Toyota introduces spruced-up Aygo

Toyota has introduced a new, more luxurious version of its cheapest car, the Aygo.

The Aygo Platinum, as it is called, certainly represents good value for money, providing alloy wheels, silver metallic paint, a six-speaker audio system, Alcantara and leather upholstery and a leather-trimmed gear knob for prices that start at just £8,995.

On the other hand, the heart of the standard Aygo's appeal is its simplicity and honesty, the feeling that there's "just enough" of everything to get the job done. In fact, the really good bits of this car – its space, eager nature, and, in particular, its appealing and lively little three-cylinder 1.0 litre engine – are available to all Aygo buyers, whether they opt for the Platinum or not. Perhaps Toyota has acquired a taste for gilding the small-car lily through its work with Aston on the Cygnet, a luxury version of the Japanese company's clever iQ model.