Toyota Aygo (2014-2021) review - Interior, design and technology

Toyota has taken a bold approach with the Aygo, ditching the old car’s soft curves and rounded details in favour of sharp edges and eye-catching angles. Highlights include the swept-back headlamps, rising window line and tall tail-lights. The double-bubble roof panel is particularly eye-catching. 

The car certainly looks more distinctive than the Skoda Citigo-e iV, SEAT Mii Electric and VW up! but the Citroen C1 and Peugeot 108 are similar and their clean-cut lines will be more attractive to some.

The same youthful approach continues inside, where there’s a gloss black dash finish and a large touchscreen infotainment system, plus a circular steering column-mounted pod that houses the speedo, digital fuel gauge and rev readouts. Yet while it appears modern and is solidly screwed together, the hard plastics on the dash and doors look and feel fairly cheap. Those details are mainly noticeable because the cabin as a whole is so much more sophisticated than the old car's - the penny-pinching trim predictably stands out.

The big draw compared to rivals like the VW up! and Hyundai i10 is the funky design inside and out, and the level of personalisation available on the Aygo. The Japanese hatch is emblazoned with a distinctive ‘X’ running from the A-pillars to the front grille – just one of a number of parts that can be swapped around in a variety of colours. 

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There’s the allure of an optional (x-trend trim only) retractable cloth roof for around £895, too, and Toyota’s x-touch smartphone-optimised infotainment system brings it bang up to date. Buyers can change the colour of the ‘X’, wheels and rear bumper, as well as a selection of snap-in interior parts. It’s a tactic designed to attract young, fashionable customers to the brand, and proves Toyota is trying to put an era of bland designs behind it.

Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment

There are no complaints about the standard kit list, with all cars benefiting from air-con, a DAB radio and Bluetooth. A real highlight is the x-touch multimedia system, which features an intuitive set-up that pairs quickly with a smartphone. 

Better still, if you’ve got an Android device, you can use the Mirrorlink function to duplicate your phone’s menus and graphics on the Toyota’s touchscreen. All versions feature steering wheel audio controls, while the JBL Edition brings an upgraded audio system.