Quick Car Review: new Toyota Aygo X-Cite
Every now and then a car is launched that takes you by surprise. This week I attended the launch of the new Toyota Aygo X-Cite and I was left smiling from ear to ear.
If I am honest, I hadn’t given this car much thought before I arrived at the launch. It’s the super cars and sports cars that get the petrol pumping through one’s veins. Budget buys aren’t exactly riveting. BUT, if you know me you will know that I do in fact love a budget buy because they tend to be the easiest and most nippy to drive. The new Toyota Aygo X-Cite is exactly this…and SO MUCH MORE. I almost wish I was a student again, looking to buy a car.
The Aygo X-Cite has just joined the popular Aygo model range, but this guy is just a little bit different. It is an affordable open-top compact hatch. The electrically-operated retractable canvas roof will remind you of the Fiat 500C and the Citroen C1, the latter of which is no longer available in South Africa.
The Aygo X-Cite is powered by the familiar 1,0-litre petrol engine found in the other Aygo models, delivering 51 kW of power and 95 N.m. It is by no means fast, but it is perfect for city driving. I had to locate my clutch-control memory bank a couple of times and certainly stalled more times than I’d like to admit, but practice makes perfect (you’d think I would have perfected it by now).
What leaves me most impressed is what you get in this little cracker of a car. The value-for-money factor is astounding. You pay R189 500 and a part from the retracting roof, you also get four airbags, vehicle stability control, LED daytime running lights, 15″ alloy wheels, Bluetooth, front electric windows, airconditioning, USB, Aux input, and audio system. The list goes on!
Watch this video of the Toyota Aygo X-Cite
PRICING OF THE TOYOTA AYGO RANGE
Aygo R159 100
Aygo X-Play Black R161 500
Aygo X-Cite R189 500