New Toyota Aygo X 2025 review: cheap city car's hybrid powertrain is a delight

Verdict

The Toyota Aygo X Hybrid is ultimately at the mercy of its rudimentary forebears. The cabin is very tight, and the dash relatively basic both in terms of layout and practicality. However, the car really over-delivers when up and running. The hybrid engine is not just a substantial improvement in terms of performance and refinement, it’s also far more efficient, with 86mpg reached on test. It’s even quite a giggle around corners.

The petrol-powered city car is dead, right? Not if Toyota has anything to say about it, as in a surprise move it has invested in its tiny Aygo X by fitting a cost-effective and highly efficient hybrid engine as part of a wider facelift. It’s not going to mobilise the masses quite like the original did – the car won’t be particularly cheap when UK prices are revealed in a few months – but the Aygo X is a European-designed and engineered model which has been created to excel right here in our backyard.

So what’s changed? Previously, the Aygo X was only available with a 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine combined with either a five-speed manual or CVT transmission. This new model throws that ancient motor in the bin and replaces it with a hybrid powertrain already found in the Yaris and Yaris Cross. The petrol engine itself has grown by 50 per cent to 1.5 litres, and is joined with a small electric motor and battery pack, powering the front wheels via a CVT transmission only.

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Helpfully, at 1,090kg, the kerbweight hasn’t massively increased. This is around 100kg heavier than the previous generation, but in context to most new cars is still positively featherweight. The engine isn’t exactly underpowered in a larger Yaris, either, but in the lighter and mechanically simpler Aygo X, it actually creates quite a fascinating package. 

Power is rated at a combined 115bhp, with the electric motor able to produce up to 79bhp of that total. Torque is also significantly up on the existing model at 141Nm. But beyond just power gains, Toyota is also claiming this is the least polluting non-plug-in hybrid car on sale, with a CO2 rating of just 85g/km, plus it claims 76.3mpg fuel efficiency.  

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Yet the figure that really caught our attention is the new car’s 0-62mph time, which is not usually of note in city cars such as this. It’s 5.7 seconds – yes, five-point-seven – faster than the old car to 62mph, slipping under the 10-second barrier in 9.2 seconds.  

This significant improvement doesn’t necessarily make the new Aygo drive like a hot hatchback, but it does completely change how the car can be driven. Rather than needing to push the engine simply to keep up with surrounding traffic – which was about all the previous 1.0-litre was capable of – the new hybrid powertrain builds speed with impressive enthusiasm. Despite the CVT transmission, the car feels effortless whether you’re pulling out onto a motorway or nipping between traffic in town. 

It’s just as happy out on bigger roads, too, and despite the narrow footprint and rather rudimentary suspension, it rides rather well and tracks securely. The steering is nicely weighted and feels accurate, and thanks to the featherweight body, it’s quite agile too. 

But here’s the kicker. On test, we didn’t achieve 76.3mpg. We did 86mpg, and this included some high-speed motorway driving, country roads and time in the city, too. This astonishing efficiency feels purely based on the fact the engine is so effortlessly capable of managing the Aygo X’s weight, or rather the lack of it.

We also had a chance to drive the GR Sport model, which Toyota says has an optimised suspension set-up for a more sporty driving experience. We found it didn’t make too much of a difference to the overall drive, so if you’re a fan of its miniature GR Yaris design, there’s no reason not to press the button. 

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There are a few caveats to bear in mind, however. This is very much a city car, with an extremely tight second row. You won’t find much in the way of Renault Twingo-like versatility; instead the tight rear quarters feel quite hemmed-in. The pop-out windows on the rear doors and black headlining don’t help here. The rear seat base is also now cantered upwards in order to fit the battery, leading to a slightly awkward seating position. 

The boot is pretty tiny, too. It has just 231 litres of space, and a high loading lip due to the single-pane glass tailgate. However luggage space is unchanged compared to the previous model, despite the need to package in an extra battery pack, which is an impressive feat in itself. 

There are a few other things that remind you the Aygo once operated at a much cheaper price point, such as the unsupportive seats, lack of small-item cubbies in the dashboard and the general flimsiness of the doors and interior plastics. 

The curvy dash still doesn’t have centrally-mounted air vents, but Toyota has upgraded the infotainment system. In place of the previous car’s old-fashioned double-DIN infotainment screen is Toyota’s latest 10.5-inch system, with a much larger touchscreen and easy pairing to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Despite some limitations, the Aygo X hybrid is still full of charisma and charm. The only thing that’s left to consider is the price, which is still yet to be confirmed in the UK. If it’s too close to that of a Yaris, the physical size limitations of its tiny body will make it a hard sell, and compared to other city cars like the Kia Picanto or Hyundai i10, it still feels a little less substantial behind the wheel. 

But as a mission statement proving the relevance of simple, low-cost and efficient ICE-powered cars, the Aygo X Hybrid makes a very compelling case. 

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