2003 Toyota ECHO Review

New styling makes the Toyota Echo entry-level car lose its cartoon look, and its high fuel economy allows owners to breeze past filling stations.

Think twice if considering an economical hybrid gasoline-electric vehicle because the Echo has a lot more pep and delivers an estimated 35 mpg in the city and 43 on the highway with its standard, slick five-speed manual transmission.

Estimated economy figures with the extra-cost four-speed automatic transmission aren't bad, either, at 33 city, 38 highway. You get the best performance with the manual, which allows decent 65-75 mph passing if you slip it from overdrive fifth gear to fourth gear.

The front-drive Echo comes as a coupe and sedan and is positioned beneath Toyota's larger, costlier Corolla sedan.

With base prices ranging from $10,105 to $11,495, the Echo is affordable to young, first-time car buyers--if they go easy on the options.

It carries the revered Toyota nameplate and has a good reputation for reliability.

The Echo's stubby, frumpy styling prevented it from really catching on with young buyers after its 2000 debut, but the 2003 model might change that situation.

For one thing, overall length has been increased 1.6 inches, divided equally between the front and rear to give the still-short car a more balanced look.

Styling changes include a new front bumper, chrome-slat grille with horizontal body color elements and fenders with sharper, more prominent lines.

Headlights and taillights also are new, and the trunk lid has been recontoured.

A new side door "relief line'' extends back into the rear bumper to make the high car seem lower.

Moreover, a new option package adds aerodynamic body enhancements, including "overfenders'' that blend into front and rear underbody spoilers. The $300 rear spoiler, which looks a little silly on such a short, high car, incorporates a stop light.

My test car had the $1,095 Upgrade Package No. 1, which had such items as sporty body cladding, power steering, outside mirrors, split-folding rear seat and a tiny tachometer.

The tachometer and speedometer are in a center pod atop the dashboard and often aren't easy to read at a glance. However, controls are within convenient reach and are simple to use.

There's decent room for four tall adults because they sit upright and have plenty of head room. There are a fair number of storage areas. And new fabric patterns and interior colors give the interior a more upscale look.

The trunk is fairly large, but there isn't much fore-aft length without flipping the seatbacks forward with the optional split folding rear seat, which adds an armrest.

The standard 14-inch wheels get a sporty looking new wheel cover design. And, for the first time, the Echo offers a $90 15-inch wheel package with wider 60-series tires for slightly improved handling and shorter stops.

The Echo is fun to drive if you don't push it hard, with quick steering and nimble handling even with the standard 14-inch wheels and 65-series tires. The ride generally is good, but gets choppy on rough roads because the Echo only has an ultrashort 93.3-inch wheelbase (distance between front and rear tires).

The Echo comes standard with such items as a tilt steering wheel, front bucket seats, console and an AM/FM radio.

Not much, eh? Right. The Echo isn't one of those entry-level cars that lures buyers with lots of standard equipment. Rather, it offers a clever design, tight construction and a respected nameplate.

There are plenty of options, such as $925 air conditioning, $145 keyless entry and $140 "deluxe'' AM/FM/CD sound system with six speakers.

Want added safety? Side air bags are $250 extra, and anti-lock brakes cost $340.

For the first time, the Echo offers power windows for the sedan version, but not for the coupe. Those windows are in the $575 Upgrade package No. 3, which also contains power door locks. But you can't get that package without ordering that $1,095 Upgrade Package No. 1 and the $1,165 Upgrade Package No. 2.

The rugged little 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine has variable valve timing for better responsiveness and produces 108 horsepower. Acceleration is lively, partly because the Echo only weighs 2,035-2,105 pounds. The dual-overhead-camshaft, 16-valve engine is noisy during hard acceleration, but allows quiet highway cruising. However, the Echo is much more at home in town, where such things as a small 32.8-foot turning circle make it easy to maneuver and a cinch to park in tight spots.


TOYOTA ECHO
Prices:
$10,105-$11,495

Likes:
Improved styling. High fuel economy. Lively acceleration. Roomy. Good maneuverability.

Dislikes:
Noisy engine. No power windows. Narrow wheels.