Faults:

Hail storm damage shattered the windows and dented my car.

General Comments:

My little echo survived the worst hail storm anyone has ever seen!

It happened one evening in October, giant tennis ball sized hail rained down on my town and shattered the windowed of every car around and dented many so badly that they had to be totaled. Even after my car was confirmed as totaled, I still got offers to buy it. Instead I kept the poor little thing and replaced all that I could so that it would drive again. I don't care what other cars are out there I wanted my Toyota! I could never replace it; I had it for three years with no problems. I looked, but could not find a better car and now with the gas prices on the rise my little blue echo is even better then ever! I could have bought bran new 2004 Chevy for the same price it cost to fix my car, but I'd rather drive my dimpled 2001 Toyota echo.

Faults:

Aside from recall work on break line, nothing.

General Comments:

Great car! Everything I look for in a car: reliability, economy, (sufficient) comfort, (sufficient) performance. I am not a "car head"; I look to my automobile for essential transportation needs -- not style and not high performance (beyond what I need to survive on the interstate). I also feel strongly that cars need to be as efficient as possible, given global political / economic considerations. At 35-42 mpg, the Echo gives me that.

Faults:

No problems so far.

General Comments:

The first few times I saw an ECHO I laughed out loud it was so funny looking. All distorted and mis-shapen like a toy. But after 35 years of working on used Fords, I needed a replacement for my dead LTD, something I didn't have to work on. I drove some Hyundia's because of the price, but a friend asked me to look into Toyota's because of their reliability. My first test drive of an ECHO convinced me. After punching the gas I said out loud to the car salesman, "I gotta get me one of these!" My love for this silly little car is just as strong after 2 years.

Performance is great. It squirts away from a stop and pulls hard for as long as you have the nerve to push it. I would describe it a very eager.

Interior space is great. I regularly put a 275 pounder in the back seat. With the fold down rear seats and dashboard cubby holes, you can put a couple 8 foot 2 X 4s in, with the trunk closed! The other day I lined the very roomy trunk with a tarp and fulled it with mulch. It took me 6 wheelbarrow loads to empty it!

Gas mileage is great. 32-33 city, with the air conditioning on! 34-35 MPG city, without air conditioning. Well over 42 mpg on the highway.

I highly recommend this car to anyone who doesn't have to have all the luxury appointments, but just need a great little car.