I have had absolutely nothing go wrong with the car other than having to replace the windshield wiper blades once.
The car is perfect for city driving and is very easy to park due to its size. I have not had to use it on the highway much, but did notice it sways a bit in high cross winds when traveling at higher speeds.
The car is very roomy inside compared to the VW Beetle that I had before the Echo. The panel and controls aren't as cramped as in the Beetle. It is also much better on gas.
Cost was definitely a factor when deciding on the Echo. I took over someone else's lease after one year with plans to purchase it after the lease expires.
I like the sporty look of the car although the tires are a bit dinky-toy-looking. It has been quite satisfactory on city roads in the winter and I do live in a part of the country that gets a lot of snow. However, I wouldn't want to be doing a lot of winter highway driving because of the small tires.
"sporty look"?--are you joking??