City Cars   
Petrol

Toyota Aygo/Citroen C1/Peugeot 107
 
Model/Engine size: 1.0 VVT-i + (5 door)
Fuel: Petrol
Fuel economy combined: 61.4mpg



Only the Citroen out of the Citroen C1/Peugeot 107/Toyota Aygo family is available in diesel. The diesel option gives the best fuel consumption, but the petrol is not far behind, and comparison of fuel consumption figures under different driving conditions makes interesting reading.

If you predominantly drive in urban areas – as would be expected with a ‘city car’ – then the diesel will return 53.3mpg whereas the petrol will come within 2mpg at 51.4mpg. So there’s hardly anything between them in terms of fuel running costs. The petrol has slightly lower CO2 emissions too.

So you’re left with a choice between the cheaper and nippier petrol, or the more expensive and noisier diesel. And if you really do want to do your bit for the environment, then there’s something else you should know.

The petrol has drastically (by a factor of 24!) lower emissions of NOx (0.010g/km) whereas the diesel has NOx emissions of 0.240g/km - therefore in terms of an environmental choice, we would suggest that the petrol version gets the edge over the diesel option. (NOx emissions are oxides of nitrogen which react in the atmosphere to form nitrogen dioxide, which can have adverse effects on health, particularly among people with respiratory illness. NOx also contributes to smog formation, acid rain and can damage vegetation).

The Aygo C1/107 is great to drive, it has a cheeky design, and it’s cheap. On the downside, it’s small – particularly in the boot department - although it’s larger and more economical than a standard petrol Smart car – and it’s not the best car for long motorway journeys.

The specification details are provided for the Toyota.

Fuel economy extra urban: 68.9mpg
Fuel economy urban: 51.4mpg
CO2 emissions: 108g/km
Green rating: VED band B - £35
Weight: 835 Kg
Company car tax liability (2008/09): 10%
Price: £8,025 (From £7,175 to £9,575)
Insurance group: 1
Safety: NCAP 4 stars
Max speed: 98mph
0-62mph: 14.2 seconds