Toyota "Echo" - compact Japanese sedan from America for those who do not like to be repaired

The Japanese car Toyota Echo is rare on the roads of Russia and CIS countries. The reason is that we have it better known in the body of a hatchback called Toyota Yaris or as a right-hand drive sedan from Japan under the name Toyota Platz. In the Land of the Rising Sun, it was also produced in a "hatchback garment" and was called the Toyota Vitz. But let's stop tormenting the intricacies of Toyotov's marketing policy. Let's return better to the hero of our narrative - the compact small-car Japanese car from America - Toyota Echo.

The name of this machine echoes not only with the effect of echoes of words in the mountains, but also with the term "ecology". The fact that the emission level of the Toyota Echo engine meets stringent requirements for low-emission vehicles (LEV). With a volume of 1.5 liters, the engine equipped with the VVT-i system develops a capacity of 110 hp. And accelerates the car to 100 km / h in 13 seconds. The recommended maximum speed of the car, which is guaranteed to hold the engine, transmission and suspension of the Toyota Echo, is 160 km / h. The fuel consumption for such rates of speed and dynamics is 6.9 liters in the city and 5.8 liters on the highway. With a "dry" weight of less than 900 kg Toyota Echo until 2005 was among the ten most economical cars in the world.

Initially, the Toyota Echo was conceived as a machine for students and poor youth. Therefore, the basic equipment contained a mechanical five-speed gearbox, a power steering, a salon air conditioner, an electric driver's seat and two airbags. At the customer's request, ABS could be added to the brakes, the sunroof, central locking and electric windows in the door, as well as a four -speed automatic transmission. At the present time - the set is not rich, but we should not forget that all this was based on the reliable motor-body platform of the Japanese Toyota.

In view of American origin, such cars infrequently fall into the open spaces of Russia and CIS countries. But if they do get, then with respect to Toyota Echo, the owners' reviews are full of genuine optimism and even admiration. First, praise the reliability. In the absence of a barbaric attitude towards the car, even cars with a high mileage require only periodic oil and filter changes. Allocate very good dynamics and controllability at a meager fuel consumption. Unusually spacious for such a car interior pleases the owners with good visibility and capacious luggage, not to mention the huge number of all niches and shelves. Toyota Echo perfectly tolerates Russian frosts and starts even at -30 degrees without problems. With respect to the shortcomings, they complain of excessive rigidity of the suspension and too modest at the present time the equipment. Sometimes complain about "blown-up" on the road, but this is not a disadvantage of Toyota Echo, but of any car of this class.

Judging by the reviews, the Russian and "CIS" owners of Toyota Echo, after being bought as American students, are not in a hurry to retake the last exam. They gladly indulge in the temptation for years not to repair the suspension and for weeks to ignore the gas stations, meetings with which so often appoint gasoline tanks to owners of other cars.