A nippy little number that simply sips the fuel

Toyota Aygo X drive by Steve Rogers

It doesn’t look that different but Toyota has torn up the script and started again with the new Aygo X.

You could be forgiven for not spotting the facelift; a new headlight signature, grille and bonnet, which now carries the badge, are the main clues, but it’s what you don’t see that sets Aygo X apart from its rivals.

The new full hybrid engine is a first for the class with off the scale economy, the best safety package of any small car and loads more refinement are the headliners. Trust me, this is seriously impressive, but is shelling out up to £27k a bit too much for a tiny car?

The four model range starts with the Icon at a more sensible £21,595 but you get more creature comforts with the Design at £23,695 or push the boat out further for Excel at £26,045. But here’s food for thought. The new Chinese Tiggo 7 hybrid at around £25,000 is a much bigger five seat SUV.

A significant move was ditching the 1-litre for a 1.5, the same engine used in the Yaris, and has done wonders for economy. I took a 40-odd-mile drive, mainly dual carriageway, and returned a staggering 78.6mpg, the highest I have achieved in any car other than a plug-in hybrid. Topping 70mpg was a regular thing, in fact the Aygo X never dropped below 62mpg.

It is substantially more powerful and is now a nipply little number while it knocks off motorway miles quite comfortably. With the GR Sport package it is good fun to drive with precise steering and holding its line through twists and turns. Not much body roll here.

That said I am not convinced by the GR as it is just down to steering and suspension tuning without any extra performance. If you are prepared to spend £26k the well equipped Excel is a better proposition.

The new car comes with lots of upgrades. The top two models get keyless entry and start and all models have an electronic parking brake. There are some new graphics in the central touchscreen and a clearer strip of physical switches for the heating.

The biggest change is to the driver’s display which is now all digital with a large speedometer reading. Sensibly Toyota has placed it in the centre rather than to the side which is a trend with some new Chinese models. Why they think that is the best place is beyond me.

There is also a good information panel… if you can get to see it. Like so many others, the driver monitoring system is oversensitive. I wanted to turn off lane hold using a switch on the steering wheel but every time I glanced at the display it was covered by a ‘driver inattentive detected’ message. Ironically this creates more danger than me making the two second adjustment.

The same beep sound and message appears when adjusting the heating. What was more annoying was I could not find how to turn it off. I suspect you can’t.

I am probably being mocked for criticising something meant to keep you safe. What I will say is that when it comes to safety Aygo X gets five big stars. No other car in its class can match the list of features that includes adaptive cruise control, lane assist, and emergency braking whether driving ahead or turning out of a junction. This no doubt contributes to the high cost of the car.

At 3.776 metres Aygo X is a small car and is up against the likes of Kia Picanto, Hyundai i10 and Renault Twingo. In GR Sport trim the black interior is very dark especially in the back where the door windows are small. With the high front sports seats it can be claustrophobic and tight for space for anyone over average height. Thankfully there is good space under the front seats to stow your feet otherwise this would not be a great place for a long journey.

The back door opening is narrow so fixing a child seat along with a toddler is going to be a struggle.

No city car can offer a big boot so don’t expect much from the Aygo. It is deep and can squeeze in a couple of carry-on cases but the smaller Kia Picanto beats it by 24 litres.

Whatever I think about the price Aygo X is arguably the best city car on the market for its stunning economy, low emissions, performance and first class safety package.

Fast facts

Aygo X GR Sport

£26,895 (starts £21,595)

1.5 litre petrol hybrid; 114bhp

0-62mph 9.2secs; 107mph

72.4mpg-74.3mpg combined

87g/km. 1st tax £280

Boot: 231 litres

Insurance group 19

Llangollen's Mayor to perform on Britain's Got Talent tomorrow

* Aled Morris, right, with Jeremy Clarkson, owner of the brand from which the Hawkstone Choir takes its name. 

The Mayor Of Llangollen is set to make an appearance on Britain’s Got Talent (BGT) tomorrow (Saturday) evening. 

Aled Morris, 32, swaps the council chamber for the national stage to sing with the Hawkstone Farmers Choir as they audition for the 19th series of the hit ITV talent show.

The choir, which brings together people from across the UK farming community who share a connection to agriculture and a love of singing, will perform the Elbow anthem One Day Like This during the show previously recorded at the Birmingham Hippodrome for screening tomorrow at 6.45pm.

For Aled, a sheep farmer at Pen-y-Rhagfryn, the experience is a world away from his daily life.

When he isn't tending to his 50-acre family farm he is teaching the next generation of farmers as a lecturer in agriculture and land-based engineering at Llysfasi College. 

"The BGT experience was amazing," he said. "It felt so surreal to actually experience the set, the judges, and the atmosphere was incredible."

Aled’s journey into joining the choir began with a mysterious Facebook advertisement looking for farmers who like to sing. 

It wasn't until he arrived at the audition venue - Jeremy Clarkson’s pub, The Farmer’s Dog in the Cotswolds - that he realised the project was for Clarkson's Hawkstone brand. 

"I travelled down to the address given and as I pulled in it dawned on me very quickly!" Aled recalled.

Beyond the stage, Aled is a pillar of his local community. In addition to serving as Mayor, he has sat on the town council for four years, helps organize the annual Llangollen illuminated tractor run, and serves as the steam section steward for the Malpas Yesteryear Rally. 

Despite his busy schedule, he says the choir has offered him a vital sense of belonging, camaraderie and a chance to sing with confidence.

The choir's mission is to use their national platform to raise awareness and funds for mental health and suicide prevention within the agricultural community - an industry where isolation can often take a heavy toll.

* Aled isn't the first member of Llangollen's mayoral team to appear on TV. Mayoress Sarah Griffiths, Aled's long-term partner, was one of the Big Brother housemates back in 2024.  

Two key Llangollen roads to be resurfaced soon

Two key Llangollen roads are to undergo major roadworks over the next month or so.

Work on the Horseshoe Pass and Abbey Road will be carried out as part of a programme by the county council's Strategic Highways Team. 

They say: "It is our intention to close roads so that we can do more substantive work rather than just basic maintenance."

Resurfacing of the A542 Horseshoe Pass, near the cattle grid, will take place from Tuesday March 24 until Thursday April 2, with convoy working in operation.

In Llangollen itself, the A542 Abbey Road, from Oakleigh to the bridge junction,  will be resurfaced from Monday April 13 until Thursday April 30. Again, there will be convoy working in operation.

Town councillor raises concerns over boarded-up NatWest ATM

* Councillor Damon Richards-Gwilliam at the boarded-up NatWest ATM on Castle Street. Image: Cameron Richards. 

A Llangollen town councillor has raised concerns about the future of the NatWest ATM in Castle Street.

Following a break-in early last December the machine has remained boarded up with no details being given about when it might be back in operation. 

Councillor Damon Richards-Gwilliam has contacted NatWest to seek clarification on the current situation and to highlight concerns raised by residents and local businesses about the importance of maintaining access to cash in the town.  

He said: "We have already lost our bank branches in Llangollen, we can’t afford to lose access to cash as well. 

"While there are other places to withdraw cash locally, even the loss of a single ATM reduces the resilience of our town’s cash provision, particularly during busy tourist periods when machines can run out of cash. 

"Despite the move towards digital payments, many people still rely on cash, including some of the most vulnerable in our community. Access to free and convenient cash remains vital for residents, visitors and the small businesses that are the lifeblood of our town. 

"I have been in correspondence with NatWest since the ATM break-in to highlight these concerns and I am currently awaiting further clarification regarding the future of the ATM. 

"I will continue to press NatWest on this issue and do everything I can to ensure the voices of our community are heard. I will of course keep residents, businesses and the wider community updated as the situation develops."

He added: "If residents or businesses share my concerns on this issue, or require support with local matters, they are welcome to email me at cllrrichards-gwilliam@llangollentowncouncil.gov.uk or write to me at Cllr Damon Richards-Gwilliam, Llangollen Town Council, Town Hall, Parade Street, Llangollen, LL20 8PW."

Genesis Project at St Collen’s welcomes local history research

The Genesis Project team at St Collen’s Church say they were delighted to welcome Morgan Ditchburn from Conwy History (@conwyhistory) on Monday who shared fascinating insights from her ongoing research and how it connects with the history of St Collen’s and the wider area.

As the Genesis Project continues to move towards the final stages before work begins, the project team is bringing together historians, researchers and heritage specialists to help shape new interpretation within the newly reordered church.

This work will ensure that the rich stories of St Collen’s, its people, its heritage, and its place within the community, can be shared with visitors and future generations in engaging and meaningful ways.

A spokesperson for Genesis said: "We were also pleased that documentary filmmaker Mal Malloy, who is working with the project, was able to film an interview with Morgan during her visit. This will form part of the project’s developing digital archive and documentary material, helping to capture the research and stories connected with St Collen’s.

"The Genesis Project aims to create a more flexible and welcoming space within the historic church, while also enhancing opportunities to learn about and experience its remarkable history.

"We are extremely grateful to Morgan for sharing her expertise and contributing to the growing understanding of the church’s heritage.

"Further updates, including the anticipated start date for the works, will be shared soon.

"Watch this space!"

@conwyhistory

Tidy Town Team win High Sheriff of Clwyd Award

Llangollen Tidy Town Team has won one of the High Sheriff of Clwyd's Awards for 2026.

They received the honour during a ceremony held at Airbus in Broughton last Saturday.

They had been nominated for the award by Llangollen Town councillor Lee Todd.

It was presented by the High Sheriff, Julie Gillbanks, in recognition of their community spirit, dedication and long-term voluntary service.

Have your say on living in Denbighshire

 

Residents are encouraged to have their say in the “Let’s Talk: Living in Denbighshire” survey.

Denbighshire County Council has launched the survey which is designed to capture people’s views and voices on life in their local communities and the services they use.

The survey gives residents the opportunity to share what matters most to them around their local area in the county

Councillor Julie Matthews, Deputy Leader and Lead Member for Corporate Strategy, Policy, Equalities and Strategic Assets, said: “This survey is a real opportunity for residents to make a difference to their local area. Your voice will help us understand what’s working well and where we need to improve going forward.

“The more people who take part, the better picture we will have of what matters to our county communities and how we can shape services for the future in Denbighshire.”

Residents are encouraged to complete the survey and to share it with family, friends, and neighbours to ensure as many voices as possible are heard.

The survey is open to all Denbighshire residents and can be completed online here

Paper copies of the survey are also available at libraries across the county.