Toyota Aygo : SEX IN THE CITY

Toyota's Aygo Offers An Extra Bit Of Spice For City-Dwellers. June Neary Tries Itâ€¦

Just how much do you really need to spend on a car? £7,500 sounds about right to me - the starting price for Toyota's citycar, the Aygo. Pronounce it `Eye-Go', the Toyota man told me, but I still kept calling it `A-go' during my week with the car. Whatever it's called, it's a clever little thing and surprisingly stylish for the money. Women like me have contributed massively to Toyota's bottom line in recent years by purchasing chic little Yaris superminis by the bucketload and this car is cut from the same kind of cloth. My colleagues told me that it was Toyota's version of the same design which has spawned Citroen's C1 and Peugeot's 107 but having seen those two cars, I think the Toyota, though a few hundred pounds more expensive, is a more attractive bet than either. If you want to spend more, there's also the Toyota iQ to consider, a trendier take on the city car theme, but the Aygo looks plenty trendy for me.

I liked the fact that the front and rear overhangs have been kept short so as to maximise interior space and make parking simple. The tale of the tape shows a 3.4 metre overall length, which is almost 23cm shorter than a modern MINI. Inside, the interior features a rather chi-chi two-tone dashboard with a textured effect, while the door trims feature body coloured detailing. One of the more eye-catching features is the design of the ventilation controls on the centre console. Two large wheels bookend the console with a translucent panel sitting between them. Coupled with the funky, minimalist instrument panel, they give the Aygo's fascia a very modern appearance. It's not a large interior of course: you wouldn't expect a citycar to offer that - but there are five wide-opening doors and the kids I transported seemed quite happy in the rear. I also managed a full Tesco shop in the compact boot.

The Aygo is a citycar first and foremost, reflected in a sprint to 60mph that takes 14 seconds. The good news is the fact that this 1.0-litre engine is predictably excellent in terms of fuel economy and emissions. The combined economy figure is 62.8mpg and emissions are pegged at a laudable 106g/km. These figures are helped by the fact that the 1.0-litre is billed as the world's lightest production engine. The five-speed manual transmission I tried is the default choice, but Toyota's Multi-mode Manual Transmission is also available as an option, offering clutchless gear changing for those who want to take the drag out of city driving. Effort is further removed by the fitment of electrically assisted power steering, making light work of turning the Aygo about face in just 9.46 metres. I liked the fact that the steering column is adjustable for both reach and rake, the speedometer binnacle moving with the wheel. Coupled with plenty of driver's seat travel and ample headroom, it all meant that I had no problem getting comfortable behind the wheel of the Aygo. Sitting behind a tall driver is another issue altogether and rear space is a little pinched with the front seat at the back of its travel. That's perhaps forgivable, as there is only so much that can be done within the strictures of a 2.34 metre wheelbase.

Prices, as I said, start at around £7,500, rising to £8,500 for the 1.0-litre 5-door + model I tried but you'll also find a clutch of value added special edition models to select from. The audio system reflects the Aygo's modern outlook. The standard setup features the usual AM/FM radio and CD player but also includes a connection socket for other audio hardware such as an MP3 or a minidisk player. The upper specification models also add an extra pair of rear speakers and some neat tweeters integrated into the car's A-pillars. Even the entry-level car is well equipped and includes colour keyed bumpers, twin front airbags, and anti lock brakes with the backup of electronic brakeforce The + grade adds colour-keyed door mirrors and handles, electric front windows, a split folding rear seat, remote central locking, a keyless entry system, side airbags and an ISOFIX child seat attachment. Considering the bargain basement pricing of Citroen and Peugeot counterparts, it's this model that looks set to be the most popular Aygo. The Aygo is also is covered by Toyota's comprehensive three-year warranty.

This car makes the necessity of being urban-bound into less of a chore. You could use it for longer distances but you probably won't want to. It's more at home in the city. Sexy in the city in fact? You could say that if you want toâ€¦