Toyota Aygo

Overall Average Rating - 80.91%
Position in the Top 100 cars - 97th

First the good news. According to Aygo owners, there’s no cheaper model to run in the UK. It’s also pretty reliable and easy to drive. For many city car buyers, that will be enough.

But for those looking for a more rounded package, the Aygo falls short in terms of performance and ride, while the handling, comfort, braking and practicality could be better, too.

WINNER OF CATEGORY - Running Costs

We all need to make our money go as far as possible. No matter how good a deal you get, if a car drains your account every month it has no future for you. To make your cash go furthest, think small. Eleven of our top 15 here are city models or superminis. And the Toyota finishes head and shoulders above the rest. As the only one of the Aygo/Peugeot 107/Citroen C1 trio with a sample size substantial enough for inclusion in Driver Power, its success is down to a tiny 1.0-litre engine which returns 62.8mpg and 106g/km CO2 emissions, making for minuscule tax bills. Second place also goes to a Toyota. The Prius has never managed to achieve impressive economy figures in our tests, yet owners tell us they are reaping the financial benefits of hybrid ownership.

Ratings

Position in the Top 100 cars
Reliability: 38th
Build Quality: 87th
Running Costs: 1st
Performance: 99th
Braking: 95th
Ride Quality: 99th
Handling: 92nd
Practicality: 90th
Comfort: 94th
Ease of Driving: 65th

Manufacturer Verdict (Position - 13th)

Last year, Toyota was in seventh, but a poor debut for the Auris sees it plummet. While 13th is still above average, bosses will want a positive reaction to the new Avensis, iQ and Urban Cruiser in 2010.