Overview & Reviews

The oddly proportioned and slightly cartoonish Toyota Echo economy car debuted just before the start of the new millennium. A successor to the Tercel and precursor to the Scion brand, the Echo was meant to bring younger U.S. buyers into the Toyota family via its low price and Toyota heritage.

However, this was one Toyota that uncharacteristically failed to garner much success. Although the Toyota Echo offered an impressively roomy cabin thanks to its narrow and tall greenhouse and an economical 1.5-liter four-cylinder that propelled it with decent pep, the car's faults made it one of our editors' least favorite subcompacts. An unusual centralized gauge cluster was deemed poor in design, and once underway, the Echo's small tires and upright stance contributed to a "tippy" feel at highway speeds and excessive body roll when navigating tight corners.

No doubt the Echo, being a Toyota, enjoys a reputation for higher than average reliability. And though we complained of poor value for the dollar -- mostly due to the Echo's low price resulting from Toyota charging extra for common conveniences -- the Echo's slow depreciation has offset that somewhat. Still, anyone on a budget and shopping for a used economy car has better choices that offer greater overall performance and value.

Most Recent Toyota Echo

The Toyota Echo was launched in 2000 and ran through 2005. Sedan and coupe body styles were offered. All Echos were powered by a 1.5-liter inline four-cylinder engine capable of 108 horsepower and 105 pound-feet of torque. Thanks to a light curb weight, this was enough power to give the Echo decent acceleration. Fuel economy was also impressive, with real-world mileage typically in the mid-30s, quite possibly the best of any non-hybrid, gas-powered car from this time period.

At the time, Toyota kept the car's base price low by making most of its features optional. Standard equipment was very basic, including AM/FM four-speaker audio, a tilt steering wheel and 14-inch wheels. Optional was an all-weather package (including a heavy-duty battery and rear window defogger), antilock brakes, air-conditioning, side airbags, a CD player and keyless entry. Even power steering was an option, as were power windows and mirrors, a tachometer and a split-folding rear seat. In 2001, side airbags became available. The following year, Toyota began offering optional 15-inch wheels. The Echo also got a restyling in 2003. In the car's final years, Toyota made the Echo available by special order only, which caused sales to drop drastically.

Design-wise, the Toyota Echo's most impressive features were its spacious cabin and trunk. The tall greenhouse and narrow roof pillars offered unobstructed visibility and lots of headroom. Front seating was comfortable as long as the pronounced, upright feel didn't bother you, and rear seat legroom was just fine for two full-size adults. Interior materials on the Echo were about average for this class, though the cheap plastic pillar covers, hard steering wheel and foam headliner were subpar. Also, its center-mounted instruments took some getting used to.

Those seriously considering the purchase of a used Toyota Echo should seek out a well-equipped model. They shouldn't cost much more and should make the car much easier to live with.

User Reviews:

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  Cute as a Button! - 2001 Toyota Echo
  By sarah - May 1 - 9:43 am

  I have owned my Roxy Echo for over 6 months, and I wouldnt change a thing about it. I have a 4 door with all the optional features, and despite what this review says about the cost versus what you get, I think this is one of the most fun to drive cars on the market! A lot of people cannot get past the look of the echo, but I dont understand why. Even though its about the gas mileage, I love the look! Then again, Im an eclectic kind of person who wants to drive something unusual and still hip. I also have to say that its easy to get into-its taller to provide more room-and that really helps because im not short! I was looking for an SUV, but fell in love with this echo!

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  We Love It! - 2003 Toyota Echo
  By duniabest - April 19 - 2:00 am

  This is a great little car. It fits anywhere, so parking is never that big a deal and my 63" brother sat comfortably with two friends in the back seat. What more could you need?

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  Too good to be true - 2000 Toyota Echo
  By John Green - April 12 - 2:33 pm

  I bought my "new" echo with 195k miles this year, it drives perfect. Its the second echo I own. I still regret that I sold my first one to my friend. I made 10k in about 5 months and have nothing to complain about. Im a mechanic and I would recommend it to everybody. I drive mostly in city and get 36 mpg. Highway around 44 mpg. Its the most reliable car you can get for your money. I bet it can last more than 300k miles (I will try it). I still have original clutch with over 200k, no leaks at all. First it was ugly but now its a pretty nice car, it takes time to get used to it. :)

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  Amazing Car - 2000 Toyota Echo
  By Echo - April 6 - 10:00 am

  I bought my Echo new in 1999. I have been driving it now for 11 years and I never had to turn the key twice. Im at 140K now and other than the oxygen sensors triggering the check engine light, this car has been amazing. I want to keep driving it to see how many miles I can get on it. My last good car was a 1989 Toyota extended cab which I loved.

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  2000 Toyota ECHO 4dr - 2000 Toyota Echo
  By ECHO owner - March 31 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car new in the summer of 2000. Performance is great for such a small car. However, I am unhappy with the current resale value of my vehicle. Price when I first bought it, was well over $14,000 (got pretty much all the upgrades). I put $4,000 down, financed the rest for 4 years, and now, with a little more than 2 years left on the loan, I am about $100 away from being upside down on the loan! Of course, if youre considering this car used, itll be a great deal for you. Just dont get it new, like I did, because its value drops like a rock (probably because this is one of those love-it-or-hate-it cars).

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  FANTASTIC - 2005 Toyota Echo
  By Jim - March 21 - 7:43 pm

  Great mileage, comfortable, easy to get in and out, fun to drive, no problems after 39000 miles. Great radio , If you like small cars this really not so small car is one you should check out.

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  Scary Driving, Horrible Customer Service - 2003 Toyota Echo
  By tattytiara - March 20 - 7:53 am

  I will never trust Toyota with my safety again. Its one thing to have poorly trained dealers who tell dangerous, outright falsehoods about the vehicles features and design, its another to train the head office staff to deal with customer complaints by running them through a maze of incompetence in the hope theyll just get frustrated and give up rather than addressing customer concerns directly. One slight breeze and youre in the ditch. The fuel economys very misleading, because you need to carry at least half a beach worth of sand just to stay on the road. The windows spontaneously rolling down is just bonus fun. I have never been more dissatisfied with a purchase in my life.

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  Excellent Value and Safe - 2001 Toyota Echo
  By MSmith - March 7 - 1:50 pm

  I bought a 2001 4-door, Auto. Trans. Toyota Echo twice. 2 weeks apart. The 1st Echo was destroyed by an idiot that smashed into me while he was trying to cross 4 lanes of traffic. The front end of my Echo was completely crumpled, both airbags deployed, and the car was completely totaled. I was so impressed by this cars ability to protect me and my boy (he was completely unharmed, and I only suffered seat belt abrasions), I imm. bought another one to replace it. It has been 4 years now, 96k miles, and I have had only two minor probs: the CD player got fried the 1st year for unknown reasons and the gear shift light doesnt always light up. Also: I avg. 36 mpg despite my jack-rabbit starts.

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  super car - 2001 Toyota Echo
  By volunteer - March 2 - 10:00 am

  This is a well-made car that is so very fund to drive. The high seating position makes for terrific view. You can see traffic so well in this car. It is simply fun to drive--so smooth yet peppy. Ive only two minor complaints: my 2002 seems a bit noisy at highway speeds, and the wind tosses it a bit. I spend 99 percent of my driving in commutes, and nothing beats the ECHO for this.

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  The perfect commuter car - 2000 Toyota Echo
  By catomaior - February 11 - 3:03 am

  I owned my ECHO for five years and if it wasnt for the need of more space for the child seat, I would still have it. It is a lot of fun to drive, sprinty and light. The inside is roomy albeit cheapy (you have space for everything you want). The gas milage is unbeatable (I averaged 35 MPG on my daily usage, meaning about 20-25 bucks a month on the gas). The handling was always challenging, though, especially with strong winds on heavy rainfall (not rare in Seattle). Once, only my rally driving training helped me keep the car on the road when I had to make an abrupt emergency maneuver on a wet road to dodge a deer. Also, with more than once passenger, the engine is a little underpowered.