Filed under: Latest News
Yes, that's right, the Brussels Motor Show. That's where the real magic is happening. At least it is for Toyota, Citroen and Peugeot because they've unveiled their triumvirate of face lifted city cars.
Initially launched six years ago, the Cars were a cheap, fun and economical way to get around. However, unlike most six year olds, they've just been given a new face.
We've covered them before, but I got the chance to see them in the metal - rather different from pouring over press images.
Seeing as they're all the same car underneath (all come with a dinky 1.0-litre engine and emit a mere 99g/km) and cost roughly the same we're going to have to have a bit of a battle to see which would win in a game of car park bingo.
First things first...
Toyota Aygo
The car on display was painted in an interesting shade of earwax orange, a missed number if ever there was one. Brown/orange may be in fashion, but a car that small looks like a nugget of ear gold over anything else.
The new face isn't a massive departure from the old car, yet brings the Aygo neatly in line with the new Yaris and the freshly facelifted Avensis. The face the Aygo has evolved along with the range is rather nice and, in this case, rather radical. It's also rather more mature than its French counterparts.
Peugeot 107
Displayed in an odd purple hue, the 107 has gained a set of daytime running lights and a new nose. The rear, as with the other cars, remains largely the same as the Pre-facelifted model.
If anything the show car's bright colour takes something from the new design. It seems pretty safe in comparison with even the Aygo. Still, it's new enough to devalue the last car by a couple of hundred quid on Auto Trader. Le ouch, as it were.
Citroen C1 (pictured above)
The C1 has undergone the most radical change of all the cars. Its small, bubbly face has been widened and the Citroen chevrons sit in a black bubble on the bonnet, somewhat like a little nose. I'm convinced that in white the new C1 would look like a panda. This is no bad thing because, as any animal fan/preteen girl will attest, Pandas are cute.
However, the changes here don't do as much to bring it in line with its range siblings as the Aygo. In face, it's almost a regression to the days of the C3 and five-cars-in-one-but-none-of-them-useful C3 Pluriel. But while it may look 'cutesy' like Citroens of old it's also new, and if you follow the 'teachings' of Barney Stinson "new is always better".
So, of all the tweaked cars which is best? They all have the same engine and spare parts under the skin so it comes down to looks and price. The Peugeot and Citroen cars will set you back at least £7,995 (Pre-haggling like a student on its gap yah), while the Toyota will likely be a wedge more. Toyota's effort does look the most grown up, while the French efforts are aiming squarely at the faces (and wallets) of seventeen to twenty something girls.
They'll all offer cheap, fun motoring for the masses and have been doing so long before the VW Up!, SEAT Mii and Skoda Citigo. In the end... It's all down to you.