Toyota not too long ago hinted that it will buck the trade pattern by staying within the metropolis automobile class, with the Toyota Aygo X prologue – an idea previewing the brand new mannequin. 

The brand new idea reveals how Toyota believes its A-segment mannequin can grow to be a crossover, whereas nonetheless preserving its small dimensions and, as a traditional petrol-powered car, a cheaper price than child EVs. The Aygo X prologue is a little bit longer and taller than the present Aygo, at 3,700mm and 1,500mm respectively. Its wheelbase stretches too, by a helpful 90mm, to 2,340mm, doubtlessly releasing up further area within the cabin.

The general look is extra funky and barely extra aggressive than the present Aygo’s – a mirrored image of the design staff’s impression that the pattern within the metropolis automobile market has been to make designs too ‘cute’. “We’ve used the phrase ‘spice’ throughout improvement,” mentioned Ian Cartabiano, chief of the ED2 design facility in France the place the idea was created.

“Getting this perspective into an A-segment automobile is actually cool. While you see this automobile you smile; you may smirk.”

Toyota hasn’t formally confirmed that the X prologue is a preview of a manufacturing mannequin. However the firm revealed not too long ago that it’s engaged on a brand new technology of metropolis automobile, and that it is going to be primarily based on the identical TNGA GA-B platform because the Yaris. The corporate says the Aygo X prologue reveals “a brand new imaginative and prescient for the A-segment” and Cartabiano says it’s certainly primarily based on the GA-B structure. He additionally confirmed to Auto Categorical that whereas no footage of the cabin have been launched, the idea’s inside has already been designed.

The profile, in the meantime, is dominated by the distinction color, wraps across the base of the rear doorways in a transfer that showcase the manufacturing processes and the factors the place metallic doorways are surrounded by plastic bumpers. Roof rails, which line up with the highest of the tail-lights, assist to intensify the automobile’s top whereas including an additional delicate SUV reference.

Some older Aygo components and panels will likely be carried ahead for the completed automobile, primarily based on our spy photographs. The rear bumper and tail lights on our spied mule are equivalent to the present automobile’s, which ought to  assist preserve improvement prices to a minimal and permit Toyota to eke out essentially the most revenue.

The largest distinction for present Aygo homeowners to note might nicely be the X prologue’s ‘H-point’ – the peak of the passengers’ hips within the seats. It’s increased than within the present automobile – roughly equal, in actual fact, to the place in Toyota’s forthcoming Yaris Cross small SUV.

Cartabiano says this brings an a variety of benefits. “The upper hip level makes getting out and in of the car straightforward,” he advised us. “It improves visibility, so it’s nice for parking in city environments, and driving on nation roads. It’s additionally higher for loading gadgets into the rear hatch, as a result of lifting the ground makes it extra pure for arm’s size.”

Regardless of some reliance on the present Aygo’s components bin for its exterior, the brand new automobile’s shift to Toyota’s newest GA-B platform might carry an all-new inside. Anticipate Yaris switchgear to make an look throughout the new-look cabin, with the outdated automobile’s plain central stack swapped for a neater centre console with a floating type touchscreen system.

The following Aygo will likely be inbuilt Kolin, Czech Republic – the identical plant that has produced the prevailing mannequin alongside its sister automobiles, the Peugeot 108 and Citroen C1. The French choices are going out of manufacturing and Toyota has assumed complete management of the manufacturing unit, investing greater than £130m to organize it for the GA-B platform. That work is prone to take a number of months, so we shouldn’t count on the following Aygo till the primary half of 2022 on the earliest.

The brand new mannequin is prone to give attention to affordability, so it’ll nearly actually be provided with a traditional three-cylinder petrol engine, in addition to doubtlessly a model of Toyota’s smallest hybrid powertrain. That ought to assist to maintain the worth to roughly the identical degree as the prevailing Aygo, ranging from round £13,500.

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