PigPog

Not really a post as such, just a way of sharing more than 140 characters with @robertbook on Twitter – he was asking about the Aygo and Yaris, and we’ve just looked at them.

First off, although we’re in the process of buying a Honda, we’ve had two Toyota Corollas, and been very happy with them. We want a real automatic, though, and Toyota’s current autos are switchable manuals where you have to lift off the accelerator to let it change gear. Not as automatic as we wanted. Apart from that, we’d probably be buying another Toyota, and the main reason we’re going to Honda is that they seem very similar to Toyota in a lot of ways.

Aygo

My first thought on sitting in the Aygo was that it felt cheap. The dashboard felt like a cheap plastic thing stuck to the front of the car – no real feeling of quality. If the Aygo was the only option, I’d have been very tempted to just keep the 1998 Corolla we already had. The mechanical bits will be great, I’m sure, and if the interior feels ok to you, then go for it. The price is good, and it’ll be a reliable little car. I’d be surprised if it didn’t handle at least competently, too.

The other plus side was that even though it’s a very small car, it still felt reasonably roomy inside. Not big, but quite comfortable.

Well designed, and well made, just to a tight budget.

Yaris

The Yaris felt much nicer inside, much more like a ‘real car’. It’s a little bigger, and the extra space has been used to add bits of trim and padding, which makes everything inside feel more luxurious. It’s not a Mercedes S-Class, but it was a nice place to sit. There are more toys included, too, which is always nice.

Choice

I wouldn’t have felt good about switching from what we already had to the Aygo, but the Yaris would have felt like a step up. If you just want a reliable little car, especially for city driving, the Aygo may well be a great option. The Yaris felt like a lot more car for a little less money.

If you’re considering both, go have a look for yourself, though – Toyota dealers are nice friendly places, and they won’t pressure you into anything.