Fresh, wild, crazy
Well, well, well. What have we here? Toyota South Africa recently invited us to attend the youthfully crazy launch of its baby hatchback, the Aygo. Despite being old news overseas, the little darling is even smaller than a Yaris and demands less of your hard-earned cash.
Journalists were eager to know why it took Toyota so long to bring their most affordable city car to our shores, to which the execs answered that it was a carefully timed business decision. Post-recession statistics show a considerable upswing in the A-segment (tiny city cars) of our market, signalling the perfect time to unveil their newcomer.
The Aygo is already five years old, facelifted, and due for replacement in about two to three years. It’s imported from a Czech factory that also builds Citroen C1 and Peugeot 107 on the same platform. Despite all this, Toyota is rightfully confident that their miniature vehicle will make quite an impact.
Its biggest competitors are the Chevy Spark, Suzuki Alto and Hyundai i10, and Toyota plans to outwit these with superior technology and multiple layers of funky bait. Chief among this is the price; the Aygo Fresh costs just R109,900 and the up-spec Aygo Wild retails for R120,100.
Both cars are 3.4m long, under 1.5m tall, 1.6m wide and hide a long wheelbase with tiny overhangs which translates into sure-footed handling and incredible manoeuvrability around parking lots. A 1-litre 3-cylinder engine sends 50kW (68hp) or 93Nm via a five-speed manual gearbox to the front wheels.
Our short introduction route contained a good mix of highway and city driving where the Aygo turned out to be a nippy and vocal little number. Performance is a low priority but the three-cylinder has a lovely gruff growl to it as it zips through the tall gearing of its 5-speed ‘box.
Cornering and braking are surprisingly good for a shoebox with Marie biscuit tyres and the suspension is quite comfy, too. The front seats aren’t height adjustable and lack side support; tall adults upfront will completely eliminate any rear legroom. But that’s to be expected.
Visibility from the cabin is good and the rear windscreen almost marks the end of the car, making reverse parking an absolute joy. The cabin features hard (but trendy) plastics, snazzy backlit ventilation controls, lots of painted/exposed metal and a big speedo on the steering-column.
The rear windows only tilt outwards (like an old Beetle) and the boot space is ridiculous behind that glass hatch. Still, we’re talking about a city slicker here and you may also choose to employ the rear seats for cargo purposes like we did on our zesty Aygo introduction.
Journos were invited to try their skills on an Aygo gymkhana course or cling on for dear life in “Aygo Crazy”, a mid-engined 1.8-litre turbo Aygo piloted by Leroy Poulter. Everyone was, like, entertained by loud, thumping music, you know, encouraged to go on, like, rollercoaster rides and check out, like, Youtube videos or fully update their, like, Twitter accounts.
Despite some raised grey eyebrows, Toyota is adamant that Aygo’s main target market is generation Y – the instant fix, instant communication generation. It plans to lure first time buyers and students with style, image and the promise of independence. Oh, and a super-cool website called www.aygoeverywhere.co.za
A cheaper three-door model is planned for later this year, utilising the same four-time “engine of the year” power plant which uses an average of 4.6L/100km and emits just 105g of CO2 per km. That makes the Aygo completely exempt from our CO2 tax.
The small Toyota has achieved a respectable four-star EuroNCAP crash test rating, no doubt due to its solid construction and two airbags (four in “Wild” specification). Further safety kit includes ABS brakes with brake assist and electronic force distribution.
Aygo also offers you air-conditioning, alarm, immobiliser, microdot markings, a radio/CD combo with AUX input, a full size spare wheel, adjustable steering wheel and front electric windows. Part of the purchase price is a four-year 60,000km service plan.
Youngsters with a need for instant gratification and chatting may also explore the Aygo’s options list of locally-sourced ornaments: ipod kit, bluetooth interface, loud interior trim, funky stickers, fog lights and various look-faster parts.
Visit Galimoto Media on facebook for more photos, videos and links of the new Toyota Aygo.
Prices
[April 2011]
Aygo Fresh R109,900
Aygo Wild R120,100
Aygo Crazy Not for sale
Gallery
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