Toyota Echo

kneisl1 · December 2005

You could disconnect the fuse in the fusebox for the parking lights. It would be a lot easier.

pulgo · December 2005

By the way it is a 1.4 liter diesel that is sold in many countries. To be very exact it's displacement is 1.364 liters, with 75 horsepower or 55 Kilowatts.

From the German Toyota website:

Motorentechnologie

Anzahl Zylinder 4
Motorbauart Reihenmotor
Ventiltrieb DOHC
Zylinderbohrung 73 mm
Zylinderhub 81,5 mm
tatsächlicher Hubraum in ccm 1364
Verdichtungsverhältnis 18.5:1
Motorleistung in KW bei Umdrehung 55 KW/4000 upm
Motorleistung in PS bei Umdrehung 75 PS/4000 upm
Maximales Drehmoment 170 Nm bei 2000-2800 upm
Höchstgeschwindigkeit 170 km/h
Beschleunigung von 0 - 100 Km/h 12,6 sec

kneisl1 · December 2005

I promise Toyota I will buy your diesel ECHO or Yaris if you bring it. Ive been especially good this year. My understanding is that the German car manufactures cant understand the logic at all behind hybrid cars. They think they are a joke on the consumer ie pay $$$$ more for a car which will save you one quarter of that in fuel costs over its lifetime. They much prefer the diesel car. But they acknowledge Americans seem to be brainwashed into hybrids so that what they have to do. Id so much rather have the diesel!

pulgo · December 2005

I would so much enjoy 63.6 MPG! If you factor in all the resources that go into building a hybrid, the selling price including taxes, there is no way you can ever recover all those costs compared to a Echo (Yaris) Diesel, not even in 500k miles!

jordis · December 2005

I read all the comments you people made about the Yaris, which I want to buy when it gets here, New Jersey, USA.
Not even one comment about the front leg room which is most important for us six footers. I am buying the 2 doors any way, it is easier to get in and out, but I wonder how can I drive it with only 40.1 inches at the front leg room. Ofcourse I would not dare to buy anything but automatic!. Accent 2006 is coming with 42.8 inches front leg room, but a Hyundai can not be compare to a Toyota!.
Can any one tell me whether there is enough leg room for a tall driver?. There are tall men in Canada! and in Europe. How can they manage?"> :confuse:

kneisl1 · December 2005

Well I would just test drive one at the dealers before you buy it. Do you know how much front leg froom the ECHO has? Im 5' 11" and its comfortable for me.

jordis · December 2005

Yes, 41.1 inches

">

babyboomer · December 2005

Critics say the posted city and hwy MPGs are not true since the testing is done in a lab under unreal conditions. For example, Accord Hybrid buyers are disappointed that the actual mileage is less than expected. Edmund reviewers tell us the actual road trip mileage, but buyers are disappointed when their new car gets mileage lower than advertised. When will the realistic numbers be in the ads and on the window stickers?

kneisl1 · December 2005

The Accord Hybrid is a true horror show. A V6 engine with battery assist that is meant only to improve its already insane acceleration, not to improve gas mileage. You would think those extreme conservationalists (ELP?)who set fire to the ski resort in Colorado and Hummeers in California would get a bunch of Accord Hybrids together, soak the cars and themselves in gasoline and burn them up altogether in a great act of protest. What a good idea!
I suspect however having watched other people driving that the testing isnt entirely to blame for the poor results of hybrids mileage. Although I am able to squeeze 40 mpg from my ECHO in local driving, there are very few people who drive as conservativly as I do. I am reminded of rats in a cage when I see drivers in Philly.

dgecho2 · December 2005

I have a chance to get a 2000 echo locally here [Alabama]
that has 25 K miles and is loaded with all of the options [package 1 and 2 as well as rear defrost] as well as alloy wheels for $6000. Car exterior has slight left front body damage and a number of superficial scrapes on doors and bumpers. Mechanically and interior-wise it is fine. Clean CARFAX record.Good deal???
thanks,
Don

kneisl1 · December 2005

Yes I would say so. I would guess that the local dealer would ask $8k for that car. Any way to confirm the maintenance has been done? Buying from the origional owner?

rjgee · December 2005

The exhaust pipe on this car is 1 piece, which includes the catalytic converter. It goes all the way from the exhaust manifold to the muffler. When it starts to rust through, as mine just has, you're in for an expensive bill. The part itself is almost $900 from Toyota, and no aftermarket ones exist yet. (and yes, I've already tried a patch kit.)

kneisl1 · December 2005

It this parts warrantied by TOYota for the life of the car including labor if it fails? (as the muffler is according to the owners manual) Why couldnt you get a specialty shop to make an exhaust pipe up with a generic converter? How many miles on the car BTW?

dgecho2 · December 2005

Got the echo [2000] I mentioned sveral posts ago and need to replace the spark plugs. No manuals were in the vehicle so is anyone out there with a manual for 2000-2002 that can give me the info for manually tightening spark plugs w/o a torque wrench i.e. 1/2 a turn of the plug after it contacts the cylinder head, etc. The vehicle was actually in PA and got it thru ebay- interior not so clean but the engine ran very well for the 900 plus mile trip!
Thanks in advance,
Don Gillespie

kneisl1 · December 2005

The service manual only specifies a torque of 13 ft lbs. It doesnt give a rotation spec. I would turn it about 1/4 turn after contact with old plugs and something more than 1/2 turn with new plugs. Actually I just go by feel. I would visually check the plug wells for debris before removing.

arbyecho · January 2006

I am a new owner of an Echo(2005), but not a stranger to Toyotas. Can anyone tell me the best way to replace the engine air filter? I would also like to know if there is a specific socket for the spark plugs......thanks.

kneisl1 · January 2006

I have a 2001 which just requires you unclip the four clip and separate the two halves of the air filter box. You might remove the clamp and pull off the large hose (air intake) going into it.
A standard 5/8 inch sparkplug socket will remove the plugs. Itll have to have a rubber insert to hold the plug. Incidently, if the insert fits the plug too tightly it can pull the socket off the six inch extension youll also need. (and leave the socket with the plug down in the engine) I spray the rubber insert with WD40 and test beforehand to make sure the plug will come out easily.

arbyecho · January 2006

Thanks very much for the answer. Unfortunately the 2005 air filter box has 2 electrical clips , the air intake hose , and it appears that you must take all this stuff off as well as the intake hose . the box has 2 clips and a rear hinge. I think the 1.5 in my 2005 is a little different than the 2001. The other thing is that a standard 5/8 is too large to fit into the plug hole. I am used to the deep plug recess because my '95 Corolla is similar, but I think the Echo may have a special socket. Because its so new there is not a lot of info available yet.I guess I'll have to talk nicely to a Toyota mechanic.

kneisl1 · January 2006

When you find out what the deal is with the plugs let us know!

moparblue2 · January 2006

We have 04 Echo 1.5 engine. I took out spark plugs to check them & regap. I do not remember witch spark plug socket I used. But I only have the two standard spark plug sockets in my tool box. Remember to use anti seize when replacing the plugs. If you ever want to take them back out.

nippononly · January 2006

just bought an '02 4-door, manual shift, 60K miles. Have been driving it around for a few days, really like it so far. My question is this: so far I have done 345 miles on this tank of gas, the fuel gauge is still only just below the 1/4 line. How much gas is left when the needle gets down to 'E'? I am hoping I might be getting 40 mpg, but of course I won't know until I fill it up. My experience with Toyotas has been that they always have a couple of gallons left in the tank when the needle gets to 'E'.

Also, does this car have a low-fuel warning light?

kneisl1 · January 2006

There is a fuel pump icon that blinks. But that wont happen until your fuel gauge is much lower than 1/4 tank. It looks to me you ARE on track for 40 mpg, perhaps more. When that needle gets close to E the fuel pump icon will blink and you WILL NOT have a few gallons of gas left.

nippononly · January 2006

well, the gas near me has gone up $0.30/gallon in the last 10 days, including a nickel since yesterday, so I figured I wouldn't wait, and just filled it up.

I ended up with 38 mpg on the first tank, using 9 1/2 gallons of gas. Obviously, this is preliminary, and I will be averaging in the future. But 38 seems pretty good for all in-town, suburban driving, even if I WAS hoping for 40. I will try harder with the next tank. :-)

Love this car so far, it is so minimalist! I know it has a lot of hard plastic inside, but they got all the important stuff right - the HVAC and wiper/turn signal controls all move smoothly just as they should in a Toyota, the door handles feel solid and move fluidly when you use them, it has great stereo speakers (6x9 on the back deck, yes!) that really perform if you stick in a decent high-powered stereo, and it rides over bad pavement without tossing you around or jarring everyone and spilling your coffee. It gets up and goes, and it stops quickly.

And I think I can get 40 mpg in my daily driving if I try hard enough! All that, plus comfy front seats that also give rear seat riders plenty of foot room underneath, just the right ride height (it's small, but the roof is high enough that those monster SUVs can still see you), and strong A/C.

I am waiting to see the Yaris in person to decide if I lost out by not waiting, but from everything I have read, there won't be a lot of tangible advantages to the Yaris over the Echo, except better looks and maybe a sprinkling of nicer interior materials.

kneisl1 · January 2006

It is also colder now so that will drop your mileage some. Im getting 36-38 now in the winter with all local driving. I do 40-42 in the summer.
The Yaris is also heavier by several hundred pounds so it wont accelerate or get as good mpg as the ECHO. I could wish my ECHO was a hatchbac though.

reba05 · January 2006

I can get about 400-440 miles per tank. The low fuel light will blink when it is down to 2 gallons and I usually don't push the limit, I will fill it up at that point just in case.

arbyecho · January 2006

I bit the bullet and figured out the spark plug change on the Echo. A 5/8 slim plug socket and a 6-8inch extension. First you remove the VVT-i plastic cover(10mm cap screws) and then you remove the 10mm bolt from the small coil on top of the plug lead.Then pull the coil,lead and all out of the plug hole,in one piece. Hook your extension to the rachet and 5/8 socket,drop it over the plug,and crank them out. Its a good idea to put a couple of strips of electrical tape inside the socket, to keep the plug from falling out. The plug hole is deep. I kept a telescoping magnet handy, in case I had to go plug fishing...Good Luck.

nippononly · January 2006

I am shooting for a full 400 miles on this tank before I fill up. :-)

moparblue2 · January 2006

We have 04 Echo 5 speed. With help from cruise & K & N air filter. We get 36 to 38 mpg. in town. But then on the hwy. We get up to 57 mpg. at 55 mph. At 75 mph. freeway speed we get 45 mpg. all the time. The K & N air fiter makes a big differance in accellration to.

nippononly · January 2006

just did a short tank, because I was gong past the gas station and wanted to check the oil (seems to not be consuming any at all, which I am thrilled about!). Anyway, 4.3 gallons for 169 miles, is 39 mpg right on the nose. obviously, with this small a fill-up there is lots of room for error, but I think I should be able to do 40 regularly once I get a proper running average going here.

No oil consumption at 60K miles, great stereo (Pioneer), comfy seats, strong A/C, and 40 to the gallon. So far I am very pleased with this car, it is performing exactly as I had hoped. :-)

719b · January 2006

how can you tell you have a strong air conditioner this time of year? i don't think the fan speed is a gauge. you'll have to wait for the hot an muggy days to see how strong the air conditioner is.

nippononly · January 2006

in LA - it was 85 degrees! Love SoCal - NOT. But it was proof the Echo's A/C will be up to the task, I think.

Oh, and in NorCal we really never get muggy days, although where I am we get plenty of 90-degree days in the late summer.

kneisl1 · January 2006

Filtration efficiency of stock airfilter 99%
Filtration effienceny of KN airfilter 95%

By installing a KN airfilter you have just increased the ammount of dirt entering your engine by 400%.

Still want KN airfilter?

inharmsway · January 2006

Just wondered how you get 400% increase in intake dirt?
Niels

719b · January 2006

just bad arithmatic... it's 4%

kneisl1 · January 2006

If 100 grams of dirt hits the stock Toyota filter, being 99% efficient it will pass 1 gram of dirt.
If 100 grams of dirt hits the KN airfilter, being 95% efficient it will pass 5 grams of dirt.
Toyota airfilter 1 gram of dirt.
KN airfilter 5 grams of dirt.

Net gain: 4 grams of dirt. I guess you could look at it like its a 500% percent increase.

pat · January 2006

I'm thinkin' we're really back to 400%. 2 grams would be a 100% increase over 1, 3 would be a 200% increase over 1, 4 would be a 300% increase and 5 would be 400% like you said in the first place. No?

Mmm, high-level math - :sick:

719b · January 2006

you're basing your figures on arbitrary numbers.
the only thing you know is that one filter removes 95% out of 100% and the other filter removes 99% out of 100%.
if 100 particals try to get through one filter and 95 are stopped, you stopped 95%
if 100 particals try to get through the other filter and 99 are stopped you have 99%.
to be technical, one filter allows 4.21% more particals through than the other.
this is an interesting exercise, but the point made by kneisl is correct... why allow more dirt through the filter than is necessary

kneisl1 · January 2006

The reason I mention it is I used to rebuild VW engines. Those engines had oil bath air filters widely recognized as having an efficiency of 95%. Many people I did work for lived on dirt roads and didnt serive their airfilters like they should have. I didnt see any problem with VWs driven on pavement, but I did when they were diven in dusty conditions.

inharmsway · January 2006

I am sure glad I asked the % question. The interaction is terrific.
Niels

nippononly · January 2006

weighs 300 pounds MORE than Echo, with exactly the same engine and pretty much the same price. Except A/C is standard now.

Which is not to say I might not buy one in a few years! :-)

Anyone here put on tires wider than the stock 175s? Just wondering if it knocks the fuel economy way down, or just a little. If so, what size tires did you get?

kneisl1 · January 2006

Probably it wont affect mileage very much if at all. They WILL make steering effort much higher however. (although you will be able to corner at faster speeds...)Wider tires have been all the rage among motorcycles until people found out the input effort gets so high as not to be worth it.

nippononly · January 2006

Well, the steering on this car is almost pinky-light, so making it heavier certainly won't be an issue for me. I would be more concerned about the extra toll it would take on the longevity of the power steering system.

Putting wider tires on DOES increase the amount of rolling resistance the tires provide, which in turn reduces the fuel economy of the car. When I went from 225s to 265s on my old truck, the mileage dropped more than 10%.

So, I am thinking I might see a 2-point drop if I go from 175s to 185s or perhaps 195s. Just wondering if any owners had actual experience with this sort of thing.

jois · January 2006

Hi echorick,

I just wondering how the pirelli's P3000 are doing?

I am thinking on getting those.
Thanks!!

arbyecho · January 2006

Mobil 1 makes a higher mileage formula, and I use it in my 95 Corolla. This car is down about half a quart in 3000 miles. This is about when I change the oil so it is not a problem. The performance and starting have never been better since I started using Mobil 1...........a full synthetic. There are not a lot of full synthetics, so read before you buy, some are mixtures with organic oil.

arbyecho · January 2006

We have just about 33,000,000 people, in Canada, and the Echo is very popular. Especially on the west coast.

kneisl1 · January 2006

Im glad the ECHO has proven a success in Canada. Actually, its been successfull everywhere in the WORLD except in the USA. The failure of Americans as a whole to buy a car as good as the ECHO is disturbing. Im afraid it means something bad is going to happen to us, like a tragic figure in a play by Shakespear. Look for something especially bad to happen to Edmunds because they seem to be on a personal crusade to destroy the ECHO. I guess that will be the first sign.

kneisl1 · January 2006

What do synthetic oil, KN airfilters, and wider (larger) tires all have in common? They all play upon the urge of some people to have something "better" than the rest of us. Companies are mining this insecurity to make millions of dollars. None of these things do anything to make the ECHO better, in fact there are some ways in which they can cause problems. I use regular Shell Oil in my ECHO which I get at Pep Boys on sale for 59 cents a quart. I use the Purolator oil filter I also get at Pep Boys for 99 cents. Total cost of an oil change: $3.40. I change it every four months like the owners manual says. (about 2000 miles) My ECHO runs great also! It gets 40 mpg + in the summer driving it only 6.5 miles to work.
Here is what I suggest to make the ECHO an even better car:

1) make it lighter. 1700 pounds would be excellent.

2) make it a diesel.

3) if they cant make it a diesel make it a one liter engine. actually that might be better because it wouldnt cost any more money to make the way a diesel engine would.

4) make a mini ECHO with a two cylinder 500cc engine weighing less than 1400 pounds.

719b · January 2006

i think the failure of the american echo is due to styling. the canadian version had style, the american version was sort of homely.

kneisl1 · January 2006

Well, it would have been nice to get a hatchback version of the ECHO here to say the least. But even if they sold the Canadian (or world) version of the ECHO here I doubt it would have sold any better. I predict the Yaris will go extinct also. There isnt a small car in the ECHOs class that is selling well here. Contrast that with the popularity of the VW Beetle during the 50s and 60s which sold in the millions. No its all our fault. Times have changed. The ECHO isnt a BMW (or able to fake it).

nippononly · January 2006

after how many years they still sell every Mini they can pump out. Clue here: make it stylish, make it fashionable, and it will sell.

I have the same fears as you do for the Yaris, which is the same old Echo all over again but with better looks. I hope it makes it though, we need cars in this class to be available in the U.S.

The Echo may not be a BMW, but it is a Toyota through and through, and that means a lot of good things too. It means a high-tech powertrain with top-notch durability and reliability, few repair needs over the life of the car, and good comfort, ergonomics, etc in an inexpensive car.

Toyota Echo

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles