WHEN we first tried Toyota’s new
pumped-up city car, the Aygo X, it was
in top-of-the-range ‘Exclusive’ trim, but now
there’s a new model crowning the line-up in
the form of this Air Edition version.
It’s based on the mid-range Edge when it
comes to the level of kit, but (as the name
suggests) the Air Edition is fitted with a
folding fabric roof, so now Toyota’s smallest
car can go toe to toe with the convertible
version of Fiat’s cutesy 500 city car. These
are the only two cars in their class.
It’s no secret that city cars are on the wane
in Europe as makers struggle to conjure
profits from models in this segment. A direct
replacement for the decade-old Volkswagen
up! isn’t on the cards, and there will be no
successors for the previous-generation
Aygo’s Peugeot 108 and Citroen C1 siblings.
A convertible Aygo isn’t new ground for
Toyota, though, because the old model was
offered with a soft-top X-Wave variant, so
the Japanese manufacturer clearly thinks
there are sales to be had in the admittedly
niche convertible city car market.
We tested the new Aygo X Air Edition in
less-than-ideal conditions, when an Arctic
blast hit the UK, in fact. But if you order
one now, then you can expect delivery
from spring 2023, just as the convertible
season approaches – hopefully.
The Aygo X (pronounced Aygo Cross) sits
a little higher than a typical city car, thanks
in part to a new platform shared with the
larger Yaris. It’s a little longer than the old
Aygo, but fits comfortably within the city car
sector, despite its pseudo-off-roader look.
A few design details, such as the huge
wheelarch trims, a two-tone paint finish
designed to make the Aygo X look beefier
and that raised ride height all contribute to
this new mini-SUV style. When you compare
the Aygo X with its predecessor on the road,
it certainly has a great deal more presence,
so it’s a job well done from Toyota’s design
department in this respect.
Every Aygo X gets the same 1.0-litre
three-cylinder engine, with the choice of
a five-speed manual or a CVT automatic.
The engine puts out a fairly weedy 71bhp
and 93Nm of torque, but when you factor
in the Aygo X’s 995kg kerbweight (the Air
Edition adds 50kg) the output doesn’t
seem as lacking as you might think.
The powertrain is fairly refined and
there’s a typical three-cylinder thrum during
normal driving, but if you push the Aygo X
hard (which is necessary if you’re going up
hills or joining motorways) then the noise