One of the most attractive of all city cars, Toyota's Aygo has been updated, with fresher styling, lower emissions and better fuel economy. It makes what was already a convincing package all the more relevant. In a hard fought corner of the car market, Toyota continues to excel.

The Aygo is a citycar first and foremost, reflected in a sprint to 60mph that takes 14 seconds. Handling is nimble although the steering feels a bit rubbery in its responses. At lower speeds, the electric assistance makes manoeuvring the car simplicity itself and the minimal front and rear overhangs mean that it's easy to edge into even the tiniest parking places.

The 9.46m turning circle means that even if you spot a parking place on the other side of the road, you may be able to throw a quick U-turn to snaffle it. The 1.0-litre petrol unit is billed as the world's lightest production engine.

A five-speed manual transmission is the default choice, but Toyota's Multi-mode Manual Transmission is also available as an option, offering clutchless gear changing for those who want to take the drag out of city driving. Ride quality is surprisingly good for what is such a small and inexpensive runabout and the Aygo is one of those city cars that you wouldn't mind driving longer distances.

It's able to keep up with the cut and thrust of motorway driving, although you might need the odd downchange to keep the 67bhp engine on the boil.

The updates to the styling give the Aygo a neater, if slightly more anonymous face. The cheeky look of the old car has been replaced by something that looks cleaner but somehow more corporate.

Is this what a private buyer wants from a city car? I'm not 100 per cent certain on that score. Echoing some of the features that characterise the current Yaris, there is a wider front bumper, with integrated foglights at each corner and a large trapezoidal air intake. Optional LED daytime running lights set into the lower edge of the grille add further emphasis to the look. The upper front grille is more slender, while you might also spot a revised bonnet design, dark-tinted rear privacy glass for both three and five-door versions and 14in wheel trim designs. In the cabin, the look and feel of the fixtures and fittings has been improved. This higher perceived quality can be witnessed in a new dark grey finish for the upper and lower dashboard sections, while there's also a redesigned steering wheel finished with leather trim, plus paddle controls on the steering column for models using Toyota's Multimode automated manual transmission. While the Peugeot 107 and Citroen C1 appeal to a younger audience, it feels as if the Aygo has matured a bit and is targeting the sort of older customer who only needs a car for occasional journeys and doesn't desire bulk or expense as a result.

On this score, it's absolutely perfect and, going forward, Toyota might well be able to integrate its increasingly sophisticated electronics and information systems know-how to build a really premium model.

That's just conjecture though. What we do know is that right here, right now, the Aygo is still one of the most attractive city car purchases at any price. After a sticky spell, Toyota looks to be fighting back hard.