Where you go is where Aygo
Motor News found that the new Toyota small car is a pick-me- up on four wheels
He is quite right. Since the demise of the Tazz the company introduced the Yaris, which quickly rose in price, and then it hastily introduced the Yaris Zen, essentially the same car but at a reduced price. Meanwhile the likes of the Hyundai i10, Ford Figo, Chevrolet Spark, Suzuki Alto and Volkswagen Polo Vivo charged in and took some of Toyota’s market share.
Hamman admits that a buying- down trend occurred in the market and that his company was simply "not there".
However, he says that "we are doing everything to make sure that Toyota takes its rightful position in the market".
Apparently its first step in regaining its place in the market is to launch a six-year-old car.
I should clarify that, though. The Toyota Aygo, launched last week in the Western Cape, is new to SA — sort of. I say sort of because it is the same car as the Peugeot 107 and Citroën C1 that have been on sale here for ages. Even more interesting is that all three will be replaced by new models to be unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.
Is Toyota dumping old product on good old trusting SA? Not according to Hamman and his team, who said we will have the current Aygo for the next two years — while the rest of the world has the new one. Interesting.
What is also interesting is that Toyota SA is expecting to sell 300 units a month of its new baby, making it the current entry-level model, as the company said at the launch that Yaris Zen is just a run- out model and will disappear when the new Etios arrives later this year ahead of the new Yaris.
Last month Citroën sold just 26 C1 models and Peugeot just 13 of its 107. I have no doubt though that the same car wearing a Toyota badge will do better, which just shows how different our market can be to the rest of the world. In defence of the buyer though, Toyota does have more dealerships — but one still wonders.
However, when all is said and done I have to admit that I love the Aygo as I loved the Peugeot and Citroen too. It may be a little A- segment car but it is such fun to drive. Its 1l engine pushes out just 50kW and 93Nm, but it is the way it does it that makes all the difference. It sounds like a little Porsche Boxster as the three-cylinder engine does its best to roar, and while the 0-100km/h figure will hardly set any records, the fact that the car weighs about as much as a stress-ball means that you find yourself whizzing around town with a big grin on your face feeling like a Formula 1 driver . I know you may think I have gone completely crazy, but seriously, drive one after a hard day at the office — it’s better than therapy.
At present there are two models available — the Aygo Fresh at R109900 and the Aygo Wild at R120100. The Fresh has steel wheels, manual air-conditioning, electric power steering, driver and passenger front airbags, ABS, EBD and brake assist.
The Wild adds a radio, which is optional on the entry-level model, alloy wheels and side airbags.
Both models have a 4- year/60000km service plan. Currently they are only available as 5- door derivatives. but later this year the 3-door models will arrive.
There are a number of options available to personalise your Aygo, from spoilers and body-kits to graphics. Hamman confirmed that they will offer an optional rev- counter, and, given the target market, there is also an optional iPod connectivity kit.
Inside there is a decent amount of space for the front passengers, which, given that the car is aimed squarely at the youth, is probably fine. The rear is a little more compact and the boot space is only really going to work for trips back from shopping at the Young Designers Emporium.
The plastics are a little on the cheap side in places, particularly around the air-conditioning unit which looks as if it was designed by Fisher Price, and the gear-stick must surely have come from Peugeot because it wobbles around like a wooden spoon in jelly. There is no glove box and no luggage cover, so you may have to stash valuables under the front seat, but there are cup holders for those energy drinks.
So does Toyota have a winner? I am not sure about that. Yes, it is a fantastic little piece of kit, but here I must stress the word little. The Peugeot and Citroën are not volume sellers, in part because of their size, and just like Americans we in SA like bigger cars that protect us from kamikaze taxi drivers and idiots who do not know the rules of the road. The Aygo may be packed with safety features but it is all about perception, and many drivers do not even perceive that a seat-belt could save their lives.
If you live in the city then the Aygo is a wonderful option, and even if you want to scream through Franschhoek Pass it should be good fun.
I suspect that the mighty Toyota marketing machine will do all it can to make sure it sells in droves, and I look forward to hearing the sound of that little three- cylinder engine in our cityscapes.
The car weighs about as much as a stress-ball and you will whizz around town feeling like a Formula 1 driver
Latest Car News
Drive Car Sales Soshanguve
Jakes Deale
No comments:
Post a Comment