It has become increasingly fashionable in these straitened times for manufacturers to save money by teaming up with each other to produce new cars and platforms together. The most notable collaboration of recent times has been the Peugeot/Citroen tie-up with Toyota to produce a trio of city cars - the 107, C1 and Aygo.
All three are recognisably the same car, with each manufacturer having a certain limited amount of freedom to put its own stamp on the car, but the interiors of each are essentially identical save for the badge on the steering wheel. You can't imagine that it would be something buyers of more expensive cars would tolerate, but it works well enough in this entry-level segment.
That said it is the Aygo that seems to work the best of the three, aimed at a younger market and coming across much funkier than either the Peugeot or the Citroen. It isn't as cheap as either of those two cars and does offer a pitiful amount of standard equipment the lower down the range you look, but this is mostly offset by excellent running costs and a better presentation.
The 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine is at the heart of the Aygo's frugality, and despite its thriftiness it does manage to offer some revvy character and solid acceleration. The Toyota is as fun to drive as its compatriots but at the same time it does seem more refined than the others. It's happy to cruise along the motorway in comfort and engine noise isn't as big a problem you might initially think.
There is sufficient room up front for the driver and passenger, but the rear seats aren't comfortable over longer distances and the boot is very small. Friends shouldn't mind riding onboard for short distances however. And whilst the dashboard is well designed, the plastics used in its construction do feel a little too cheap for comfort. It has to be noted that there are actually some good quality rivals in this price band, not least from Italian manufacturer Fiat.
To really get the most out of the Aygo you're going to be tempted to go further up the range and add lots of equipment that will bring its price in line with much more accomplished competitors like the Fiat 500 - if the ultra-low running costs and diminutive size appeal however, then the Aygo's rapidly comes to the fore.