New Aygo 2020 - a city car?

[Tel 2]

Our Demo was more challenging to drive as its clutch was set too high.

However our X-Cites clutch bites in the middle & therefore is easy to drive in city traffic provided you crawl without slipping the clutch if possible.

I do not know if the Bite can be adjusted but the x--Cite is a joy to drive & revs smoothly in all gears.

So it does appear you have @ least 1 fault if not 2 

Tel

[JulesP]

Just now, Tel 2 said:

Our Demo was more challenging to drive as its clutch was set too high.

However our X-Cites clutch bites in the middle & therefore is easy to drive in city traffic provided you crawl without slipping the clutch if possible.

I do not know if the Bite can be adjusted but the x--Cite is a joy to drive & revs smoothly in all gears.

So it does appear you have @ least 1 fault if not 2 

Tel

Now that is reassuring, thanks

[zuh]

Hi,

I admit that the engine does not have much torque and the pedals (clutch and accelerator) feel imprecise, which makes it hard to give the right amount of gas to pull away softly. At first, I feared driving my Aygo in-town, which is a problem for a city car.

Good luck for up-hill starts will full load and the radio on and loud :D

My advice:
- make sure you have adjusted the seat well (advice found here): I am tall and when I am too close to the steering wheel, my legs are in an uncomfortable position that prevents me from pressing the pedals with the tip of my toes
- use soft-soled shoes
- release the clutch gently, when it bites and you feel the car starts to move, accelerate slowly

[eygo]

17 hours ago, JulesP said:

Think this is exactly what is happening to me - driving a car unlike any other driven previously. The big issue is a "city" car should be a doddle to drive, not a test. 

If Toyota don't find anything then I'll consider if it's worth keeping, although financially it would cost me. Just feel Toyota should be more transparent - I followed the test drive route but I would recommend anyone to take it into a town/city situation - I did not do this.Wot an idiot 😣

forget the dealerships test route ALWAYS take it on the roads you will be driving

i test drove another car a few weeks ago i took it on the motorway a A & B roads

i then found the car wasn't for me and walked away.

[JulesP]

15 hours ago, zuh said:

Hi,

I admit that the engine does not have much torque and the pedals (clutch and accelerator) feel imprecise, which makes it hard to give the right amount of gas to pull away softly. At first, I feared driving my Aygo in-town, which is a problem for a city car.

Good luck for up-hill starts will full load and the radio on and loud 😄

My advice:
- make sure you have adjusted the seat well (advice found here): I am tall and when I am too close to the steering wheel, my legs are in an uncomfortable position that prevents me from pressing the pedals with the tip of my toes
- use soft-soled shoes
- release the clutch gently, when it bites and you feel the car starts to move, accelerate slowly

Many thanks - great advice re seat position, am getting there, just need garage to adjust the clutch a bit, driving at slow speeds is not great for a city car.

[Catlover]

Not sure a garage can adjust the clutch, it may be what it is. Maybe others have a different view, that will be interesting.  I would love to have a drive of it, get the feel of it myself, but you too far away. 

[JulesP]

5 hours ago, Catlover said:

Not sure a garage can adjust the clutch, it may be what it is. Maybe others have a different view, that will be interesting.  I would love to have a drive of it, get the feel of it myself, but you too far away. 

ok thanks - car is heavy & unresponsive in low gears. 1 litre engine should be nippy about town, not sluggish & jerky.

[Catlover]

Obviously your visit to the Toyota dealer should be productive. Do ensure they are aware you would like them to take the car out on the road - that would be good if you could be the driver and them sat by the side of you.  Do let u know what goes on.

[JulesP]

13 minutes ago, Catlover said:

Obviously your visit to the Toyota dealer should be productive. Do ensure they are aware you would like them to take the car out on the road - that would be good if you could be the driver and them sat by the side of you.  Do let u know what goes on.

Thank you

[zuh]

7 hours ago, JulesP said:

Many thanks - great advice re seat position, am getting there, just need garage to adjust the clutch a bit, driving at slow speeds is not great for a city car.

For me, this helped a lot.

Your legs and feet must feel and move in a natural way. My seating position in the Aygo was not good, hence the problems with the pedals.

2 hours ago, JulesP said:

ok thanks - car is heavy & unresponsive in low gears. 1 litre engine should be nippy about town, not sluggish & jerky.

Yes, I confirm, the car is responsive in the first 3 gears. Not so much in 4th and 5th gear  😄

About jerky starts, I often pass by a car rental in the downtown. When I see a 108/C1/Aygo pulling away in unexperienced hands, I stay close. And very often, this results in the engine being overreved. For drivers used to a diesel engine, the difference is striking.

[JulesP]

UPDATE

car went to dealer this morning - handbrake adjusted thankfully.

Engine/clutch is fine according to Toyota, wasnt allowed to take an engineer on a drive due to COVID regs, fair enough. So looks like I'm stuck with a friday afternoon car for the next 3 years LOL. Let's hope the car improves......

[zuh]

If you drive another Aygo or if an Aygo owner test-drives your car, you will know.

If there is nothing wrong with your car, it will not improve, but you will get used to it and maybe eventually like it 🙂 I felt exactly the same when I bought my 2017 Aygo: 'stuck for the next 3 years'. And now it's fine.

Depending which car you are used to driving, handling the Aygo is more or less bewildering. I also drive a diesel utility vehicle, when I go back to my Aygo, it is always the same shock. When my girlfriend borrows my Aygo, she does not complain, she finds it normal.

[davecullen6]

I find this post interesting, I had K11 Micras as a commuter for years, did around 200k miles in them, and they were a doddle to drive anywhere then after my Avensis failed MOT spectacularly I got the Aygo on the scrappage scheme.

There is definitely a knack to smooth take offs etc as per my clutch burning post, I do think it is something to do with the clutch pedal position, so i am trying to master it!

Also the A/C kicking in definitely causes a drag effect when accelerating as I found out on my 500 mile trip this week, it is a little city car I suppose, BTW I averaged 55mpg over the trip, motorway, A and B roads, the lot.

 

Dave

[Eddie G]

On my 3rd Aygo and had the same problems when i first got into one it just takes a bit to get used to them and you need to just rev it that bit more in first gear compared to a 4 cylinder.

[TonyHSD]

Hi, 

I had an Aygo 2019 model last year for few days as courtesy car and noticed straight away that it’s different in terms of clutch and drivability in town, but that it’s because of the 3 cylinder naturally aspirated engine and clunky gearbox which are pretty much same in all small cars, Mitsubishi, Vw, Vauxhall., all of them behave similar, you need to rev the engine 2000rpm to get it going from standing. Usually I found driving this thing a lot of fun as I only drove it few times but if I had to on daily basis I wouldn’t. It’s just no go for a city car. The best cars for city and traffic are full ev or Toyota hybrids, particularly small size is Yaris hybrid. VAG cars size Golf and above with engine 1.4 and above has smooth engine, gears and clutch as manual option and not suitable autos as these are dsg. If it’s me I will complain to Toyota as the car it’s not suitable to drive in stop start situation and will push them to swap it for Yaris hybrid, even Used one  to much the price of Aygo. 
Regards 

[zuh]

If you start at 2000rpm, the clutch will not last long 😀

Yes, many small cars feel the same to drive. These engines lack torque. And the problem is that this should be counter-balanced by a precise and progressive clutch command, which is not the case.

On the latest version of the engine (Euro 6.2) that equips the Aygo mk2, the low-end torque was increased for maximized driving comfort in town. The difference is not striking.

The paradox is that 'city cars' are a pain to drive in-town and feel good on the highway. I regret to admit that I understand people who prefer buying diesel engines in town because they offer more torque.

[FROSTYBALLS]

Must confess that when I first got my Aygo, I didn't have any problem with it - and I've said this before on the forums. Just got in and drove. No issue with a high biting point, using high revs to get the car started/going, stalling, etc.

As regards the use as a city car, it is absolutely fine. Live in Birmingham, so plenty of stop/start traffic. Good size - easy to park, especially with the rear camera and sensors. Speed adequate to keep up with traffic. Etc. 

Also used it on longer runs and on the motorway.

Would certainly buy another, and, in the UK, it has been Toyota's second best seller for a number of years, so it can't be all bad.

[TonyHSD]

Not bad at all, I did enjoyed so much especially because was my first manual drive for over a year, so much fun but definitely noticed the problems op described, High biting point and revs slow to respond, with the second can be managed by software I believe, not aware of clutch can be adjusted. Aygo is also preferred car for pizza and food delivery in general in and around London. 👍

[JulesP]

Thanks all - very reassuring to know it's not just me that's had initial Aygo problems.

I've moved from a VW Up, same size engine so bit bewildered why take needs so many revs - but am getting used to it.

Thanks again everyone!!

 

 

[JulesP]

Spring 2021 Update.

The Aygo did not improve & a couple of times stalled on motorway island - embarrassing & dangerous. Dealership insistent it was my incompetent driving.

Handed back the Aygo & have now got a used Yaris - not an ideal result & had to end up spending bit more money but at least I havent got an undriveable/dangerous car. Not the best support from the dealership who contend the car was always fine, just me (after 35 years of driving..).

Put it down to experience. Life is too short, but now when anyone asks me about Toyota you can imagine what I say. ☹️

Yaris is a decent car, thankfully.

[152bobby]

I would have asked the dealership to borrow another Aygo of a similar age and mileage to do a comparison.

Surely it can't be your driving !!

I reckon there was something wrong with it, they will off load it onto another punter !!

When I bought my daughters 2014 Mark 2 Aygo, the first thing I noticed was the fact that I needed to rev it far higher than I expected to pull away.  I think this is just how Aygos are.

I would have thought you would have noticed this during your pre purchase test drives.

Anyway, good luck with the Yaris.

 

[Guest]

In over 6 months and 2000 miles I've not stalled my 2020 Aygo once, neither did I ever stall my 2008 C1 which I owned for 10 years so I tend to agree with Bobby that there was something wrong with it.

[JulesP]

Thanks all. Put it down to experience & will not be returning to the dealer once I can trade in the Yaris.

Have driven cars for 30+ years - private, company etc - the dealer was patronising beyond belief, I was wrong, I cant drive. Strangely  I get on well with the Yaris..........

[152bobby]

You should provide your experience with Toyota GB. If you don't, the dealer will continue to treat customers like this