Used Toyota Aygo review and buying guide (2005 to 2022): which one to buy and what to check

Which used Toyota Aygo should you buy?

A manual Mk1 Aygo from the January 2009 facelift onwards is the better buy, because that's when every car got a larger clutch in place of the original one, which wore out early on 2005 to 2009 cars. It isn't a cure, though: early clutch wear is a known fault right across 2005 to 2014, and one owner's 2013 car needed a clutch after only 8,000 miles, so test it properly whatever the year.

Whatever the year, don't buy the MMT automated manual. It's the Aygo's one High-severity known fault: between 50,000 and 90,000 miles the gearbox can jerk through changes, slip its clutch, lose its actuator or stop driving altogether. Owners of 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2011 cars have reported beeping, jerking, slipping or missed shifts, and one 2007 car wasn't worth repairing once its actuator went.

There's much less on record about the second-generation Aygo sold from 2014 to 2022, so there's no fault pattern to weigh either way. Make sure you know which one you're looking at, though, because a car registered in early 2014 can still be the original model. One owner of a March 2014 car on the old shape had water getting in through the doors again and again.

Which Aygo engines and gearboxes are the safe choices?

The 1.0 VVT-i petrol with the manual gearbox is the one to go for, since no High-severity fault names that pairing. Its weak spot is the clutch, a known fault for wearing early, with some lasting only two and a half years, so a slipping clutch or a high biting point counts against the car. The engine runs a timing chain with no scheduled replacement, but its tensioner is fed by the oil, and skipped oil changes can sludge that feed until the chain rattles and stretches.

Avoid the MMT automated manual. Between 50,000 and 90,000 miles it can shake and jerk on changes, slip under acceleration, beep intermittently and finally lose drive. After a garage recalibrated the clutch on one 2011 car it wouldn't move at all, and the owner of a 2007 car paid £600 for a clutch in 2017 before the actuator failed and wrote it off. Even a healthy one won't climb a hill as steep as 1 in 4 unless you pick first yourself.

The 1.0 petrol has two faults to know about. Its water pump is a known leaker from about three years old, and one owner paid £278 plus VAT for a new pump on a six-year-old car that had done 19,000 miles. From 70,000 miles, worn valve stem oil seals can make it use oil: owners of 2006 and 2007 cars reported it getting through between half a litre and a litre every 1,000 miles, and the owner of a 2012 car said it ate oil.

The 1.4 D-4D diesel is the other engine on the Aygo's record, and there's far less known about it. On 2006 and 2007 cars a whirring whine that changes with the revs is a known sign of a failing timing belt tensioner, so listen for it, and ask for receipts showing the tensioner and the water pump were replaced together.

What should you check when viewing a used Aygo?

Lift the boot floor and feel the carpets, because water getting into the boot and rear footwells is a known fault on every Mk1. It comes in through the extractor vents, badly fitted door and hatch seals, the rear light seals and, on 5-door cars, the pop-out rear windows; one owner of a 2012 car had the rear lights replaced six times. A musty smell, damp carpet or misted windows all count against it.

On the drive, feel for a clutch that slips when you accelerate hard or bites high on the pedal, and look for crusty coolant stains under the water pump or watch for the temperature gauge climbing, both signs that the pump's failing. Heavy steering at low speed or a power steering warning light points to the electric steering motor, which has failed on cars three to four years old. On an MMT, any jerking, shaking or beeping is reason enough to leave it.

Ask for proof the rear side window recall has been done on a 5-door: in January 2019 Toyota recalled 2005 to 2014 cars because the glue holding the glass to its hinge can let go. Cars from 2005 to 2009 were also recalled for a sticking accelerator pedal, so check that work's on the record too. Pull the dipstick to see how much oil it's carrying, and look under the back at the exhaust back box, which can rust through in two years.

Paste the advert into the free check and it runs these against the listing, the MOT history and the DVLA record before you travel.

Should you buy a used Toyota Aygo Mk1 (2005 to 2014)?

Buy a manual Mk1 from 2009 on, when the larger clutch became standard, and skip the MMT automated manual altogether. Even the later clutch is covered by the known fault for early wear, so a slipping or high-biting pedal still counts against any year. The car's strength is where it matters: the doors can feel flimsy, but the structure and the underside are properly built.

Water pumps fail from about three years old, and damp in the boot and rear footwells is a known fault that shows up between 30,000 and 80,000 miles and can leave the cabin smelling of mould. From 70,000 to 100,000 miles, oil use from tired valve stem seals is the one to watch, with the oil warning light flashing in corners and frequent top-ups needed. One owner of a 2012 car couldn't get a sensible reading off the dipstick at all.

Smaller jobs add up on older cars. Exhaust back boxes can rust through in two years and catalytic converters have failed at two to three, rear brake cylinders can give up (one car's went after four years and 4,000 miles), and the key-operated door and boot locks can wear out after just over three years. Don't open the glass hatch in a strong wind: a gust can catch it and shatter it, and one owner's glass blew off entirely.

What does a used Toyota Aygo cost to run?

What do Aygo owners like about them?

It's properly refined for something this small, and on the 2014 to 2022 Aygo that shows most at motorway speeds, where it's quieter than you'd expect of a car this size. The later car's 1.0-litre petrol has a likeable character too, which makes it more than just a quiet runabout.

The later car's cabin is a clear step up from the original Aygo's in how it looks and feels, and it isn't just for show: it's hardwearing, so a car that's done a few years of school runs and shopping trips shouldn't look worn inside.

• The Toyota Aygo was rated as the fourth most reliable car from 1997-2009 by Warranty Direct.
• This small car offers impressive refinement, which is particularly noticeable when travelling at motorway speeds.
• The interior quality feels improved compared to the original Aygo and is also hardwearing.
• The 1.0-litre engine possesses a good character and proves to be very economical to operate.
• Customisation packs make it simple to choose from the many options available for personalising the vehicle.