Toyota Aygo X

FIRST DRIVE Facelifted city ccar gets a new hybrid powertrain that's already seen service in the Yaris

- Jordan Katsianis

THE petrol-powered city car is dead, right? Not if Toyota has anything to say about it, because 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 that has been created to excel here.

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 to 1.5 litres, and is joined by a small electric motor and battery pack, powering the front wheels via a CVT automatic transmission. There's no manual option this time around.

Helpfully, at 1,090kg, the kerbweight hasn't increased massively. It’s around 100kg heavier than the previous generation, but when compared with most new cars, it’s still positively light. The engine isn’t exactly underpowered in a larger Yaris, either, but in the lighter and mechanically simpler Aygo X, it creates a pretty fascinating package.