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James Brodie
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Toyota is readying a reveal of a new city car - a next-generation Aygo - and our spy photographers have snapped the third-generation model undergoing winter testing ahead of its debut in 2022.
Toyota recently hinted that it is going to buck the industry trend by staying in the city car class, with the Toyota Aygo X prologue - a concept previewing the new model.
The new concept shows how Toyota believes its A-segment model can become a crossover, while still keeping its small dimensions and, as a conventional petrol-powered vehicle, a lower price than baby EVs. The Aygo X prologue is a little longer and taller than the current Aygo, at 3,700mm and 1,500mm respectively. Its wheelbase stretches too, by a useful 90mm, to 2,340mm, potentially freeing up extra space in the cabin.
The overall look is more funky and slightly more aggressive than the current Aygo’s - a reflection of the design team’s impression that the trend in the city car market has been to make designs too ‘cute’. “We’ve used the word ‘spice’ during development,” said Ian Cartabiano, chief of the ED2 design facility in France where the concept was created.
“Getting this attitude into an A-segment car is really cool. When you see this car you smile; you might smirk.”
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio front
Toyota Aygo X prototype - front static
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio full rear
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio rear
Toyota Aygo X prototype - rear detail
Toyota Aygo X prototype - full rear static
Toyota Aygo X prototype - rear
Toyota Aygo - spyshot 2
Toyota Aygo - spyshot 1
Toyota Aygo - spyshot 5
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio side profile
Toyota Aygo X prototype - above
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio side
Toyota Aygo - spyshot 3
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio front light
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio rear light
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio rear detail
Toyota Aygo X prototype - front light
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio full front
Toyota Aygo - spyshot 6
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio front detail
Toyota Aygo X prototype - front
Toyota Aygo X prototype - front
Toyota Aygo X prototype - rear static
Toyota Aygo - spyshot 7
Toyota Aygo X prototype - full front detail
Toyota Aygo X prototype - full front
Toyota Aygo X prototype - full front static
Toyota Aygo - spyshot 4
Toyota hasn’t officially confirmed that the X prologue is a preview of a production model. But the company revealed recently that it is working on a new generation of city car, and that it will be based on the same TNGA GA-B platform as the Yaris. The company says the Aygo X prologue shows “a new vision for the A-segment” and Cartabiano says it is indeed based on the GA-B architecture. He also confirmed to Auto Express that while no pictures of the cabin have been released, the concept’s interior has already been designed.
It’s likely, then, that the Aygo X prologue is a pretty close preview of the production model - although some elements, such as the wide wheelarches and notably the 19-inch wheels (a full four inches larger than on the current car), may be toned down slightly for the final mode.
The profile, meanwhile, is dominated by the contrast colour, wraps around the base of the rear doors in a move that showcase the manufacturing processes and the points where metal doors are surrounded by plastic bumpers. Roof rails, which line up with the top of the tail-lights, help to accentuate the car’s height while adding a further subtle SUV reference.
Some older Aygo parts and panels will be carried forward for the finished car, based on our spy shots. The rear bumper and tail lights on our spied mule are identical to the current car’s, which should help keep development costs to a minimum and allow Toyota to eke out the most profit.
The biggest difference for existing Aygo owners to notice could well be the X prologue’s ‘H-point’ - the height of the passengers’ hips in the seats. It’s higher than in the current car - roughly equivalent, in fact, to the position in Toyota’s forthcoming Yaris Cross small SUV.
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio front
Toyota Aygo X prototype - front static
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio full rear
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio rear
Toyota Aygo X prototype - rear detail
Toyota Aygo X prototype - full rear static
Toyota Aygo X prototype - rear
Toyota Aygo - spyshot 2
Toyota Aygo - spyshot 1
Toyota Aygo - spyshot 5
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio side profile
Toyota Aygo X prototype - above
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio side
Toyota Aygo - spyshot 3
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio front light
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio rear light
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio rear detail
Toyota Aygo X prototype - front light
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio full front
Toyota Aygo - spyshot 6
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio front detail
Toyota Aygo X prototype - front
Toyota Aygo X prototype - front
Toyota Aygo X prototype - rear static
Toyota Aygo - spyshot 7
Toyota Aygo X prototype - full front detail
Toyota Aygo X prototype - full front
Toyota Aygo X prototype - full front static
Toyota Aygo - spyshot 4
Cartabiano says this brings a number of benefits. “The higher hip point makes getting in and out of the vehicle easy,” he told us. “It improves visibility, so it’s great for parking in urban environments, and driving on country roads. It’s also better for loading items into the rear hatch, because lifting the floor makes it more natural for arm’s length.”
The raised floor is evident in the latest spy shots - prototype versions of the new Aygo appear to ride taller than the current model, confirming the SUV inspired makeover.
Despite some reliance on the current Aygo’s parts bin for its exterior, the new car’s shift to Toyota’s latest GA-B platform could bring an all-new interior. Expect Yaris switchgear to make an appearance across the new-look cabin, with the old car’s plain central stack swapped for a neater centre console with a floating style touchscreen system.
The next Aygo will be built in Kolin, Czech Republic - the same plant that has produced the existing model alongside its sister vehicles, the Peugeot 108 and Citroen C1. The French offerings are going out of production and Toyota has assumed total control of the factory, investing more than £130m to prepare it for the GA-B platform. That work is likely to take several months, so we shouldn’t expect the next Aygo until the first half of 2022 at the earliest.
The new model is likely to focus on affordability, so it will almost certainly be offered with a conventional three-cylinder petrol engine, as well as potentially a version of Toyota’s smallest hybrid powertrain. That should help to keep the price to roughly the same level as the existing Aygo, starting from around £13,500.
Are you looking forward to seeing the next-generation Toyota Aygo? Let us know in the comments section...
Continue reading...
Toyota recently hinted that it is going to buck the industry trend by staying in the city car class, with the Toyota Aygo X prologue - a concept previewing the new model.
- SEE MORE Best city cars to buy 2021
The new concept shows how Toyota believes its A-segment model can become a crossover, while still keeping its small dimensions and, as a conventional petrol-powered vehicle, a lower price than baby EVs. The Aygo X prologue is a little longer and taller than the current Aygo, at 3,700mm and 1,500mm respectively. Its wheelbase stretches too, by a useful 90mm, to 2,340mm, potentially freeing up extra space in the cabin.
The overall look is more funky and slightly more aggressive than the current Aygo’s - a reflection of the design team’s impression that the trend in the city car market has been to make designs too ‘cute’. “We’ve used the word ‘spice’ during development,” said Ian Cartabiano, chief of the ED2 design facility in France where the concept was created.
“Getting this attitude into an A-segment car is really cool. When you see this car you smile; you might smirk.”
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio front
Toyota Aygo X prototype - front static
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio full rear
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio rear
Toyota Aygo X prototype - rear detail
Toyota Aygo X prototype - full rear static
Toyota Aygo X prototype - rear
Toyota Aygo - spyshot 2
Toyota Aygo - spyshot 1
Toyota Aygo - spyshot 5
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio side profile
Toyota Aygo X prototype - above
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio side
Toyota Aygo - spyshot 3
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio front light
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio rear light
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio rear detail
Toyota Aygo X prototype - front light
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio full front
Toyota Aygo - spyshot 6
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio front detail
Toyota Aygo X prototype - front
Toyota Aygo X prototype - front
Toyota Aygo X prototype - rear static
Toyota Aygo - spyshot 7
Toyota Aygo X prototype - full front detail
Toyota Aygo X prototype - full front
Toyota Aygo X prototype - full front static
Toyota Aygo - spyshot 4
Toyota hasn’t officially confirmed that the X prologue is a preview of a production model. But the company revealed recently that it is working on a new generation of city car, and that it will be based on the same TNGA GA-B platform as the Yaris. The company says the Aygo X prologue shows “a new vision for the A-segment” and Cartabiano says it is indeed based on the GA-B architecture. He also confirmed to Auto Express that while no pictures of the cabin have been released, the concept’s interior has already been designed.
It’s likely, then, that the Aygo X prologue is a pretty close preview of the production model - although some elements, such as the wide wheelarches and notably the 19-inch wheels (a full four inches larger than on the current car), may be toned down slightly for the final mode.
The profile, meanwhile, is dominated by the contrast colour, wraps around the base of the rear doors in a move that showcase the manufacturing processes and the points where metal doors are surrounded by plastic bumpers. Roof rails, which line up with the top of the tail-lights, help to accentuate the car’s height while adding a further subtle SUV reference.
Some older Aygo parts and panels will be carried forward for the finished car, based on our spy shots. The rear bumper and tail lights on our spied mule are identical to the current car’s, which should help keep development costs to a minimum and allow Toyota to eke out the most profit.
The biggest difference for existing Aygo owners to notice could well be the X prologue’s ‘H-point’ - the height of the passengers’ hips in the seats. It’s higher than in the current car - roughly equivalent, in fact, to the position in Toyota’s forthcoming Yaris Cross small SUV.
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio front
Toyota Aygo X prototype - front static
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio full rear
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio rear
Toyota Aygo X prototype - rear detail
Toyota Aygo X prototype - full rear static
Toyota Aygo X prototype - rear
Toyota Aygo - spyshot 2
Toyota Aygo - spyshot 1
Toyota Aygo - spyshot 5
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio side profile
Toyota Aygo X prototype - above
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio side
Toyota Aygo - spyshot 3
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio front light
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio rear light
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio rear detail
Toyota Aygo X prototype - front light
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio full front
Toyota Aygo - spyshot 6
Toyota Aygo X prototype - studio front detail
Toyota Aygo X prototype - front
Toyota Aygo X prototype - front
Toyota Aygo X prototype - rear static
Toyota Aygo - spyshot 7
Toyota Aygo X prototype - full front detail
Toyota Aygo X prototype - full front
Toyota Aygo X prototype - full front static
Toyota Aygo - spyshot 4
Cartabiano says this brings a number of benefits. “The higher hip point makes getting in and out of the vehicle easy,” he told us. “It improves visibility, so it’s great for parking in urban environments, and driving on country roads. It’s also better for loading items into the rear hatch, because lifting the floor makes it more natural for arm’s length.”
The raised floor is evident in the latest spy shots - prototype versions of the new Aygo appear to ride taller than the current model, confirming the SUV inspired makeover.
Despite some reliance on the current Aygo’s parts bin for its exterior, the new car’s shift to Toyota’s latest GA-B platform could bring an all-new interior. Expect Yaris switchgear to make an appearance across the new-look cabin, with the old car’s plain central stack swapped for a neater centre console with a floating style touchscreen system.
The next Aygo will be built in Kolin, Czech Republic - the same plant that has produced the existing model alongside its sister vehicles, the Peugeot 108 and Citroen C1. The French offerings are going out of production and Toyota has assumed total control of the factory, investing more than £130m to prepare it for the GA-B platform. That work is likely to take several months, so we shouldn’t expect the next Aygo until the first half of 2022 at the earliest.
The new model is likely to focus on affordability, so it will almost certainly be offered with a conventional three-cylinder petrol engine, as well as potentially a version of Toyota’s smallest hybrid powertrain. That should help to keep the price to roughly the same level as the existing Aygo, starting from around £13,500.
Are you looking forward to seeing the next-generation Toyota Aygo? Let us know in the comments section...
Continue reading...