Thursday, October 04, 2007

Only you go and Aygo

You may go in a Yugo, or the slightly less catchy Zastava, but these days I go in an Aygo. This modern motoring miracle has replaced the ageing Pug that used to grace the drive in front of my house. And why exactly am I raving about it? I am able to swan around town, smug in the knowledge that I am creating a lot less CO2 than most other cars on the road, short of expensive hybrids and those rather unstable looking electric ones. Now I am not naive enough to claim that this is real full on eco-warrior behaviour. After all I didn't cause any pollution whilst riding my two wheeled transport option, however cycling will still be part of my weekly commuting cycle.

No it is not really green because the old car wasn't scrapped - it lives on. So personally I have added to the world total CO2 emissions by buying a new car - it is just that I am the legal owner of less of it than I was a few weeks ago. Fuel-wise the car appears to run on fresh air. I haven't had to visit the filling station yet, and nor do I expect to any time soon. It is more frugal than a Chancellor Brown budget and I may have to have some sort of festivity when I first have to find a forecourt dispensing fuel.

It ticks a number of boxes so far, and I was very pleased when some colleagues complimented it on its roomy interior and ample access through several of the four doors and a sort of window hatch to what is laughingly called a boot. To squeeze four full sized humans into such compact dimensions, the designers have had to compromise on the load carrying capacity. Despite positioning the wheels attractively, one at each corner, the space behind the surprisingly comfy seats is only really suitable for a couple of squashy overnight bags. Best leave behind the matching set of designer luggage or the grandfather clock that you picked up at the musty antique shop, as these are not going to cut it. If you can persuade a couple of your rear-seat passengers that they would like to walk home then this opens up the option of folding the split rear seats and a whole vista of payload conveying options opens up, as long as these items fit through that hatch or can be crammed through the doors left open by your departing travellers.

Am I pleased with it? You bet I am, and would recommend one for any card carrying left-ward thinking, environmentally-concious middle-aged male, or anyone that knows one.

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