New Toyota Aygo X vs Hyundai i10: practicality
The new Toyota Aygo X blurs the lines between city car and small SUV. Let’s find out if that’s the way ahead or a bridge too far...
Space and practicality
Front space, rear space, seating flexibility, boot
When it comes to leg and head room in the front, both cars will allow a pair of six-footers to get comfortable and are wide enough to prevent occupants from rubbing shoulders. However, the Hyundai i10’s extra width allows it space for a proper storage area between the seats, along with cupholders and an oddments cubby next to the handbrake. Its door pockets are better shaped and can handle a large bottle of water, whereas the Toyota Aygo X gets a couple of letterbox-style slots here that aren’t much good for anything.
Move to the back, and a pair of six-footers can happily slot themselves into the i10, which offers wide-opening doors and a surprising amount of knee room, plus a ceiling that’s high enough to leave their hair untouched. There’s even space for a third passenger to squeeze in for a short trip.
The Aygo X, meanwhile, only has rear seatbelts for two, and even then those same six-footers will feel cramped. The door apertures are really tight (parents will struggle to install a bulky child seat), and so is knee room. Once inside, anyone who’s about 5ft 10in or taller will find their barnet in contact with the ceiling, and the optional canvas roof (£895) depletes head room further.
On top of that, the small, high side windows make for a gloomy ambience and mean that children will struggle to see out. That’s not the case in the i10; its bigger windows make it far brighter in the rear and are better for ventilation, too, rolling down rather than popping out a few inches at their trailing edge like those of the Aygo X.
Both boots can accommodate three carry-on suitcases below their parcel shelves, although this is made slightly easier in the i10, because its luggage compartment is deeper and wider between the arches. Each has a bit of a lip to heave things over, but the Aygo X’s is higher, with more of a drop to the boot floor itself. Its boot opening is more awkwardly shaped and much smaller, too.
The rear seatbacks of both cars tumble down onto the seat bases to help with longer loads, but neither car provides an adjustable boot floor to flatten the step formed in this configuration. The i10’s split 60/40, whereas the Aygo X has a 50/50 layout.
Boot space
Hyundai i10
Boot 252-1050 litres Suitcases 3
Toyota Aygo X
