Toyota unveils Aygo X Prologue concept

Coming from the talented pens at Toyota’s European design headquarters in the South of France, this is evidence that your small car can be cutesy, desirable and apparently rugged, without taking the name of a classic in vain. We love the Mini and Fiat 500, don’t get us wrong but this is a nice challenge to their monopoly on stylish small cars.

That’s even more of a feat when you consider that in the X Prologue, all isn’t as it once was with the Aygo. This is something of a small crossover, in a highly effective stylish small car drag.

So what do we have? Well, the sharp edges and angles of the current car make way for voluptuous curves and swooping lines. These are best exemplified in the single-piece light arrangements front and rear, and the Smart-esque black swoop-up bodywork out back. Being a crossover, it rides higher on those 19-inch wheels, with blistered arches and black bodywork surrounding, to exaggerate the look. 

“Everybody deserves a cool car,” said Ian Cartabiano, president of Toyota’s European Design HQ. “When I look at the Aygo X prologue, I’m really proud to say that the ED2 team have created exactly that. I’m excited to see it revolutionising the segment.”

In spite of the pumped-up looks, the X Prologue remains smaller in footprint than the Yaris, which rides on the same GA-B platform, though is the same height. Yes, a production version will be coming in 2022 and curiously, there’s no mention of electrification. A conventional petrol lineup will remain, as a way of keeping costs low. We’d hazard to guess that as a result, the Aygo won’t leap up in price for the next generation. 

All that remains now, is to see whether there will be a fire-spitting GR version and whether Toyota will tell us to “go fun yourself” again. There’s also the question of whether it’ll come with a pair of French siblings. What do you think of the Aygo X Prologue? Will it save the small car, or does it represent its demise?