for comfort and is soft, and it manages to absorb road irregularities effectively. The other side of the coin is found in body roll, which is evident when we take a corner at a certain speed or when we have to avoid an obstacle. Although it rolls noticeably, there are models whose body roll is even more pronounced, such as the Mitsubishi Space Star. The suspension layout is typical of this type of car, with MacPherson struts at the front axle and a torsion beam at the rear axle.

As is logical in this type of car, all the controls have a predominantly soft and assisted feel. The steering is no exception, and features a high degree of assistance, electric in nature. It does not transmit much information, though enough for the use this car is mainly aimed at. The brake feel (with ventilated discs at the front and drums at the rear) is also soft, and the brakes stop the car safely, though without much force. More deceleration power would be welcome, something that may also be linked to the eco-oriented narrow-section tyres (165/60 R15).

As soon as we push the pace a little too hard, we will encounter a pronounced understeer that will be cut off at source by the ESP, standard equipment and switchable in two stages.

Consumption

In economic terms, the Aygo is not a very expensive car to “feed”. The manufacturer homologates an average consumption for this automatic version of 4.2 litres per 100 km on the extra-urban cycle. As we all know, homologated figures are virtually unrealistic, so the Aygo will reward us with a consumption in normal use of approximately 5-5.2 litres per 100 km, mixing urban and open-road driving.

If we set our minds to it, it is relatively easy to reduce consumption. On the open road it is possible to achieve averages below 4.5 litres. Specifically, on a Valladolid-Madrid trip by main road and motorway, the on-board computer showed a figure of 4.2 litres per 100 km.

Photograph | Daniel Valdivielso