Faults:

Changed the water pump under warranty at 114 000 km; but this again it was my fault.

I left the car outside at a temperature of -25 C for about 24 hours and I put it in the garage afterwards, but I didn't wait for the engine to warm up. Consequently the drastic change of temperature (from -25 C to +21 C) caused some metallic component of the water pump to expand and the coolant started leaking.

General Comments:

I own the 5-door hatchback model and this car is simply perfect! It is really really reliable (the so well known bullet-proof reliability of Toyota) and really really fuel-efficient. The Echo is really cheap in maintenance since all the parts are easy to access, they don't cost you a fortune and the car has a timing chain instead of a belt.

In really cold weather (-15 C to -20 C) I've obtained an average of 7.5L / 100km. Stats Canada show 6.7L in the city and 5.4L on the highway; but these are only theoretical numbers calculated in PERFECT driving conditions.

The front and rear seats are very comfortable and really high. While driving you have a very good visibility of the road. Trust me, the fact that the speed indicator is in the middle of the dashboard is really not a problem!

The car is small but inside it feels like a Camry or a Corolla. Toyota put a lot of storage spaces in it. I was able to fit a couch in the hatch!

The only things I didn't like about it is the fact that the suspension is maybe a bit soft, since you tend to bend a lot in stiff turns; the engine can be noisy since it has a timing chain and not a belt; the ventilation tends to be really noisy also when positioned at the highest power.

The rest is pretty OK. This car is perfect for a student or for anyone who is looking for a simple fuel-efficient and reliable car to drive around the city, or get from point A to point B in safety and lower costs.

Faults:

Needs a new fan belt.

General Comments:

This car rocks. I had a black sleek '95 Pontiac Trans Am that I absolutely loved. BUT it was in the shop every other day it seemed, and as the years went by and the gas prices got higher, I found more and more reasons not to go anywhere.

I then bought a '96 Toyota Paseo to boot around in; I loved it but it was small, and I was worried about getting into an accident, which I did. A minor one, but it was a write off and I got 4,000.

So I didn't want to put my Trans Am back on the road, and I decided to get either a Corolla or an ECHO. I had had enough with 2 doors and getting people in and out, and decided a 4 door was in order. I searched Craigslist and was just about to buy a Corolla when I saw this 04 4 door sedan Toyota ECHO listed. I couldn't believe that I got it down to 4,500 because it had 164,000 kms. The car had come from Nova Scotia, and the couple who lived up north would come back and forth from there to Vancouver so it was basically all highway anyway. Now, for the Americans, this is NOT miles.

It was also a standard (transmission) and I love that. I have had the car for a few months now and love it more and more. It does need a fan belt, but that is not affecting anything.

The car is CHEAP CHEAP on gas. Did I mention cheap? Maybe because it's standard it gets even better gas mileage. I filled it up the other day - $22.00. I thought there was something wrong with the pump and the attendant came out and tried it and said that my tank was full. I was shocked.

There are so many little compartments to put things in, and they are all hidden away in nifty places.

The car only came with a basic CD MP3 system, but it kicks butt. I burn MP3s off Limewire and boot around town with my booming stereo.

The seats are SO comfortable and the headrest is perfect. My lower back has prblems, but these seats don't cause it a dent.

The dash has a little blue thermometer which goes on when the car is cold, and if the car is hot it would show. This car never overheats.

Driving is smooth, tight, and easy to maneuver around. It doesn't have a lot of power so I am glad I got the standard, but I get what I need and that is fine with me.

There is no tachometer and I think it should have one. I don't care, but for those who need one, I believe the '05 has it.

I notice the reverse gear doesn't always go in smoothly, and I don't know what that is caused by, but someone said maybe it needs to be synched. Who knows?