Toyota Yaris

rossm2 · July 2005

The change in fuel consumption is minimal:

2005 Manual 6.7/5.2, automatic 7.1/5.5
2006 Manual 6.9/5.5, automatic 7.1/5.8

I suspect that the change in economy is partially due to the weight gain, and partially due to the change from being LEV (Low Emission Vehicle) to U(ltra)LEV. This also resulted in a decrease in torque from 105 lb-ft @4200 rpm to 103 @4200. For me, the change to ULEV is very significant while the fuel economy is still way ahead of anything else out there (except some diesels & hybrids).

Ross

sapooh · July 2005

carmen1-
i'm in montreal and was told by my dealership that it is now almost impossible to get a 2005 echo here because they stopped producing them, they already started to make the 2006. so here, you can only get what was not sold yet (read: not the color and equipment you might have wished for) i guess you're lucky you could get one!

ross-
thanks alot for the infos. i agree with you that the changes in fuel consumption and size/weight are small enought to be unnoticable.
i'm still not sure about the outside look for the 2006, especialy the front, but i so far saw only the japoneese model, hopefully ours will be a little different. but the interior is awesome and i'm sure gonna be the first one in line at my dealership to get it!
sapooh-

annie7 · July 2005

thanks for your specs. Though Canadian, I'm living in Mexico and will be looking for a Yaris there. Do you know if the Yaris will be the same as your specs? Also what is the cargo space? Will the price be going up?
Thanks...Annie

rossm2 · July 2005

Sorry, but I have no information about the Mexican situation. I can't even get pricing information for here in Canada. I'll only know that when the dealer finds out.

As to the cargo space, that is interesting. The old Toyota Echo spec sheet had errors, so I don't know if this is error or not, but the cargo space listed has actually decreased from10.7-10.9 to 8.1 cubic feet. What I suspect (and hope) is that we will be getting the same fore & aft adjustable rear seat that is available on the European Yaris. The 8.1 figure would be with the rear seat adjusted for maximal leg room, and if adjusted for luggage, the figure should be considerably higher. Remember, this is just speculation on my part, but I find it rather hard to imagine significantly DECREASING storage space after increasing the wheelbase by 3.5". We will know soon though.

ehcerb · July 2005

I have been lookin at purchasing a small economy car and my choices have been narrowed down to either the a smart car or the echo. Which i have rented both for a weekend and i think they are both pretty cool. However i have come across another Toyota that is in the market in Europe called Aygo. Does anyone know if this will be imported to Canada, and if so when.................

rossm2 · July 2005

The Aygo (I-Go) is the smaller cousin of the Yaris/Vitz/Echo HB. There is no current plan to bring it into Canada, and I doubt that there will be, at least for a few years. It would be nice to see however.

Ross

sapooh · July 2005

rossm2

some toyota dealerships will import it (i know a guy in montreal who had a yaris imported 6 months before it was available here) but you have to pay for the shipment (arround 2000$) and it's not garanteed obviously because they don't keep the parts in stock here. so if you are willing to pay all the extras, yes, you can have your aygo in canada.

i love it too, maybe we should all send complain lettres to toyota and have them change their mind! :shades:

rossm2 · July 2005

In the case of the Yaris, the engine was the same as the Echo, so it was certified for Canadian use (perhaps), but the Aygo engine is NOT used in any Canadian certified vehicle, so I would be very surprised if it could legally be brought in through that approach. Unless it is certified, you can not register the car.

Ross

justine1 · July 2005

Having read some of the messages in here, one troubles me most, do you honestly think that there are no 2005 Echo LE left out there? I am in the Ottawa area and am thinking of purchasing this vehicle in the very near future. I have gone online and checked prices with dealers, however, there is no mention of there being a low stock of them?? Question - owners of this vehicle, are you sick and tired of people saying how "cute" it is or does the car handle great and it doesnt bother you? Many thanks!

rossm2 · July 2005

There definitely still are some 2005 Echo LEs available in Canada, it's the States in which they are not. I don't yet have my Echo, as I am waiting for the 2006 model, but after driving 9 different cars ranging from the Aveo (ugh) to the Jetta TDI, I feel that the Echo hatchback best meets my needs/wants. I think the handling is excellent, especially with the 15" wheels. I would not even consider the sedan. I could not care less whether other's think it is "cute".

sapooh · July 2005

justine1
i swear, i montreal, the only way to get a 2005 is what's left in the dealerships... they have stop producing them. so yes you can still buy one, but it might not be the color/options that you want... you have to pic from what's left. i'm sure it's the same for the rest of canada, and i have this information buy 3 people i know who work in dealerships.

micweb · July 2005

You said:

"or does the car [Echo] handle great "

I had a 2003 American Echo and it "handled" terribly. That is to say, it took corners fine and had a nice ride, but was EXTREMELY susceptible to cross winds. I was reminded of this yesterday when crossing a windy bridge and watching an Echo go across.

I was able to correct the handling problem, partially, by replacing the stock shocks with firmer shocks (try KYB GR2's or Monroe Sensatrac) and adding slightly wider, stickier tires (Bridgestone 950's) but it was never completely satisfactory.

I finally solved the problem by getting rid of the car and later getting a Scion xA, essentially the same chassis but much firmer suspension overall. Handled fine, but rode pretty hard.

Now, since you are from Canada, your mileage may vary. European Echos (old Yaris's) were set up with a firmer suspension. Is the Canadian suspension the soft, problematic US suspension, the definitely ok Scion xA suspension, or the (probably) middle setting used in Europe? Only a test drive will tell. Try making turns faster than usual on a test drive (but not dangerously fast) and see how much the car leans. If it feels tippy, it will be susceptible to crosswinds. Try driving a Scion xA. If they feel the same, you are probably going to be fine.

rossm2 · July 2005

This is true - production of the 2005s has ended, but they are still available. If you really want the 2005 rather than the 2006, it would be wise to act quickly. I think my local dealer has 3 2005s left. They will be long gone before the new ones arrive, hopefully in October. Oh, and to address the other point, the Hatchback is virtually identical to the Yaris in suspension - very different from the sedan according to friends who have driven both.

snakerbill · August 2005

Is there a site that has pictures of the new 2006 Echo coupe? Fuel prices are driveing me out of my Honda Accord (V6), pun intended. Does anyone know what fuel mileage will be on an automatic coupe?? Any help appreciated. Also, what colors will be available?

jileto · August 2005

I've been using this link to drool over it:

http://toyota.jp/vitz

The site requires Flash player. You don't have to install Japanese fonts. On the left hand side of the page, under the heading Vitz, the 5th link will show you the summary of the fuel mileage based on engine displacement and drivetrain (yup... they have 4WD which we're not getting here in Canada

).

If you let your cursor hover over a link and observe the status line of your browser, you'll see the english names for the links. They might have weird names (the link I cited above goes under the heading "dynamism") but generally, the english names give you a good idea of the page the link is pointing to.

I did not see any reference to a coupe model on the site while exploring the links.

micweb · August 2005

Although I am notorious for changing cars at the drop of the hat, I'd urge you to reconsider moving from a V6 Accord to an Echo unless you are planning to make a change anyway (age of the Accord, repairs, etc.). The amount of transaction costs involved are so great you'll never come out ahead on gasoline savings alone.

iluvmysephia1 · August 2005

the same one that is coming to America in 2006? If it isn't, what bodystyle is Toyota going to choose to bring over here?

How will it be priced? Have we come to a consensus on that matter yet?

micweb, instead of a new world order Scion xA you might consider a new 2006 Toyota Echo? If it looks like the rig in that link I couldn't blame you! That's a cool looking body style!

carmen1 · August 2005

I received a flyer advertising the 2005 Echo Hatchback CE starting at $14,025.

After calling and getting a lot of runaround he finally told me the drive away price comes to $17,915. I hate the way it's advertised.

Anyway, I got a call that my Echo is in but it was a false alarm. They ordered a 2005 Echo Hatchback CE instead of a 2006 Echo Hatchback LE! Piss me off. I know I don't have any options but to wait till the 2006 gets in. Transit here (Vancouver) SUCKS big time. The increase in gas prices that I'll be paying better improve this crappy system.

I was told that I will have to wait till the middle of September. Also, the manager quoted me a higher price than what I calculated on toyota.ca so he recalculated and gave me a better deal....do your homework!

But for those who just graduated within the last 3 years you can get a $500 rebate off these 2005 Echos. I believe that means highschool, college or university.

alany · August 2005

Thanks for the update. It's good to know the 2006 Echos will be available mid-September. That's earlier than most of us had hoped. With gas prices so high, I'm sure Toyota is eager to get the fuel-efficient Echo to market as fast as possible.

sapooh · August 2005

for those who just can't wait, here are some links to french sites (from france) about 2006 http://automobile.nouvelobs.com/mag/050516/toyota_vitz/galerie.asp
the pics just speak for themselfs
http://www.motorbox.com/Auto/Magazine/Prossimamente/toyotayaris2006.html?mmc=49
and for the colors... but not sure if it's what we're gonna get in north america. at least you can get a glimps at what's to come.
i personaly ordered a 2005 on the last call because i don't like the futuristic look of the 2006 :sick:

micweb · August 2005

You said in part:

micweb, instead of a new world order Scion xA you might consider a new 2006 Toyota Echo? If it looks like the rig in that link I couldn't blame you! That's a cool looking body style!

Yeah, there is a lot of confusion about whether the new Japanese Vitz is going to come over here as a Scion replacement for the xA, or as an Echo replacement. Some release announcements have indicated in the first quarter of 2006 we will see both an Echo replacement AND an xA replacement.

Although the old Echo and existing xA are based on the same platform, the xA is a lot heavier due in part to extra sound proofing and feels more solid.

I really want to see what spring 2006 brings. I only wish it were this fall instead.

iluvmysephia1 · August 2005

I remember you as a solid and steady source of Scion xA information and that's why I asked you. We'll just have to stay tuned in and see what Toyota's gonna do I guess. I like that Vitz bodystyle, for sure, but I like the small quirky look of the xA as much.

snakerbill · August 2005

I should have made my posting more clear. I want the Echo as a second car to use in town, and have no intention of trading my 2005 Honda Accord EX V6 coupe for an Echo, but for many short trips the Echo would serve the purpose better than the Accord, and it would cut down the miles I put on the Honda. Anyway, thanks for the opinion, and I too change cars at the drop of a hat, and once I did trade a Honda Civic for a ZX3 Ford Focus, the PZEV, which ran a lot better than the Civic. Whoda thunk it??

micweb · August 2005

Take a look at the Scion xA as an alternative. It gets almost the same mileage, but is less suceptible to crosswinds and quieter. Also usually better priced, the marketing on Echos has been a little weird.

iluvmysephia1 · August 2005

the 2006 Echo at for the American market. Also, there's a good chance the Scion xA will handle better than the new Toyota Echo. The Echo would wander around corners more. There's some roughness over bumps with the xA but I wouldn't expect the new Echo to really shine in that category, either. An interesting point about the xA is all of the soundproofing stuffed in. To me that would make up for what shortcomings the car may have as far as "feeling" the bumps or rough surfaces.

alany · August 2005

If Toyota brings the Echo Hatchback to the US market, it'll most likely handle pretty close to the Scion xA. The current Canadian hatch handles much better than the sedan.

The bumpy suspension is mostly due to the torsion bar and won't be going away (it might be a bit worse in the xA because it's tuned to be a little more sporty). However, it's not a huge issue.

snakerbill · August 2005

I did think about that car, but it is only available as a 4 door, and I just do not want a 4 door car of any kind. I only buy automatic coupes or hatchbacks. I know it is silly, but I think of 4 door cars as maw maw cars, and I just cant get past that view. I saw the pictures of the yaris?? on another web site, and I would only hope that the coupe version of that car will be the 2006 Echo, but I do not like the speedo in the center of the dash. Do you know if that feature?? will be used in 2006. If so, I would have to look elsewhere for a small second car. Any other suggestions??

alany · August 2005

The Canadian 2006 Echo hatchback definitely will be available in both 3 and 5 door models, but it's not clear which ways the US version will be offered. It's also not 100% confirmed that the speedometer will be in the center of the dash, but I'd say it's almost a certainty, since both the Japanese and European versions of the 2006 have the speedometer there. It's not as annoying as it seems though.

If you can wait a few months, the 2006 Honda Fit will come out. It's the same type of vehicle, but with the speedometer in the ordinary place. Not sure if they'll offer it as a coupe. All the photos I've seen have 5 doors, and it's physically a bit longer than the Echo, so it could look out of place as a 3 door.

billmchale · August 2005

I don't think the new Yaris/Echo/Vitz will be a new Xa... The Scion website now has info on the 2006 and it includes some revised styling. While it is pretty modest (mostly a revised (and IMHO much improved) grill you don't usually see car companies doing that unless they plan on keeping the vehicle around for a year or two.

sniffles · August 2005

A few pages back someone found these 2006 Echo(Yaris, Vitz) spy photos on a web site. It looks like they are testing the car out in California some where. There are more spy photos on the right side of the web page so make sure you click on them.

http://www.japanesecarfans.com/spyphotos.cfm/spyphotoid/6050415.001/Toyota/1.html

iluvmysephia1 · August 2005

bodystyle coming to America as the 2006 Toyota Echo. I like it a tad more than the Yaris. The Scion xA is built on the Yaris chassis, from what I hear.

If Toyota brings the Vitz bodystyle for the Echo, I'd be interested in researching it some more. I'd love to see a 2006 Scion xA side-by-side to a 2006 Toyota Vitz, especially in person. This should prove to be a huge improvement, at least in Echo bodystyle for the U.S., eh? I put that green Vitz on as my background car of the...umm...at least for my car of the week, for my Windows log-on screen. Looks good, gentlemen, really promising. Especially if Toyota holds down prices, which I think they will. micweb, check out the pics from the link in post #135. You've probably seen Yaris/Vitz pics before, but these are sure nice ones.

billmchale · August 2005

I really do like the looks of this car; I certainly hope that Toyota is smart enough to bring it in as is. If gas prices stay high, stylish sub compacts that get better than 40 MPG could start becoming very popular.

sniffles · August 2005

That is what Autoweek says. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the article and
look at the Toyota - Echo statement.

http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=102996

dona83 · August 2005

The Echo is still an economy sub compact car whereas the xA is more of a mid pack sub compact. Surpsingly there are still people who want basic transportation, although the 2000-2002 was an insult to all sub-compacts out there. the 2003 Echo sedan was definitely a bit nicer while the hatchback we got in 2003 as well was totally rockin'. There are TRD suspension upgrades, strut bars, Borla exhaust and cold-air intake, etc. that is available too. Just go to www.toyota.ca and try the Echo hatchback accessories configurator. The base suspension system is adequate for most people in the Echo target group. What I'm scared of is that these new enchancements will make the new Echo heavier and therefore less fun to drive... comfy yes.. fun ummm I'll get back to you on that.

lexi4life · August 2005

Here are some photos of the 2006 sedan :

Looks way better than the current one!

mark63 · August 2005

Dude that's very nice redesign toyota echo.. I'm goin to buy one...
hope it comes with 138 or 140 hp sold.......

iluvmysephia1 · August 2005

coming to the U.S., though. Japan and maybe Canada, yes. Toyota still hasn't shown us the pictures of the American '06 Echo yet.

justine1 · August 2005

Anyone have idea on pricing for the 2006 Echo? I am about to purchase a 2005 Echo LE hatchback and the salesman is telling me to wait for the 2006 and he would give me the same price - this doesnt make sense to me since he doesnt even have a price, let alone pics of the new vehicle!

billmchale · August 2005

I expect that if that is the sedan that Canada is getting it will be the sedan that the USA is getting. It makes little sense to spend serious money to develop a completely different US variant for a a car whose previous generation did not sell well. According to the Autoweek article we should also be getting the 5 door which totally rocks. If my VW holds out til the spring I might be able to choose between the Honda Jazz/Fit (hope they name it the Jazz, much better name) and the Toyota...

iluvmysephia1 · August 2005

yep, if Toyota brings what looks like the Vitz here (and maybe even their Yaris model) I will be looking at the '06 Toyota Echo with a much keener eye. It's gotta be a big departure from the old Echo models of any sort before I'll claim interest, though! The 5-door model you mention makes me wonder if it's like the green Vitz I found in a link posted earlier on this thread. I set it as my Windows log-on page background, I liked it so much. Considering the fact that there's usually Scion xA's and Kia's of all sorts on there it's quite a thing that that metallic green Toyota Vitz has been my background for about 4 days now! I'll keep y'all updated.

Oh, anybody get some hard data on the real '06 Toyota Echo for the States post it in here, OK?

snakerbill · August 2005

Why in the world would Toyota put the IP in the center of the dash? That makes no sense at all. I will wait for the Fit if the 06 Echo has the center IP. Looking to one side is just another distraction that we do not need when driving.

biker4 · August 2005

Either my eyes are shot or I saw the 06 hatch yesterday in McLean, VA. Saw it only a brief second from about 30 yards away. Looked just like the pics - it was some dark color. At first I didn't make anything of it - having lived in Europe for the past 4 years until this past week seeing a Yaris is no big deal. I noticed the Toyota emblem and couldn't figure out for a sec what it was. The current Yaris connection was unmistakeable.

tclong · August 2005

There are three new TSBs (technical service bulletins) which have been issued by Toyota over the last few days. All three are for the U.S. market and refer to the "2006 Yaris". They deal with routine pre-delivery issues like inserting the dome light fuse and installing the front license plate holder. Based on this, and on the drawings o these bulletins, I'd say it's going to be the Yaris.

sniffles · August 2005

Good job biker4 on that sighting!! It would make sense. The Autoweek article said the Echo replacement is coming this fall (I thought it wasn't coming to the US until the Spring of '06) and tclong found out that they are already releasing TSBs on the
car. Maybe they are doing some last minute testing? I'll report on any sightings in the Baltimore, Md. area.

sniffles · August 2005

I just saw that Edmonds started a new thread in the Future Vehicles for the 2007 Yaris. Check it out! Someone made a post of the US Toyota website and they finally made an offical press release on the Yaris (Echo replacement) for the US. It looks like it will be here for sure in the spring of '06 as 2007 model in the US.

tclong · August 2005

They are most likely not coming this fall. Here are recent production startup and build out order dates issued from Toyota to its dealers:

New Hatchback - NAME TBD (Echo Replacement)
2006 Initial Order Acceptance: 12/12/05
2006 Initial Production: 02/06
2006 Initial Delivery Month 03/06

New Sedan - NAME TBD (Echo Replacement)
2006 Initial Order Acceptance: 12/12/05
2006 Initial Production: 02/06
2006 Initial Delivery Month 03/06

Most Toyota material, including their color chart, refers to the car as "name TBD" or "Echo Replacement". The bulletins issued today and last Friday carry the Yaris name. The colors have been published, too, in case anyone is interested. There's a chart of them on one of their sites. So at this point it looks like it will be the same car they already sell over here as the Yaris in both Mexico as the Yaris and Canada as the Echo HB. Coming to a dealer near you in late February.

iluvmysephia1 · August 2005

design than the last Echo brought to America. Now we need to find more spy shots of it and, of course, pricing information. That and the obligatory feature information. I think we already know what kind of features it will have, maybe we could find out some more information on it's electronic gear and goodies inside, eh?

crimsono2 · August 2005

Confirmed right off of Toyota's own website.
http://www.toyota.com/vehicles/future/yaris.html?s_van=GM_Homepage_Yaris_txt

I'd love to see how it stacks against an xA though. Toyota's been relatively good at not overlapping their market segments, but the Yaris looks like a straight up xA contender...

CrimsonO2

iluvmysephia1 · August 2005

are these: Wow! Edmunds changed the title of this thread pretty quickly to reflect the model year of the new Echo/Yaris/Vitz, basically new-world-order Toyota Echo, didn't they? I typed in my usual search keywords "2006 Toyota Echo" and I got this 2007 Toyota Echo/Yaris thread. And it is being called accurately the 2007 Toyota Echo, even if it will come out in approximately March of 2006 as a 2007 Toyota Echo.

Another: Vitz and Yaris are one and the same and interchangeable terms for this small auto from Toyota.

Check out the next Toyota Echo for the U.S.

You're probably used to seeing the front of the Yaris/Vitz/Echo but here's a look at the back of it for ya.

307web · August 2005

I expect great MPG, but at what price for crash safety?

Toyota Yaris

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