Concentrated flavours

The Hyundai i10 and Toyota Aygo X offer two very different takes on economical small car motoring, but which is the best used buy?

- GEORGE HILL

WHILE THE SUV market flourishes, small petrol-powered hatchbacks are thin on the ground these days.

Those that remain on sale, though, are impressively diverse, as is demonstrated by the current generation of the Hyundai i10 and outgoing Toyota Aygo X. Launched in 2020 and 2022 respectively, the i10 follows traditional hatchback styling cues, whereas the Aygo X's black cladding and chunky shape give it a strong flavour of SUV. But what are they like beyond the looks?

With both models now available for around £10,000 at three years old, we've gathered together an example of each to find out, and to see which one is the best place to put your money.

DRIVING

Performance, ride, handling, refinement

The Aygo X may have an SUV-like look, but it's powered by a puny 71bhp 1.0-litre petrol engine. By comparison, the i10 has a 1.2-litre engine with 83bhp, and its extra power helps it to feel an awful lot nippier.

In our test, the i10 trounced the Aygo X not only from 0-60mph (12.7sec versus 14.3sec), but also in typical overtaking manoeuvres. The most stark difference was the fourth-gear run from 50-70mph (a typical scenario when moving out into a faster-moving lane on the motorway), with the Aygo X taking more than five seconds longer than the i10. This means you'll have to think twice about an overtake in the Aygo X, but less so in the i10.

Likewise, you'll need to drop a cog or two in the Aygo X's five-speed manual gearbox when you encounter a hill. The i10's engine and gearbox, by contrast, don't need to be worked as hard, making it a more relaxing car to drive.