Toyota Aygo 2022 is in development, but it will be very different from what we expect. In fact, on these pages we have often told you how the world of city cars was destined to become exclusively electric. A position shared by all manufacturers except one: Toyota. It is news these days that the heir of little Aygo, which will presumably be presented in 2022, it will be exclusively thermal, and made only by Toyota. So let's see what we know so far about the small Japanese city car.
- “Aygo” against the tide: in a world of electric it remains thermal and… alone
- What we know about Toyota Aygo 2022: engines, platform, setting
- The future of mobility for Toyota is the integration of thermal, electric and hydrogen
“Aygo” against the tide: in a world of electric it remains thermal and… alone
With this pun, let's see how Toyota has decided to go against the grain. For those who do not know, in fact, the name "Aygo" is a pun built on the English "I go". Ah, Japanese humor ... Aside from this little trivia, Toyota Aygo 2022 is a surprise in several respects.
To begin with, until a few months ago we wouldn't even bet on his actual birth. The heir of the small Japanese city car (which for now we call Aygo but whose name has not yet been formalized) seemed now a thing of the past. Between the switch to electric and the tendency of manufacturers to make cars that are increasingly multi-purpose, spacious and therefore of more generous dimensions, the space for a small town of 3,50 m seemed now gone.
Toyota however continues to believe in this project, and it seems to be the only one at the moment. After more than 15 years of collaboration between Toyota, Peugeot and Citroen, the two French manufacturers have disengaged from the joint venture that had led to the birth of Aygo, C1 and 107/108. Both due to the diminishing interest of the PSA Group in Segment A and following the merger with Stellantis, only Toyota remained in the Franco-Japanese agreement.
The Japanese company, however, did not give up, and indeed it has relaunched. The “common” factory of Kolin in the Czech Republic, made in the early '00s, was fully taken over by Toyota who will build his new city car there. But where Toyota displaces everyone is in the powertrain of Aygo's heir. No electric motorization, nor the use of the now iconic Hybrid Synergic Drive: Aygo's heir will be thermal.
But how will Toyota Aygo 2022 comply with the emission limits?
Why such a choice? It's not news that Toyota doesn't think electric is the only answer (and we'll talk about that shortly), but it is especially surprising in Toyota's ability to afford a new thermal model. Since the emission limits of the range were established, more and more models have focused on more or less heavy electrification to stay within the limits.
Toyota, on the other hand, will launch an exclusively thermal model. Like? At the moment we have no certainty, but we think that gThanks to such a virtuous range, Toyota can afford to create an entirely thermal city car, which in the ideas of the House is more versatile, reliable and lighter than an equivalent electric. Lightness has always been an advantage of Aygo, which has made it one of the most economical petrol cars in terms of consumption and emissions. An advantage is that of lightness that is often forgotten, but which is vital for a city car to offer low fuel consumption, running costs and noteworthy agility. For this new Aygo will remain faithful to its original recipe, focusing on the qualities that have made it a success.
What we know about Toyota Aygo 2022: engines, platform and setup
To do all this, Toyota Aygo 2022 will focus on a proven recipe that is giving the Japanese manufacturer a lot of satisfaction. We still do not have certainty about the motorization, but Aygo's heir will not easily give up one of his trademark that he has never abandoned in his 16-year career, that is a 3-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine.
The strongest candidate is already present in the Toyota range: the 1.0 with direct injection with 72 HP mounted on the thermal version of the Yaris. A park and sparkling engine, coupled to the inevitable 5-speed manual gearbox but which will not lack an automatic version.
Obviously, the mechanical basis will also change, with the collaboration with PSA missing. Which platform to adopt then if not the highly appreciated tnga? In fact, the rumors speak ofuse of an appropriately shortened and modified version of the TNGA-B, modular platform already used by Yaris and the upcoming Yaris Cross. On the Yaris it showed excellent driveability, great torsional rigidity but above all a great lightness: the 1.0 version with 72 HP weighs only 960 kg. A versatile and highly appreciated mechanical base, as evidenced by the victory of the “Little Genius” of the 2021 Car of the Year Award.
We do not have information about the interior, length and interior space yet, but a new, more modern and fashionable look now seems to be certain. Toyota Aygo 2022 should be reborn as a "Cross", with increased ground clearance and details that recall off-road vehicles. To get even just an idea of its lines we will still have to wait a bit.
The future of mobility for Toyota is the integration of thermal, electric and hydrogen
With the new Aygo series, Toyota surprises the automotive world. Electric mobility is not the only future, and Toyota has often said this over the years. The stance got even stronger when a few weeks ago Akio Toyoda, big boss of the Toyota galaxy, said his great skepticism towards electric cars.
"Electric cars are overrated. " Toyota Number 1 said at a press conference. “When one thinks of transition, one always forgets the carbon emissions of electric vehicle manufacturing. Politicians simply say "let's ban all cars that use gasoline", but do they know what that means? The costs for infrastructure and the time it takes to adapt to high demand will be unsustainable. If we continue on this path, the current business model of the Houses will collapse".
The future according to Toyoda and according to his House is an integration between thermal and electrical, and the enhancement of hybrid technology, as well as the real game-changer according to Toyota, l'hydrogen. "The more EVs produced, the worse the carbon dioxide problem will be." Words that, spoken by the President of the largest world House, make us think. According to Toyota, the future is not electric, but the use of the right technologies in the right moment, without ideologies or fundamentalisms.
Toyota Aygo 2022 is an example of this thought: a thermal car in a world of electric, which combines tradition with respect for the environment. We can't wait to get to know this new city car and see what the future of the Japanese giant has in store.
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