Now handing back a Lexus Lc 500 was hard to do. Here at MenStyleFashion we only review expensive and luxury cars. So we decided to opt for a small car that is perfect for the narrow streets of any UK city. So what is all the fuss with the 2023 Toyota Aygo X, pronounced (Cross), is now “Undercover”? Why is it a new fashion must-have here with Toyota?
What is this inspired Special Edition version designed in collaboration with Jun Takahashi? Who is this acclaimed Japanese streetwear and high-end fashion clothing designer? Why has Toyota commonly known for 4WD dominance decided to work and call the Aygo an “Undercover” logo as a Limited Edition? The on-the-road price of £20,110, is I think, a little expensive. Let me take you on a journey of why?
Let’s face it when I think of Toyota, I don’t associate it with fashion.
Introduction
We are all about trend-setting regarding lifestyle and fashion when it comes to reviewing cars. So let’s take a look at what my first impression was. First of all, I am tiny so I liked the design aspect of that.
This is a strikingly beefed-up-looking version of the Toyota Aygo, still keeping its City/Urban Suburban credentials. Larger in size in both length and height. Approximately 9 inches in length with only a 3.5-inch increase in the wheelbase. The height has been fractionally increased by just over 2 inches. For some reason though, at times, it looks bigger than it physically is, and the inside space makes it feel even bigger when driving it.
Styling And Build
When I first saw the “Cross”, I thought what a cool, funky, fun little 5-door run around, and to be honest, I felt younger being in it, and driving it. It definitely was fun to drive and did look cool in the “Undercover” Grey Bi-tone body colouring, 18” Glossy Black Alloy Wheels with Coral Red “V” inserts, Coral Red Decals at the base of the grill, door sills and rear bumper.
I think the privacy glass to the rear quarter windows and hatch finishes off the look nicely. The decals, “CHAOS” and “BALANCE”, were also a nice little addition, but are rarely seen from the road, as they are positioned up on the wave panel designed roof. Strategically placed door creases that began halfway up the driver and passenger doors, angling diagonally up towards the rear door handles, added attitude, which I think will appeal to the younger demographic this car is aimed at.
Toyota has a reputation that price can be commanded for reliability. This car will be bought by loyal people to the Toyota brand.
Interior Design And Comfort
The driver and passenger positions have been designed to provide an open and roomy feel in a relatively small car. Slightly more elevated driving and front passenger positions give a sturdy yet relaxed feel and provide excellent visibility throughout the cockpit and the road ahead. For the rear passengers, however, there is still a distinct lack of legroom space.
All controls are within easy reach on the dashboard and on the steering wheel. The seats are covered in a Bordeaux-coloured hexagonal quilted fabric. The seats and headrests are all in one, and all are edged in perforated charcoal-coloured leather, adding both comfort, texture and contrast. The front seats are embossed with the “Undercover” “JUN TAKAHASHI” logo. Both Passenger and driver seats are heated and are quick to reach a comfortable temperature, these are operated from buttons just below the heating and ventilation controls, in the centre of the dashboard, just below the infotainment system.
Two large circular vents protrude naturally from either side of the dashboard but do not look out of place. The interior is minimalistically basic, in hard plastic with metal body colour coded edging. I couldn’t help but notice, when closing the doors, there was a slight tinny sound, mainly due to the greater inner exposed metal on the doors compared with its predecessor.
In keeping with the Coral Red theme, the steering wheel had a “V” shaped red trim insert, matching the wheels. The steering wheel contained a plethora of controls; car information, Toyota Safety System, cruise controls, telephone, digital speedometer, mpg data, trip data, all of which are displayed on the instrument panel, and were easy to operate.
The centre column had a button-operated wireless charging pad with a viewing light. Slightly further back were two deep cup holders and the manual gear stick which again the surround was edged in Coral Red.
The heating and ventilation controls were easy to access, but difficult to read when driving unless the lights were on.
Driver and passenger door handles had keyless opening and locking mechanisms with activation buttons on the door handles. Also, a nice touch was the two-button opening and locking mechanism under the boot handle. The boot was a respectable size with a 231-litre capacity, which could be increased by folding the rear seats forward. The boot lip however was slightly high especially when having to lift items into and out of it. I was a little confused, however, with the boot’s flimsy package shelf which was made out of fabric. It wasn’t strong enough to hold anything of weight, and occasionally, as it was so light and flimsy, it would stay upright when closing the hatch/boot obscuring the view through the rear-view mirror and back window when driving, this was slightly annoying.
Audio and Multimedia Systems
The 9-inch HD multimedia touchscreen complete with Toyotas Smart Connect software, is ideally sized and takes centre stage on the dashboard making it easy to view and operate, it is compatible with both Apple Car Play and Android Auto. The playback from the sound system was excellent for a car in this class. This was also edged in red coral trim adding a little more splash of colour to the interior. The navigation system’s directional voice commands sounded a little strange, a little chipmunk-like, a flattish sound. I’m not sure whether this could be changed, I wasn’t able to find the control to change the voice style.
The navigational controls were easy to operate and the directions were clear and accurate.
The Smart Road events app provided on-map information regarding delays, accidents etc, it also allowed you to interact and report live events during your journey.
Safety and Handling
The Aygo X “Cross” is packed with safety features, six airbags, a reversing camera, supplemented with front and rear parking sensors for tight city parking, together with Toyota’s Safety Sense system, which includes:
Engine Start Stop system.
Pre-Collision System.
Dynamic Radar Control.
Lane Departure Alert.
Road Sign Assist.
I found the handling to be direct, responsive and fun, to the extent I decided to take it up and over the Pen Y Pass Road, at the base of Snowdon, and the surrounding areas. Although a city car, its elevated stance gives it a slightly 4×4 look. I don’t believe it looked out of place in the mountains, what are your thoughts from the photographs?
It performed well in all environments, I did however feel that the engine was labouring slightly, having to shift up and down through the lower gears more often than not, this wasn’t only in rural hilly settings but also city inclines. At times, driving in the city, I felt I had to raise the revs before pulling out from junctions. The car’s look, feel and prowess, made me wonder whether it would be suited with more torque in the lower gears, this would however mean a larger engine compromising the fuel efficiency of 57.6mpg, combined WLTP. In the course of a week, and through various road types and environments and driving styles, I managed a credible average of 46.4mpg. It outperformed my expectations on dual carriageways coping comfortably and effortlessly at motorway speeds, there was however some background wind road noise.
Summary
This 1.0 Litre, 3-cylinder, 5-door City Car, is a fun, trendy, fashionable urban crossover, that will appeal to the younger generation. When driving it, it feels larger than its appearance, giving the driver confidence. Its funky appearance and body styling, together with its insurance group and fuel consumption, in my opinion, are its main selling points. The on-the-road price of £20,110, is I think, a little expensive. It’s the same price as the cars in the class above. However, the Aygo X “Undercover” is still a relatively practical car, it will definitely appeal to the younger city driver that wants to stand out, and the abundance of safety tech definitely won’t harm sales figures. I believe it still symbolises Freedom and Mobility more so with the new “Crossover” look. The biggest letdown for the new Aygo X (Cross), “Undercover”, in my opinion, is the engine size and the labouring in the lower gears.
