Toyota Aygo (05 on) - Review

The 1.0-litre engine may only produce 67bhp along with modest pulling power but on the move it punches above its weight. That's not that surprising given that the Aygo weighs so little, but even taking that into account, the peppy three-cylinder engine is impressive and free-revving. Third gear proves surprisingly able to pull the car uphill on a winding road and the Aygo even succeeds in tackling more modest inclines in fourth gear. A 0-62mph time of 14.2 seconds isn't particularly swift, but the Aygo is eager from the lights and great for nipping in and out of traffic. A 1.4 diesel engine was introduced in January 2006 and this makes motorway trips more pleasant without sacrificing about-town manoeuvrability. The diesel isn't as powerful as the petrol with and with 55bhp it has a slower 0-60mph time of 16.3 seconds, however it has strong in-gear pace and will happily keep up with faster flowing traffic. However this engine was discontinued in May 2007. IN 2009 the 1.0-litre engine was tweaked to be more efficient with fuel economy improving to 63mpg.

Short overhangs with all four-wheels pushed to the corners, plus the widest stance of any car in its class help the Aygo maintain composure on challenging roads with seemingly little effort. The Aygo will zip around fast bends with minimal body roll and high levels of grip, although the steering can feel rather inert when pressing on - but while it may lack feedback, it's still responsive and precise. However the little Toyota's natural environment is the town and here the light steering is ideal, making it simple to dart into small spaces and easy to park.