Multi-nation, multi-nice tiny tot

The engine is small, but man... does it perform.

But the fact that it is truly a multi-nation, international product has certainly not deterred buyers all over the world because the Aygo is hugely popular overseas - and this truly international car is destined to also quickly build up a strong fan club in this country.

It will do well in this country is because it is sold, marketed and serviced by Toyota and it is a really pleasant-to-drive, attractive and value-for-money little car.

It's giving you the come-on

It is kind of stocky, cocky and cuddly and aimed directly at the funky-trendy, youth market, but after spending time in Toyota's latest little cutesy-pie I am sure that spirited oldies and the Handsome-Daddy-Yummy-Mummy clan will find it equally attractive.

Watch out for the very amusing TV campaign and you will see what I mean...

It lights up, making it even easier than ever to select the functions you want.

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It certainly has lots of very inviting come-ons, starting with the R109 900 price tag of the entry-level Fresh version and R120 100 for the higher-specced Wild model.

Sparkle and fizz is added with the inclusion of a first-in-class four-year/60 000km service plan, 15 000km service intervals and the wallet advantages of zero emissions tax, sip-sip fuel usage, and the low cost of insurance and spare parts.

Bags of safety features

Safety should be important to all of us and the Aygo certainly doesn't disappoint with a wide range of passive and active safety features such as side impact bars in the front doors, "crash boxes" in the bumpers which absorb energy in an impact from the front or the rear, driver and front passenger airbags (plus airbags on the Wild version), ABS brakes, electronic brake force distribution (EBD) and emergency brake assistance (BA).

Put it like this; it's the sort of car that first-time new car buyers will love and their parents shouldn't mind paying for.

Check out the sporty instrument cluster.

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Not that it needs a major spiel to promote it because the Aygo's chirpy looks will do the sales job long before the salesman has put down his newspaper and coffee cup and got up from behind his desk.

Eye candy features include the signature Toyota bulge over the badge on the bonnet, grinning air intake and bulging fenders, darkened windows, retro-mod rear light clusters and shapely little backside, neatly finished off by a high-mounted brake light.

It makes you smile

Viewed from any angle the Aygo ("I Go" - get it?) looks as though it is just waiting for the music to start so that it can dance and play... it's just the kind of car that immediately puts a smile on your face and not only because it is small enough to fit into a Gucci shoulder bag.

The living quarters are roomier than you might think, with no fewer than 16 storage compartments.

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Slip into the cabin and check out the nifty lay-out such as the sporty instrument cluster mounted atop the height-adjustable steering wheel (which gives perfect visibility regardless of the steering wheel position), body colour in the interior door trim, the cluster of controls in the cylinder-shaped central section and the large, ball-shaped air vents.

But the cabin is practical as well as pretty with no less than 16 storage compartments and lots of space for the front occupants. Things get a little tighter at the back unless the occupants are garden gnomes, young pikkies or dozing dogs.

all the bells and whistles

It certainly is hugely impressive to see such a small car with spruced up living quarters that include air conditioning, electric front windows, an MP3-player with front loading CD-player, and a 50:50 split rear bench seat with ISOfix safety tether points for a child seat.(the options differ on the two models).

Both models have a full-sized spare wheel, yet the boot is big enough to accommodate the luggage of two people going away for a naughty weekend.

But I have left the biggest surprise for last - the teensy-weensy little coffee mill under the bonnet.

The boot is big enough to accommodate the luggage of two people going away for a naughty weekend.

But don't gasp in horror - it might be small, but boy does it have energy. We were laughing loudly in surprise at the zippy performance of the 1.0-litre engine because it kicks out so much more trot than one would expect from such a small parcel.

But then this is the same cleverly designed 3-cylinder engine that has won its category in the World Engine of the Year competition for four years running!

Light on weight, light on just about everything

Weighing in at just 67kg the Aygo's engine is the lightest internal combustion engine in a passenger car which no doubt helps to keep the fuel consumption figure down to 4.6 litres/100km and CO2 emissions to a tax-beating 105g/km.

It's 3415mm long, so parking will be a doddle.

Armed with variable valve timing (VVT-i), 12 valves and double overhead camshaft, the little mill churns out 50kW at 6000rpm and 93Nm at 3600 rpm which is quite ample to get it galloping quite merrily along.

In fact, it cruises effortlessly at 120km/h and it doesn't even sound as if it is working hard.

Nippy

The engine is mated to a five speed manual gearbox which is not in the least bit stodgy and will happily slip through the cogs to get the Aygo to a top speed of 157km/h.

The Yaris front suspension has been tweaked to suit the light weight of the Aygo and the reliable McPherson configuration up front works well with the rear torsion beam/ stabiliser combination to provide a surprisingly un-hoppity-hop ride.

Since the demise of the hugely popular Tazz, Toyota has not had a contender in the growing A segment and the Aygo has all the potential to grow huge.

The 50:50 split rear bench seat gives you the option of lugging much larger items about.

In a market segment where low cost of ownership is king Toyota could well rise to the royal inner circle, maybe even to the throne, with this new Aygo.

Not that it's an easy ride because the competition is stiff and with the inclusion of the two new baby Toyotas there are now 35 contenders in the sub-R121 000 market.

Projected sales for the newcomer to our local shores is 200 a month but don't be surprised to see the graph head north in the months to come.

Specifications

Top Gear - Toyota Aygo car football - BBC

Toyota Aygo review - CarBuyer

Here Aygo!