Faults:

Brakes worn after 56,000km.

Belts noisy at 50,000km.

Warranty recall to add more rustproofing to underside of body (cost covered by Toyota)

Lower plastic grille on front becomes partly detached at times.

General Comments:

This car is compact on the outside and large on the inside. I am 6' tall and the headroom is good, but still find the leg room cramped while driving with the seat all the way back.

This 4 door Echo takes up very little space in a single car garage.

The center mounted dash board gauges are a bit odd at first, but OK after a while.

This car strains a bit and makes some engine noise to go fast or pass, but it gets the job done when asked to do so. Cross winds tend to be an issue sometimes for road holding ability.

The trunk is roomy for a small car and the back seats fold down for more room.

The basic sound system speakers lack low end and high end. I know this is an entry level car, but I think it could have been a little bit better.

The seats are stiff and firm with a close knit fabric, perhaps a bit more longer lasting, but a bit short on comfort.

This car is good for low speed, around town or city driving. This car is small in some ways, but with the 15" wheels as an option, the driving height is about the same as a camry, this also makes entry and exit a breeze.

Faults:

Rattle in the rear window.

Possible bearings in the alternator.

General Comments:

A great car, in every direction... except your friends. As they belittle you about driving an economy car, little do they know that you are paying half for your gas, half for repairs, and probably have more interior room.

Unless you've been in one before, don't comment on the interior room. It is massive, the trunk space is massive. The gas mileage is great, even while speeding. Cruise control is definitely a plus. No real repairs to date.

It is a very peppy car, beating all econo boxes in acceleration. The variable timing helps it cruise along with 4 passengers, even with the A/C on.

The only complaint I have is my friends who think otherwise!

Faults:

Sometimes a vibrating rattle when stopped. A couple times it down shifted on level road for no reason. Air conditioner could be better.

General Comments:

A very good small car. Lot's of room and 38 to 40 m.p.g.

Faults:

...and that statement is not "I am cheap." It's "I am a smart shopper."

I've only owned this car for a little while. Nothing has gone wrong with it aside from a few things that were fixed by the dealership at the time of purchase. These include:

*Rear defroster repaired.

*Antenna lubed (it was stuck in the retracted position).

*Plastic grille on front of the car was snapped back into position.

*A small plastic piece of trim was re-attached.

General Comments:

The ECHO is great for singles, college kids, or people who just want a good, solid compact car and can pass on the frills. When I pay for a car, I like to think my money is going toward the manufacturing of a reliable vehicle... not into a light-up cup holder or musical ash tray. On the other hand, there are a couple of things that are not standard on the ECHO that I would have liked to have, such as anti-lock brakes.

The ECHO handles responsively, turns tightly, and drives well in rain, snow, etc. It does lean a bit in strong winds. Otherwise, you really don't feel as if you're driving a small, lightweight car. The interior is extremely roomy and the driver sits high. But again, you'll feel how light the car is when you go to pop the hood or roll down the window. My Pontiac required the strength of 20 men to pop the hood... not so with the ECHO.

I can't really comment on reliability yet, since I've only had the car for 2 months. But judging from other reviews and ratings, I expect few problems.

A lot has been said about the ECHO's peculiar stylings. Although my last car was sleek, I was ready for a change. I've always been a fan of the slightly un-glamorous appearance of certain cars, like Volkswagens. At any rate, I'll take my quirky-looking ECHO over an unreliable sports car with poor fuel economy any day.