Climb in and you’re welcome into a cabin that appears far more spacious than the Aygo’s exterior dimensions would have you believe. The space is visually amplified by the fact that the exterior color is replicated onto the exposed metal inside the cabin.
The front seat accommodations are spacious and well suited for two at the front. The new design has enabled Toyota to squeeze out a few inches in legroom at the front and there is additional headroom too, afforded in part because of the double bubble roof – it isn’t there because Toyota’s designers are fond of Zagato.
The interior of the X-Play and X-Pression models can also be specified with two customization packs. The INspire pack adds a body color to the air vents and gear shift surround while the INtense adds body color to the instrument panel, center console and gear shift surround. Top of the range models can even be specified with leather seating for the first time, reflecting the more upmarket customer demands.
Forward visibility over the simple, straightforward single round gauge ahead of the steering wheel is good, and it’s easy to position the car where you need it to go, befitting its city car brief. The A-pillars aren’t excessively wide, but the plastic cheater panel at their base ahead of the side windows isn’t particularly appealing.
The key theme inside is one of simplicity, from the simple speedometer — around a digital readout for auxiliary information and a rev counter on the left — to the 7-inch touch screen at the center of the IP and the minimal HVAC layout on the center stack. Higher spec cars include a digital HVAC interface with soft touch buttons that score high in tactile quality, elevating the perceived quality lacking on some of the lesser grade plastics on the IP.
Like the first generation car, there are numerous open storage areas in the cabin. The door pockets are large enough to house drink bottles and other loose items, and for the first time there is a lockable glovebox to keep items out of sight.
As befitting an A-segment vehicle, the Aygo is the perfect urban runabout. Its compact turning circle, extremely light clutch and steering and compliant suspension made it very easy to drive around town. But it was out on the motorways between Amsterdam and Rotterdam however that the Aygo really surprised us: the 1.0-liter engine appeared adequate, the ride remained comfortable and the noise levels at speed were minimal, aided by superior aerodynamics over its predecessor. Toyota’s really upped the Aygo’s refinement levels.
The only gripe with the interior is with the rear accommodations, where seating is a bit cramped, particularly in legroom. With a rising beltline kicking up to meet the C-pillar, the car’s profile is a more dynamic contrast to the PSA models but also impedes rearward visibility when looking over your shoulder. Fortunately the large door mirrors and optional rear camera take the guesswork out of reversing into tight spaces.
As a new offering in the increasingly crowded European A-segment, the Aygo’s design is a bold offering from Toyota. Building on its already strong reputation for reliability, the company has created a worthy successor to a time-honored and successful product. Though the desire to make the car more dynamic in profile has sacrificed some of the car’s practicality, it’s a small price to pay for a more unique, polarizing proposal that will stand out from the crowd.
