2005 Toyota Echo Base model 1.5L from North America

Summary:

Very good

Faults:

Nothing.

General Comments:

Overall this car has been great, not that I expected anything else.

I do have a couple minor complaints:

1) Annoying plastic rattles, not all the time, but they seem to come and go, and sometimes it is difficult to pinpoint what exactly is causing it. The door lock slides for example have a lot of play, and are constantly causing noise.

2) Shifting into reverse isn't very smooth, sometimes it's hard to put it into reverse, and I have to put it into 1st and then into reverse. Also, when slightly rolling backwards and trying to put it into reverse, it grinds, even though the clutch is fully engaged.

Also shifting into 1st is difficult most of the time.

All of the above is quite minor, especially considering the cost of the car. The fuel economy is great. I was getting 6.5-7 L/100 km during winter with snow tires. I am expecting 5.5 -6 during the summer.

Reliability is obviously the main strength of this car. Performance is quite decent for a 1.5 L. My old Corolla had 1.6 L (and was much older), but had a lot less pep to it.

The lack of tachometer and even a clock (!!!) on the base model is quite unpleasant, but no big deal.

Overall the car is very good, very cheap to own, the comfort is quite good (you sit almost like in an SUV), and it has adequate power.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 26th March, 2011

28th Mar 2011, 17:44

I've got an 05 Echo, too. Bought it used in 07, and I couldn't be happier with it.

It's been four years, and not one single thing has gone wrong with it. People say it's slow, and ugly, but I like its look. It's different. It's not fast, but it's peppy, and I have fun driving it. The 1.5 litre engine is very durable, and fuel efficient.

It's hard to understand why Americans rejected this car, yet embraced the awful Aveo in its first couple of years.

30th Mar 2011, 20:59

Very true.

And Aveo is inferior to Echo in all ways, from what I've heard.

I didn't know that the Americans embraced it, must be because it's a Chevy, although it is built by Koreans on the Deawoo platform.

31st Mar 2011, 17:55

Yeah, it's hard to believe, but the Aveo was the number one selling subcompact in the US for a year or two. That quickly changed once gas prices fell a bit, and people realized this Daewoo was not a very good car at all.

2005 Toyota Echo Sedan B 1.5 4 cylinder from North America

Summary:

Best of its class

Faults:

Nothing.

General Comments:

This is the third Echo we've owned, and the best one too.

50,000 km. in nine months is a good workout for any car, and at forty plus miles per gallon, amazingly economical as well.

The package B options include ABS brakes, and these brakes are the best we've ever had, including our Volvo 850.

A higher than average seat and ease of entrance and exit make an extra comfortable car for seniors, but a power seat option would have been nice.

In the winter, we missed the heavy snow crushing feel of our Volvo, but with real snow tires, it sticks to the road alright.

The air conditioning has been both adequate and problem free. These are made in Japan; maybe that makes a difference.

One very minor complaint: we've had Toyota Tercel, the immediate predecessor of this model, back to 1987, and those cars and the Echo share a common two inch metal piece where the front seats bolt to the carpet. This piece of metal completely turns a rust color within two years, and has in all three Echos and all Tercels, clear back to 1987 - time to write a new spec Toyota!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 11th July, 2010

22nd Nov 2010, 19:00

Mine rusted on that spot where the seat attaches. LOL.

Best most comfortable car I ever owned... We have the 2004 ECHO hatchback. Went from Ontario Canada in 2008 to Clearwater Florida on about 80 bucks gas. :)

You can't beat that...