New Toyota Aygo X 2026 preview: switch to hybrid power boosts performance and efficiency
There's more than meets the eye with the new 2026 Toyota Aygo X Hybrid, because what looks like a mild facelift of the current tiny SUV is actually a massive overhaul of the Japanese brand's most affordable car.
Featuring all-new bonnet, wings, grille and front bumper, as well as a redesigned floor, the Aygo X adopts the running gear from the bigger Yaris Hybrid, which means the manual transmission is no more, with all versions now adopting Toyota's e-CVT automatic.
As well as substantially more power, the Aygo X Hybrid should become Britain's lowest polluting car – if you ignore much more expensive plug-in hybrids – with emissions of just 86g/km of CO2. For performance fans, there will even be a GR Sport version with a special suspension tune from the team behind the white-hot GR Yaris. But all this tech and performance doesn't come cheap. Advertisement - Article continues below
When the substantially refreshed Aygo X Hybrid arrives early in 2026, it's been tipped to no longer be quite as affordable as before – at least for cash buyers – with pricing set to move from around £16,000 to a figure closer to £19,000. That's a lot of money, but people purchasing it via leases or PCP deals might not see such a big hit, because the better residuals could take the sting out of the tail of the bigger asking price.
The Toyota Aygo X Hybrid will come with just one powertrain, the Hybrid 115 engine used in the current fourth-generation Yaris Hybrid, which means Toyota's baby SUV should produce 114bhp and 144Nm of torque. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below
In small car terms that's a huge boost over the current model's 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol, that can only muster a measly 71bhp and 93Nm of torque.
Performance is unsurprisingly in another league for the electrified Aygo X, with the city car now able to accelerate from 0-62mph in around 10 seconds – a huge 4.9-second improvement over the outgoing car.
The only catch is the old version's five-speed manual is no more, with the front-wheel-drive Aygo X Hybrid now only offered with the firm's e-CVT automatic transmission. Key specs Fuel type: Petrol Body style: 5-seater SUV Powertrain: 4cyl hybrid Price: £19,000 (Estimated)
Toyota says it's too early to confirm how efficient the new Toyota Aygo X Hybrid will be, but the car-maker has admitted it has targeted emissions of around just 86g/km of CO2. Advertisement - Article continues below
That figure roughly corresponds to fuel consumption that should hover around 67-70mpg – a big improvement over the 56.5mpg (109g/km of CO2) the current Aygo X averages with an automatic transmission.
While still remaining relatively inexpensive to insure, the sizeable increase in performance and the new presence of the GR Sport version could see the Aygo X Hybrid sit in a higher insurance group than today's version that inhabits the lowly group five or six (out of 50).
One final point worth mentioning for those shopping around for cars with the lowest environmental impact, the latest Aygo X Hybrid's carbon footprint has shrunken by as much as 18 per cent for the latest version, with new hybrid powertrain and mix of greener low-impact materials and cleaner production facility all contributing to the big reduction in lifetime CO2.
Even Toyota Europe's technical chief Cesar Romero says that the car-maker "might have got a bit carried away" with the latest Aygo X Hybrid. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below
Ensuring it would continue to have 'enduring appeal' meant a switch to hybrid power, which posed a big issue for the car-maker. Despite pioneering the tech, Romero says the Toyota "doesn't do mild-hybrid" when it comes to small cars – and that's a problem. Advertisement - Article continues below
Instead of starting from scratch, engineers decided to squeeze a larger 1.5-litre hybrid engine into a bay that is designed for a little 1.0-litre three-cylinder unit.
This prompted an entirely new front end that sees the tiny SUV's nose stretched by 76mm.
Most people won't notice the new metal, but designers say side-by-side you'll discover how the new headlamps, bonnet and grille all contribute to a visually more imposing, wider stance than before. Stylists have also added a set of fresh 17 and 18-inch alloy wheels.
Like before, a two-tone colour scheme with a contrasting black roof and rear body, plus a new Mustard yellow colour for the GR Sport means you'll never lose the Aygo X Hybrid in a car park.
A reconfigured centre console, meanwhile, has been introduced that features cooling for the batteries mounted under the rear seats. There's also an electronic parking brake as standard and two new USB-C charging ports, plus a wireless charger, Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below
Other useful additions include electric folding mirrors and Toyota's air quality -boosting particulate filter for the climate control, which will be offered on higher-grade models.
For the first time there will be a Aygo X Hybrid GR Sport that has been developed in cooperation with the Toyota Gazoo Racing performance division. Advertisement - Article continues below
Available in the aforementioned Mustard paint with a gloss black bonnet, the sportiest member of the Aygo X Hybrid family gets its own unique grille, GR Sport-specific 18-inch alloy wheels, GR branded seats and a dedicated suspension tune that involves, new springs, dampers and a recalibrated steering wheel.
The old car's rear brake drums have also been swapped out for a set of more powerful disc brakes.
The Aygo X Hybrid comes equipped with fresh in-car tech, including both a new seven-inch digital instrument cluster plus infotainment and heater control panel.
Toyota has yet to detail what software the latest Aygo X Hybrid runs on, but it is likely to miss out on the most sophisticated Arene software that's just been rolled out on the all-new RAV4.
Despite still offering just enough space for four adults, others in its city car class, including the Hyundai i10, still offer more space within. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below
Toyota says the Aygo X Hybrid still has a 231-litre boot, which means it again trails the i10 for luggage space – the Hyundai offers up to 252 litres of space.
Worse still, the hybrid powertrain means that you no longer get the option of a space saver spare wheel. Dimensions Length: 3,776mm Width: 1,740mm Height: 1,525mm Wheelbase: 2,430mm
Toyota has upgraded the Aygo X Hybrid with its latest Toyota Safety Sense driver assist tech that includes an upgraded autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist and traffic sign recognition.
There's also a new Emergency Driving Stop System that brings the car safely to a halt if it thinks the driver is not responding. Proactive Driving Assist is now included that will automatically steer away from an impact with another object if the driver doesn't react.
For the first time on an Aygo X, over-the-air software updates ensure safety systems will be upgraded during the car's lifetime.
Prices and full specifications will be released closer to the Toyota Aygo X Hybrid's launch in the first quarter of 2026, but the bigger powertrain, boosted performance and enhanced equipment and tech will all contribute to a price rise that could see the cheapest version's cost rise from around £16,000 to a price closer to £19,000.
That sounds like a lot, but engineers claim that a huge amount of work has been done to boost refinement within and when you factor in the extra performance, the Aygo X Hybrid will deliver a claimed driving experience from the class above. 2026 Land Rover Defender updates look subtle, but they fix one huge annoyance for owners
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