2005 Toyota ECHO Base review from North America

I had this car while on vacation during the month of May for 9 days. It was a rental that I got while in Vancouver.

The car never had anything go wrong with it during my time with it (as is expected with most Toyotas ;) )

The car was a blast, and the fuel economy was great esp considering the a/c was on for a lot of stop and go city driving (very hard on cars).

I drove the heck outta this little car, and was able to get a great overall impression of it.

Overall, the car makes a great commuter. Road noise is a bit too noisey at times (esp. on the highway).

THe only real complaint I have of the car is the horrible turning radius! I had 1st noticed this on a rental Hyundai Accent, and never thought I'd re-experience this again, esp. on a Toyota model. Very inappropriate IMHO!!! My 88 BMW 3 seies, and 97 Escort do not perform this poorly in turning!

Overall, the car makes a great commuter with many miles expected out of it. I really would not have problems recommending this little car to others who want a reliable, cheap, and neat car.

Considering the asking price for a new model, I'd recommend looking into a used Hybrid Prius, that'll get better fuel economy, as well as better performance overall.

Another great feature wiht the car, is the many cubby-holes in the dash, and the doors for storing many little items i.e. change, digital camera, maps, etc.