Anyone drive a Toyota Aygo on Motorways?

[Catinknickers]

My elderly mum has recently given up driving and is parting with her 2018 automatic Aygo. She wants us to sell our card and buy it. We currently have a manual hatchback of a similar age and would love an automatic as we live in a big city with awful traffic. We couldn’t afford to buy one normally.

Problem is we would need to drive to hers - 6 hours on the M1 each way - once a month or so and wondered how practical it is driving an Aygo? It seems quite noisy and light for motorway driving.

I wondered if anyone with that type of Aygo drives on a motorway long distances regularly? Would you recommend or steer well clear.

I have a Toyota AYGO, though mine is not an automatic, I love it and often do 4/5 hour drives in mine to visit family with no problem.

If it has a valid mot, tax and insurance then it can go on the motorway

I think Toyota design cars that are capable

If you load it so it's heavy, and try and go up a hill at speed, you will notice it straining a little.
But they're very reliable cars and can deal with motorway driving.

Thanks @Jack1975 it just feels noisy and buffeted by the wind on a dual carriageway, so we were a bit wary.

Thanks @bastin. it’s in perfect condition and taxed and MOT’d at the moment and we’re insured to drive it.

On balance it’s automatic, low mileage and an upgrade on our present car which we will sell.

Thanks @SuperLoudPoppingAction. My mum lives in a hilly area and never noticed it straining. So hopefully ok.

Used to do 800 mile round trips in ours several times a year without a problem. Regret selling it!

That’s reassuring @bravefox thank you

I don't own or drive an Aygo, but have certainly seen plenty about on the motorways, and can't say I have ever seen one broken down. So Based on that I think you would be fine for your intended use.

It's a Toyota, it's bomb proof! Buy it with confidence, OP.

Used to have a manual 2012 Aygo as a company car and would regularly drive down to Cornwall and back from inside M25 - mostly using M3/A303/A38 route but sometimes M4/M5 route. Never found it to be a problem on the motorways or A roads but it could struggle up long hills; had brilliant fuel consumption and for its size, plenty of space inside.

I drive 200 miles on the motorway regularly in an automatic Peugot 107 which is basically the same car with a different badge. Never had any issues.

Not sure if this helps or not, but when mine was written off by being squashed between two trucks on a motorway, I walked away without major injury and was very impressed!

We drive our Aygo on motorways, only issue we have had is that in the summer we have to turn the air conditioning off when we want to overtake! Tbf this applies on other roads too but more noticeable on long journeys. Also, as ppl noted it can struggle with hills if heavily loaded. But we love it and it is so great for town driving and parking.

We have a Toyota aygo bought with the scrappage scheme in 2009 when we only had 2 dc. We had to get a bigger car when we had dc3, a people carrier when we had dc4 and now we have a mini bus which is needed for transporting 5 dc and their assortment of friends, instruments and a wheelchair around. We have kept the aygo all this time because it's so great. Really cheap to run, easy to park and we use it all the time when it's just me and dh or when 1 of the dc needs to go to college of the dentist. It goes through it's MOT every year, only needing minor repairs. The biggest expense has been new tyres every few years but considering it's now 15 years old it's doing really well. Ds1 is planning on learning to drive soon so it will be good for him to be able to borrow it. That will be quite surreal as we bought that car when he was 3! Totally recommend an aygo and ours goes on motorways all the time.

We normally drive an automatic KIA and currently have an automatic Aygo as a courtesy car. We love how easy it is to park and pass other cars due to its size, but two things we have noticed are that it mists up really easy and that isn't easy to clear, and you really feel the gear changes in a way I haven't in an automatic car before. Also it takes longer to get going than our KIA so pulling out on a busy road can feel a bit hairy sometimes.

I haven't driven it on a motorway yet, but haven't had a problem with dual carriageways, other than it being a bit noisier than our KIA.

We couldn't have it as a main car as the bootspace is not enough for camping but we have discussed getting one as a second car for short trips and the days when DD and DS have activities at the same time etc.

Not going to lie I hated mine. Cheap car made cheap. Couldn't hear myself think when going over 50mph. Thought I was going to fall through the floor. Any type of breeze the car was going sideways. Personally found it dreadful on long journeys.
Fine if your 17 & learning to drive & rarely go anywhere, as the only positive about it was the running costs being so good.
I did go from a large big engined estate down to the aygo so maybe why I found it so different, but have changed to a medium sized hatchback of the same age & similar running costs & feels so much safer & comfortable. Aygo gave me backache.
Can't stand automatics-even when I lived in a busy city centre-so can't comment on that.

They keep going and going and are cheap to fix but I wouldn’t have another one tbh. Was involved in a rear end hit and car was written off by insurance without them even looking at it.

DS and Dd both have them and drive on the motorway daily. They've done 400mile trips no bother. They're great cars.

@staringatthedoor thats what I worry about. We have a Kia Picanto but its feels much more substantial than the Aygo.

Gosh! Getting squashed by a lorry is literally my biggest driving fear on motorways. I’m glad you’re ok!

I used to have an Aygo and regularly did motorway trips, often to Scotland and back from the Midlands to visit family. I didn't find it any different to driving any other car.

I have a manual one and it's fine. A bit noisy certainly, but no problem driving long distance. Except not being able to pack much!

I have an Aygo. And driven on the motorway in it a few times. It's perfectly fine to do. Just like any similar car tbh

RE the mist. It does mist up a bit I find having the a/c on almost permanently helps

My Mum has a manual Aygo which I have driven for long journeys and it is fine for motorway driving. Quite nippy and can sit at 70mph ok.

Much better than some other small cars, better than a fiat 500, or a ford KA for example.

I would definitely have one if it was mainly for city driving with a monthly long journey. They are brilliant to park.