The third installment of the Toyota Aygo changes its name. Aygo Cross, this confirms its entry into the family of pocket SUVs. By sharing the chassis, but not the hybridization of her big sister Yaris, has she found the right compromise for a solo career, without the Citroën C1 and Peugeot 108?
Here is the Toyota Aygo Cross, a vehicle that will arrive in dealerships in March 2022. Be careful, it is written Aygo X on the tailgate as on the rear side uprights, but you have to pronounce the X in the English way: Cross. An appellation that places it in the range just below the Yaris Cross SUV.
An SUV career, solo
The name is different because this third version of the Aygo will abandon the city car segment to invest that of the A segment pocket SUVs. An essential sleight of hand to make the project profitable. Indeed, if the first two generations of the Toyota Aygo, which appeared in 2005 and 2014 respectively, were the technical twins of the Citroen C1 and Peugeot 107 then Peugeot 108, this third opus will go it alone. PSA threw in the towel. Toyota therefore bought back the shares of its former partners in order to retain the Kolin production site in the Czech Republic, from which the Aygo X will be released. The Japanese manufacturer had no choice but to design his car on a homemade chassis. The Aygo X therefore uses the GA-B technical platform released by the Yaris and Yaris Cross.
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The Aygo X sees it big
This new technical base extends the Aygo X by 23 cm, bringing its size to 3.70 m. The wheelbase gains 9 cm (2.43 m) and the height increases by 5 cm, or 1.51 m under the gauge. More imposing than the Aygo, the X naturally has an increased trunk volume. It increases by 60 liters with a capacity of between 231 liters in a 5-seater configuration under the shelf and 829 liters up to the ceiling when the rear seat is folded down. But no change in the tailgate, the outer skin of which remains glass. It is significantly less expensive than a fifth door combining stamped sheet metal and glass bezel. A Volkswagen up! does not offer better. Finally, despite significantly revised upward measurements, the Toyota Aygo X has not lost any of the agility of its predecessor. Quite the contrary. Its turning radius is even 10 cm shorter and is limited to 4.7 m. Only the Renault Twingo (barely shorter: 3.61 m) can steal the show with a record value of 4.30 m.
A very dynamic style
Very inspired by the Toyota X Prologue concept car designed in the ED2 style center in Sophia Antipolis and presented last spring, the Toyota Aygo X’s dress is not lacking in originality. It capitalizes on the muzzle and the stern in X characterizing the current Aygo since 2014. No doubt to capture customers. The little adventurer also adopts gray plastic wheel arches, an imposing air intake at the bottom of the shield and reinforced-looking side sills. So many essential elements finalizing its assumed look of SUV.
Its two-tone body, which could pass it off as a Smart, and its orange touches complement the body color called Cardamom Green. Personalization, another essential item for any self-respecting SUV, the Aygo X knows a thing or two about it. The copy illustrating this article is the launch edition; a version called Toyota Aygo X Air mainly because of its canvas roof and its black rims punctuated by an orange branch.
So that the Aygo X does not go unnoticed in the street, Toyota has concocted a colorful palette including a Chili Red (the color of the X Prologue concept car), a Juniper Blue and a slightly more beige Ginger. sober. Four exclusive shades reserved for the Aygo X. Other more classic shades will then be offered.
The right interior priorities
On board, the designers put the accent where it shows. Attention immediately turns to the 9-inch touchscreen that is standard on the upscale versions. Otherwise, it’s an entry-level 7-inch format. Suddenly, the partially digital instrumentation, with a needle tachometer, knows how to be discreet. The mood lighting and the 300 W audio system will complete the appeal of young buyers.
The air conditioning interface appears very practical with its physical controls, and the housing for recharging your smartphone by induction at the foot of the central console is always appreciable. Connectivity is complete with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto protocols. This also includes navigation with cloud and a software update service “over the air “.
In the rear seats, the legroom is correct (thanks to the extended wheelbase) and the width suitable for two adults. The Aygo X is a four-seater. On the other hand, the headroom is a little tight if you measure more than 1.70 m because of the sunroof which takes up space. Between brightness and livability, you have to choose.
Quality worthy of an A segment
Positioned on segment A, the Toyota Aygo X retains lacquered metal parts your bodywork in the passenger compartment just like the black painted sheet metal visible on the back of the back seat backrests. In addition, all the plastics lining the cabin are hard. No foaming at heart or even on the surface. The rear shelf is more of a sun visor in very flexible and fragile textile than a board on which you can put things. Note also, as in the current Toyota Aygo, that the rear windows of the Cross have a compass opening. Proven technical solutions to control manufacturing costs.
The Aygo X skips hybridization
In order to keep prices tight, estimated at around € 17,000, at the entry level, there is no hybrid technology on the program or even all-wheel drive for the Toyota Aygo X.
“To keep prices tight, from € 17,000, there is no hybrid technology under the hood of the Toyota Aygo X nor all-wheel drive“
Under the hood, the small urban SUV again takes up a mastered recipe : the 1.0 l three-cylinder petrol engine under the hood of the Aygo. With a power of 73 hp, this unit leaves the choice between a five-speed manual gearbox and a new S-CVT continuously variable transmission which will advantageously replace the current robotic gearbox. The manufacturer announces a fuel consumption of 4.7 l / 100 km and CO emissions2 of 107 g / km.
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Toyota Aygo X review (2022)
This Toyota Aygo, reinvented in SUV mode, made a good impression on us. The brand changed what was needed while retaining the achievements of a car well established in the landscape. A judicious bias to ensure the survival of the solo model. By venturing into the small urban SUV segment, the Aygo X is increasing its stature as well as its prices.
Enough to generate higher margins while meeting new rivals such as its compatriot the Suzuki Ignis or the Fiat Panda City Cross, while waiting for the future Peugeot 1008 to join them in 2025. But this market has not benefited from it. to all, the Volkswagen Cross up, Ford Ka + Active and the Opel Karl Rocks-Adam Rocks duo, have learned it the hard way. We hope that the Toyota Aygo X made the right choice by putting its wheels on it. But did she have any other, if not to disappear?
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