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Toyota Echo

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Comments

  • coolguyky7coolguyky7 Member Posts: 932
    I was very interested in the 2002 Camry up until this evening. I was pulling my mom's Avalon out of the side yard and into the garage. I found that maneuvering such a large vehicle is very hard, at least for me since I'm only 15 and have no experience in driving cars. The new Camry is only about 2 inches shorter than the Avalon so I assume it will be just the same story.
    This leads me to ask which would be better....a 2002 4 door ECHO or Corolla S. Both would be automatic and would be fully loaded bringing the ECHO to about $15300 and the Corolla to $17,000. I would special order these from the factory. Those prices are low because I get incentives from my parents working at Toyota. I want a safe, fuel efficient, and cheap to insure car that is fun to drive. I don't like the Corolla due to its boring interior and 2003 redesign. The ECHO has a 2003 refreshing (or should be in the average Toyota car cycle.) I can't decide whether $2000 is worth paying extra for a car that has cruise and a sunroof (Corolla.) But I'd be trading the fun and neat interior of the ECHO. Oh, I also like sitting up high and seeing all around me also. All opinions are welcomed!
    Oh, and a used Prius is possible. We can get used company cars with about 20k miles for 25% off the regular price. Those include Avalons, Camrys, Corollas, Priuses, RAV4s, Siennas, Sequoias, Solaras and Tundras. What is your take on a possible used Prius? I know it will hold up very well, its a Toyota....but I'm worried about wrecking it...and that whole electrical system becoming a problem in the untimely case of a serious wreck.
    Sorry one more point....about how much is it to have a cruise control installe don the ECHO? What type of post production sunroofs are available (as in function).
  • photoboyphotoboy Member Posts: 18
    Hello Echo owners out there! I am a photojournalist who puts about 1,200 miles a month on a vehicle at work. I presently drive a 2000 Ford Windstar that gets about 17 mpg around town where I do most of my driving. I have driven SUVs since the days they were called station wagons and vans most of my life and have had a handful of sports cars as extra vehicles. I am thinking seriously about buying an Echo. A fellow PJ just bought one and loves it. Another PJ friend is racking up another 150K plus miles on this third Tercel, so something tells me they are on to something. I have driven the new Honda Civic Coupe and like everything about it except the seating position (I'm 6'1", 210 pounds) and a grandfather of two beautiful girls, so I'm no spring chicken. I also have a trick back that makes getting in and out of vehicles very difficult. Although the Civic seems to be of Mercedes-Benz quality, the seating position and the price and arrogance of the dealers have me thinking real hard about the Echo. I have two basic questions. 1: No remote mirror controls? Can this be upgraded (can't find any vehicles with remotes anywhere)? And what about the wind noise from those mirrors? 2: Is the gas mileage really that good? I could almost pay for the thing in the monthly gas savings! The test drive I took made me think an automatic would be fine and probably better in case I get stuck in traffic, but in the real world is it zippy enough? The Civic automatic seemed dull compared to the 5-speed Civic. There are no 5-speed Echos to test drive so I am at your mercy here. Also, the herd has been pretty thinned out so I hope the '02s will start coming in soon. I could only find one 2-door in the greater Atlanta market and I find the 2-door much easier to get into. Sorry this post is so long. Thanks ahead of time for any info anyone can provide.
  • mcvarneymcvarney Member Posts: 8
    Regarding gas mileage, I believe the average for my last 10 tanks or so is above 41 MPG, and I don't think the Echo has gone below 39 MPG on any of those tanks (if I had my log here I could give specifics). Also, my last single-tank figure was 42.2 MPG.

    My Echo has the 5-speed, with which I can achieve much more than sufficient acceleration. But, I did test-drive the automatic and it seemed quick enough and shifted quite smoothly, although a more lengthy test would be necessary to confirm its acceleration. However, I do not recall reading any complaint about the automatic on this forum.

    The dealer from which I ordered the Echo has a "no-hassle" policy, which means that I bought the car at some fixed amount above invoice ($1000 comes to mind). In any case, I got it with the features described above (#2098) for a little more than $13,800 US. List was $14,330.
  • llemmonllemmon Member Posts: 4
    Try test driving the echo , corolla and the camary/solara.I would go with the 4 cyl camary or solara for comfort and the echo or corolla for gas mileage.I would personally buy the Echo 5spd for driving fun and gas mileage but for taking the trips you can not beat a Solara.
  • kaz6kaz6 Member Posts: 331
    yes, the lock buttons are the only source of rattles in my Echo. I don't have power locks so that leads me to believe it's a design flaw in the collar-my other cars have had 'felt' lining the collar to prevent plastic-to-plastic contact.
    Gas mpg has been consistent 36~ in mainly city driving. I have 5-spd 4-door and drive fast.
  • majorthomechomajorthomecho Member Posts: 1,331
    I would suggest getting the four door and not the two door. I say this because you mention having two grandchildren. You may find the two door easier to get into, but they will find the four door easier to get into.
  • majorthomechomajorthomecho Member Posts: 1,331
    I would check with your insurance agent. The difference in cost to insure between the Echo and the Corolla is another factor to consider.
  • ochmanskiochmanski Member Posts: 7
    is $14,800 a good price for a 4 door automatic with weather guard and upgrade package 1 and 2 plus key less entry? i should be able to pick my new ECHO up in the next couple of days. thanks for your help.
  • rjgeerjgee Member Posts: 27
    Well... almost..

    Vacation time!
    NY-> Las Vegas-> Phoenix-> Vegas (again)-> Atlantic City,NJ-> NY-> Ohio-> Back to NY
    7300 miles in 2 weeks.

    I'm quite happy to say that the car has proved comfortable, even after 10+ hours a day in it.

    Notes:

    Echos don't like doing 100. But they can!

    Echos don't like Utah. Too many ^%$#%! drivers! The scenery is nice though.

    Echos don't like being above 10000ft. You can hear the engine working pretty hard to stay at 55 - level ground. (and don't even think about 4th gear (overdrive off!))
  • majorthomechomajorthomecho Member Posts: 1,331
    Och, if that is all you are getting, that is not a good price. I went to Carsdirect.com and $14,800 for an Echo equipped the way you mention is $30 OVER the MSRP.
  • jhall7jhall7 Member Posts: 33
    I have a 2001 Echo, two door automatic. Initially, I was getting about 38 miles per gallon with a high of 41. With the same type gas and mostly highway driving, lately, I have been getting approximately 35.5.

    I use the air on low and do not drive radically.

    I can't think of anything that would cause this.

    Is anyone else getting this kind of mileage with a two door auto?

    Otherwise, the car runs and performs flawlessly.

    Thanks,
    Jack
  • rdeschenerdeschene Member Posts: 331
    A couple of things worth checking are: tires not under-inflated, air filter is clean. Other than that, a drop of 2 mpg seems pretty minor and would be hard to track down. I'm not sure we can realistically measure the volume of gas that accurately just using the pumps - getting into "trip computer with an inline fuel meter" territory.
  • babyboomerbabyboomer Member Posts: 205
    How do I fix rattling door lock buttons?
  • reggieinsocalreggieinsocal Member Posts: 1
    Hello,

    I bought a Seafoam Blue Metallic/4 Door/Automatic Echo on Saturday after owning a VW Rabbit for 20 years.

    I was wondering what you all are doing for Car Security, if anything? Do you have a car alarm? Do you use The Club?

    Thanks for the input!!
  • sfechosfecho Member Posts: 26
    Complain to your dealer, mine said if Toyota got enough complaints they would come up for a fix, which he said they did for RAV4 door locks.
  • photoboyphotoboy Member Posts: 18
    I appreciate the info, but still need my question answered about the remote mirrors if anyone has an answer or a solution. The question was whether one could actually get remote mirrors on the 2-door Echo and if not is there an after market fix. I find this one item a real stickler. As for advise on four-door over two-door, I hear you loud and clear, but I have no intent of ever putting my grandchildren in such a small vehicle with all these maniacs on the highway — we'll let him ride in the Windstar. Thanks again in advance.
  • majorthomechomajorthomecho Member Posts: 1,331
    The way side impact crash tests are conducted, you can compare the results among all the cars tested. The Echo got four stars for protecting rear seat occupants which is just as good as many, much larger vehicles.

    And remember, crash protection is only part of the safety equation. Accident avoidance is the other component. Consumer Reports rates it fairly high in that regard.

    Even if you don't carry your grandchild, get the four door. You will be glad you did if you take friends out.
  • majorthomechomajorthomecho Member Posts: 1,331
    Powered, remote mirrors are not an options on the Echo. That was one thing I miss when comparing the Echo to my Ford Escort. I wish Toyota had at least made the passenger mirror powered.

    I don't know if there is an aftermarket solution. You might try searching the topics in the aftermarket section here on Edmunds.
  • majorthomechomajorthomecho Member Posts: 1,331
    If you use the Armor All Cleaning Wipes, follow directions and do NOT use it on painted surfaces. I learned the hard way. Fortunately it was not on the Echo.

    I was cleaning the Escort and ran a cleaning wipe over the headlights control stalk. Took the painted symbols right off.
  • ml91ml91 Member Posts: 26
    Vehicle security? I drove a Tercel (which would be about as attractive to a thief as an Echo) for six years. The Tercel had a Pursuit alarm system which the dealer installed for about $300 extra, and I also had a CD player with a removable face plate. No one ever broke into the car in the six years that I owned it, and I regularly parked the car on the street at night in just about every large city in New England and New York. I also got a discount on my insurance because of the alarm system. The "Club"? It is not terribly difficult to remove it from the steering wheel; someone who really wants to steal your car could remove the "Club" in a very short amount of time.
  • jhall7jhall7 Member Posts: 33
    I discovered another interesting situation today that might also affect mileage.

    My 2 door Echo, when cold, will not shift into high gear. If the blue light remains on, the car will not go into OD. This can take several minutes and/or miles to take place.

    The temperature is very warm here. It makes me wonder what will happen when it gets extremely cold this winter.

    When reading on this board of others getting high 30's and even low 40's all around driving, it is curious to me that I can't do better than the mid 30's on the highway.

    Has anyone else experienced the automatics not shifting into OD for extended periods, and until the blue light goes out?

    Thanks,
    Jack
  • lleroilleroi Member Posts: 112
    I can think of some unpainted surfaces where these "wipes"could be dangerous too.
  • lynnann1lynnann1 Member Posts: 85
    I had the same concern regarding the car not shifting into OD until the blue (cold engine) light goes out. Since I bought my car last summer this was not noticeable until the weather got colder and it took longer for the car to warm up. This is normal - blue light on = no OD, but the car will shift up as soon as the engine is warm.

    Drove from Newark Delaware to Greencastle PA this past weekend for my oldest son's wedding - about a three hour drive - less than 1/2 tank one way. Did not calculate the mileage, due to thinking about other things. I matched my car for the wedding- silver/gray dress - silver ECHO - husband black tux, silver vest and tie. The color coordination was not intentional.

    On the way home saw a 2-door ECHO with no wording on back, it was missing ECHO across the trunk and Toyota under the left back light. There appeared to be no holes where the letters might have been. Very strange, I guess it makes it unique.
  • amaranthamaranth Member Posts: 13
    Hmm... I tried to post this once before, but it doesn't seem to gone up there (no error, though). I'll try to recreate what I said:

    Regarding manual transmissions & shifting techniques, some people seem to say that it was bad to put the car in neutral while slowing down and coasting. I always figured it was better than riding the clutch, and under normal circumstances downshifting through the gears to slow down seems rather painful. Of course, I don't do this in dangerous or tricky conditions (like ice or rain or down a steep hill), but I seem to get better gas mileage when I drive this way.

    Additionally, I sometimes find it interesting to shift without using the clutch at all (really!). If you do it correctly (at the right speed/rpm), you can slide it right in. And even if you get it wrong, it doesn't grind the gears or anything -- it just won't go in. I don't think I've managed to get this to work when downshifting, only upshifting. At any rate, I don't do this very often, and it never feels like anything is scraping or bad, but I was wondering if there was anything terrible about it. (BTW: I've been able to do this on my 1st stick shift car, a '91 Ford Escort; my last car, a '98 Neon; and the Echo.)
  • redechopodredechopod Member Posts: 5
    Hi all,
    I have a 2001 red echo and it is starting to squeak when I back up and turn the wheel to the left. It started out only occaisionally but now it is pretty consistent. Does anyone have any idea how this may be improved? Otherwise, no problems. Love this little car.

    Thanks
  • majorthomechomajorthomecho Member Posts: 1,331
    How to improve it? Yeah, let the dealer look at it. ; )
  • majorthomechomajorthomecho Member Posts: 1,331
    If you really have a valid warning to give, I would like to hear it.
  • jhall7jhall7 Member Posts: 33
    Could you tell me how long it took for your Echo to shift into OD when it was cold? Say 20 or 30 degrees above.

    What is the purpose of having the Echo doing this?

    Congratulations concerning your son's wedding!

    Thanks,
    Jack
  • coolguyky7coolguyky7 Member Posts: 932
    Just one simple question...

    What ECHO color do you like best?
  • lynnann1lynnann1 Member Posts: 85
    From what I've been told, the purpose of not having the car go into overdrive until the blue light goes out allows the engine to warm up faster. My ECHO shifts into OD almost immediately after the blue (cold engine) light goes out. It will not shift up until the light goes out.

    It doesn't take long for it to warm up. In warm weather the light is out before I'm out of my neighborhood - about a quarter mile. In winter, depending on how cold it is and whether I warm up the car or not (longer warm-up if I have to scrape ice and snow), it can take up to a mile of driving time -- really not long at all.

    It was a bit disconcerting at first because I thought something was wrong with the car, but now that I know it's supposed to be that way, I have no problems. My husband says our mini-van with the torque converter lock-up is the same way, but for some reason after driving it for ten years, I never noticed it. It could be because the Toyota shifts to OD at a little lower speed than the van does.

    To Coolguy - I like my silver best, but the sea foam blue is also nice.
  • majorthomechomajorthomecho Member Posts: 1,331
    I like all the colors, but I like black the best which is why I bought a black Echo. But it is a pain to keep clean.

    The Seafoam blue is pretty snazzy.
  • majorthomechomajorthomecho Member Posts: 1,331
    As I was going to pick my roommate up yesterday, I could see another Echo up ahead. I did not think I would be able to get a close look, but do to the way the stoplights changed, I was able to pull behind it at a stoplight.

    It was a seafoam blue sedan from Wisconsin. That might not be too unusual if I lived in Michigan, but I live in Missouri so they were a ways away from home.

    They stayed in front of me and in the same lane for a couple of stoplights before the young female driver shifted over one lane to the right.

    I used this as an opportunity to pull up somewhat alongside. The driver of the other Echo had her car almost into the intersection so the front of my Echo was about even with the back of the front door.

    I honked and all the occupants turned to look. I mouthed the words, "nice car," and I received smiles, chuckles, and a "yours too" in return.

    Later on, I saw a green Echo. I was too far back to see if it was a four door or a two door.

    From what I have seen though, the conclusion could be drawn that four door Echoes are more popular in Kansas City than two door Echoes.
  • tracey8tracey8 Member Posts: 6
    Indigo blue is the best. When i went to buy my car (2001 indigo blue, four door, automatic) there were a ton of silver and black ones on the lot but there was a gorgeous blue one in the showroom. It took several weeks to get one and i've only ever seen one other blue echo. btw, it looks great with the bug deflector and splash guards.
  • coolguyky7coolguyky7 Member Posts: 932
    I liked the brilliant blue pearl the best.....but now I'm really warming up on the Seafoam Blue. I think it's the perfect color for this kind of car...but it looks bad on a car like a Camry (which has a new light blue called Catalina Blue.) I kind of think Seafoam is just a little flashy, or isn't it?
  • coolguyky7coolguyky7 Member Posts: 932
    Does anyone have an aftermarket sunroof installed in their ECHO? Does anyone have experience with aftermarket sunroofs? If so...are they worth getting? How about wind noise, quality look and fitness with (any) the car? What does a sliding aftermarket moonroof run about with purchase and installation?

    Has anyone found good success an in aftermarket cruise control also for the ECHO? I'd definitely get an ECHO if Toyota had these options...although I guess they aren't that hard to get on the aftermarket.
  • blue_echoblue_echo Member Posts: 24
    Hey tracey8, I thought I was the only one with the electric blue! But then, I see you're not really near Brooklyn... I have yet to see another one. I test drove a gold and almost bought it, then heard the salesman describe the dark blue as "Lexus blue," thinking he would talk me into buying a car. They weren't getting a blue one for a couple of weeks, so I drove up to New Rochelle, saw one in the showroom and bought it there. Recently a Seafoam moved onto my block. It's nice, but a little too greenish for my taste. I think my second choice would be red. Where did you get the splash guards and bug shield?
  • majorthomechomajorthomecho Member Posts: 1,331
    They had an indigo blue Echo at the auto show back in March, but you know, I have not seen a single one actually on the streets.
  • mdrewmdrew Member Posts: 32
    I liked seafoam blue by far the best when the Echo first came out, and bought one a little over a year ago. Since then I've started to like silver, green and indigo blue the more I see 'em on the street. But silver's such a common color nowadays (with all cars); I still kind of like the 'differentness' of the light blue. The car has been a dream with no problems whatsoever (knock on wood-no rattles).

    (By the way, re: overdrive not kicking in with the blue light on, the Echo owner's manual says just that--it's not supposed to.)
  • babyboomerbabyboomer Member Posts: 205
    Since the summer heat of south Georgia is intense I knew I wanted a lighter color Echo. Thought the white would be my choice to reflect those rays until I spotted a silver. Also read in Consumer Reports that silver was the most common color chosen by new car owners so should be easy to resell (although I keep my cars until the wheels fall off). My parents had a black car with black interior and it was an oven. Vowed I would never buy that combination. Just seems logical that lighter colors will keep the inside cooler. Thought white would be showing dirt too easily so driving a beautiful silver Echo.

    Found a solution, maybe temporarily, to my rattling door button. I put a short piece of electrical tape around the stem, not too thick so it will lock, and no more rattle. Didn't realize how much that rattle was annoying me so glad my tape is keeping it quiet. Originally I thought the rattle was a wire in the door panel vibrating but found the real source by reaching over while driving and holding the stem against the housing.
  • tracey8tracey8 Member Posts: 6
    Hi Blue Echo!
    When i went into my dealership to get my car seat tethers replaced, i was looking at the car pamphlets and noticed they had a toyota accessories one. In it were all the things you could buy for their lineup of cars. I chose the bug deflector ($79), the splash guards ($49) and the cargo net ($46). (these are Canadian prices)
    It took about 45 minutes and I think they made my car look sportier.
  • janbeejanbee Member Posts: 127
    I just finished washing my black ECHO and noticed about 3 scratches (just above the passenger front tire well and just below the hood, its between the two) Its only noticeable at certain angles so Its not deep, it kinda looks like a claw slashed it...lol..is there a product that I can just rub and wipe off that would smooth them out?? I have some nu finish would that work???
  • jhall7jhall7 Member Posts: 33
    Thanks for the explanation. Makes sense.

    I won't concern myself with it any more.

    By the way, saw a seafoam blue Echo in Lexington. If I hadn't gotten an unbelievable deal on the black one, I would have bought the blue. Great color for this car design.

    Thanks again,
    Jack
  • echorickechorick Member Posts: 27
    I drive 60 miles per day on California Freeways and city streets. I have put 6,000 miles on my 2 door 5 speed since I bought it. I have never felt a crosswind problem that I thought was unsafe or uncomfortable. That mileage includes going on overpasses in windy mountain passes.

    Yes, I have felt the wind, but never in a manner that I considered uncomfortable or unsafe.

    The ECHO is a great car. Buy it and enjoy it.
  • ml91ml91 Member Posts: 26
    I have not purchased an Echo (yet), but I have a lot of experience driving compact and sub-compact cars. ALL sub-compact cars are moved around a bit by wind gusts. I have not found this to be dangerous when driving at or near the posted speed limit; it can be a bit annoying at times, though. People who dislike feeling their car buffeted by wind gusts should avoid small, light-weight cars in general.
  • ml91ml91 Member Posts: 26
    I was looking at reviews of the Echo at www.carpoint.com. There are more than 100 consumer reviews, and only one is negative (something about an annoying noise when driving with the rear windows open). The three editorial reviews were also favorable. I think this is very impressive for any vehicle, especially an economy car. 99% of Echo owners seem very satisfied with the car, despite the reviews by the staff of Edmunds.
  • ml91ml91 Member Posts: 26
    Red and black are my favorite Echo colors; silver isn't bad either.
  • coolguyky7coolguyky7 Member Posts: 932
    All of those people are right, except one of course! I don't see how anyone can not like the ECHO. It has much more flair than Focus and looks much more fun to drive.
  • ml91ml91 Member Posts: 26
    The Focus is probably fun to drive also; however, all the recalls by Ford concern me.
  • coolguyky7coolguyky7 Member Posts: 932
    Ford is having a lot of trouble right now with all of those recalls...and then there's the whole Explorer fiasko. Focus looks more conservative than an ECHO, so I think ECHO looks like more fun...just my opinion.
  • ochmanskiochmanski Member Posts: 7
    i will be part of the ECHO family on monday night. i decided on a red four door auto with packages one and two plus key less entry and the weather guard. my price out the door will be 14000. i look forward to posting my ECHOING adventures! what has some your average mpgs in the first couple of gas tanks been? either auto or manual. happy ECHOING!
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