Aygo starts the battle for youth

Toyota is the first of three big car brands to set out its stall in what promises to be a lively battle for the young urban motorists. It's also hoping that with the launch of its new Aygo supermini it will stir up what have very limited sales of the small car or supermini models on the Irish market to date.

Currently dominated by Fiat's Panda, the supermini market accounts for only 0.8 per cent of Irish sales. However, the arrival of Toyota, Peugeot and Citroën - along with VW's new Fox - is set to drive the segment forward, with predictions of it rising to 4 per cent overall within the next few years.

It's the first time the Japanese car giant has released a supermini model, creating the smallest Toyota ever launched in Europe. Aimed at young urban dwellers, hence the strong youthful appearance, it bears certain similarities to the Smart forfour, particularly at the rear. First impressions suggest Toyota may just have got the mix right and while testing it on the crowded streets of Rome yesterday, it attracted a lot of attention from young fashion-conscious Italians on scooters. It's also very nimble in traffic. The interior trim and design is a vast improvement on many of its competitors, though a few of the controls are not as easy to hand as we would have liked.

Built in conjunction with the upcoming Peugeot 107 and Citroën C1 in the Czech Republic, the fact that all three share 92 per cent of their components means a real battle of wits between the marketing departments in the three firms. Toyota may have the edge in this, given its reputation for reliability and a strong marketing pedigree. The Aygo comes with Toyota's three-year or 100,000km warranty, compared to two years for the other two.

While Peugeot has already indicated that its 107 will be under €12,000, prices for the Aygo will be released closer to the September arrival date. However, Steve Tormey, sales and marketing director for Ireland, says the plan is to build in a significant price difference between it and the Yaris, which starts at €14,600.

The Aygo is powered by a three-cylinder 1-litre VVT-I petrol engine, offering 68bhp and managing 4.8 litres per 100km in combined cycle (61.4 mpg). Top speed is estimated at 157 km/h (90mph) with a 0-100km/h time of 14.2 seconds. A 1.4-litre diesel engine is planned for Europe but is unlikely to make it here. The Aygo features either a five-speed manual transmission or Toyota's five-speed M-MT semi-automatic system.

Three specifications will be available: the entry-level Terra comes with driver and passenger airbags, two speaker radio/CD; the likely best seller, the Aura, adds side airbags, four more speakers, an MP3 socket, and 50/50 split rear seats. The range-topping Strata comes with alloys, front fog-lights and a rev counter. Tormey estimates sales in Ireland will be 1,000 Aygos in a full year.