The Toyota Aygo is a budget car if ever there was one. The minicar (many of you would call it a nanocar) was introduced in 2005, together with the identical -give or take a few details- Peugeot 107 and Citroën C1. All of them coming from the same factory in the Czech Republic.
No less than 68 fuel-sipping yet utterly dependable horses are unleashed from a 998 cc, three-cylinder engine. Somehow it just sounds more powerful if you say 1.0 12v VVT-i. But keep in mind that the registered curb weight of this Lil’ Toyota is only 805 kg (1,775 lbs).
For comparison reasons: the Mini One has a 90 hp, 1.6 liter four-cylinder engine and weighs 1,040 kg (2,293 lbs). Now you can do the math for the power-to-weight ratios.
And finally, the Dutch list prices of this duo, back in 2005 and 2009: € 22,288 vs € 10,564. With two extra doors to boot for the bluest.
The 1G 1999-2005 Toyota Vitz/Yaris/Echo was similar in size and design with the Aygo. I often wonder if they were available and sold alongside together in those Eastern Bloc Countries? Wouldn’t both otherwise different cars be competing against each other or perhaps complement Toyota’s Mini Compact Segment?
Vitz/Yaris/Echo were/are one size larger with 1.3/1.5 L four cylinder engines.
Over the years, small hatchbacks grew and evolved into what’s now called the B-segment (subcompacts), thus creating space for the A-segment (city cars).
Like the Ford Fiesta – Ford Ka, VW Polo – VW Up, Toyota Yaris – Toyota Aygo.
Look how much the Mini grew, since the introduction of the new generation (as pictured in the article), back in 2000.
The Yaris was barely any bigger – this was mirrored in the PSA range too.
The main reason for buying a Yaris was that the Aygo was cheap and nasty in comparison – again replicated with PSA.
The cheapies must have stolen at least some sales from the Yaris and Citroën C2.
Hardly; there was a huge price diffrence in Europe between these A and B segment cars (up until 2016). Think 9 to 15K for a C1/107/Aygo and between 13 and 22K for C2/108/Yaris. Some overlap, but no real competition.
Another reason for many European consumers to buy a 3.50 cm. long car is the convenience of parking in our very crowded cities.
The C1/107/Aygo base 1.0 engines were derived from Daihatsu and have proven to be very reliable. Clutch and body (tendency to rust!) are below par.
I, personally, would definitely prefer a 1 owner well maintained Yaris over a Aygo anytime …
Yeah you seem to be reinforcing my point, which was that the more expensive models weren’t meaningfully larger, just better.
And given the price differential, some less discerning Toyota customers surely decided to save a fortune and get an Aygo rather than a Yaris – in much the same way that most people have chosen to replace all manner of products which lasted a decade with cheap Chinese ones which die after a year.
I have driven Aygos/C1s/107s on numerous occasions and I really like them. They’re just honest cars. They’re much more charming to drive than the Yaris/C2/C3/207.
And the little 3 has a great sound for what it is as well.
They remind me of my first car, a Fiat 127.
My mother had an Aygo, but in hindsight, she didn’t like its (optional) automated manual transmission. At all!
After a few years, she traded it in for a new Toyota iQ with a 5-speed manual, which she has been driving for over a decade now. Same 1.0 liter engine, the car is even shorter than the Aygo. A budget car it certainly wasn’t, but it’s as “reliable and dirt cheap to run” (to quote Buck below) as the Aygo.
I had a C1 till it failed it’s MoT on a rusty subframe – excellent car for what it was – reliable and dirt cheap to run – 50MPG, 20 quid Road Tax and £100 insurance.