Toyota: Echo Hatchback observations

It's not (just) how big the Hatchback is, but how you use it! The Hatchback
certainly would be a poor choice if you need to carry 4 or more passengers
and their luggage. OTOH, in my particular situation, 99% of the time my
wife and I are the only occupants of the car, so the Hatchback will provide
plenty of cargo room.

I'm got a 5-speed Hatchback RS 5-door with the air, cruise, and keyless
entry package, plus the performance exhaust system, on order. Although it
is much smaller than the Subaru Impreza 2.5RS coupe I traded in, the cargo
space in the Hatchback is more useable. Although the Impreza's trunk is much
bigger, the rear seat doesn't fold down (and there is no pass-through), so
longer objects won't fit. Getting people or things into the rear seat will
be a lot easier with the Hatchback's 4 doors than with the Impreza's 2
doors.

I should mention that my wife and I have done several cross-country trips in
our Miata, so by comparison, the Hatchback's interior space and cargo
capacity are huge. Based on my road test, and comments from Echo owners,
the Hatchback will be quite comfortable on long trips.

I don't know what Hatchback sales figures are like, but I have seen quite a
few on the road here in Winnipeg already. The 5 speed Hatchback RS is in
short supply. Whether that's because demand for the RS is high or fewer of
that model are being produced, I can't say.

Jay Goldstein
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada



"Tegger®" <invalid> wrote in message
news:11.168.195... 
size 
few 
taken 

----- Original Message -----
From: "Tegger®" <invalid>
Newsgroups: alt.autos.toyota
Sent: Monday, September 01, 2003 7:19 PM
Subject: Echo Hatchback observations

 
size 
few 
taken 

The Problem I'm finding with ECHOes in general is dealers would rather use
their precious lot space for more expensive cars, so they have maybe one or
two ECHOes on site to test, if any at all. They really should have more of
those around. They really are good cars.

For more information about people who love their ECHOes, please visit:
http://echofans.net

Darkblood®

"Darkblood" <com> wrote in message news:<glp8b.930$gnilink.net>... 

(snip)
 

Small, cheap cars = small profits.

I notice locally that Toyota dealers hardly advertise the Echo at all.
It hasn't been a very popular car and hasn't sold well to the market
it was intended for, namely young people. Instead, most Echo buyers
are 40-something. Toyota, like a lot of other companies, including
Cadillac, wants to reduce the average age of their buyers. Toyota will
pursue that goal more aggressively with the new Scion models.
 

Thanks. I don't own an Echo, but am always attracted to small, cheap
cars. If I was in the market, I'd consider an Echo.

com (Neil) painstakingly pecked in
news:google.com:
 


Same here. Newspaper advertising here seems to be heavily weighted to the
Highlander, 4Runner, Sienna and Camry.

When we bought the '99 Tercel, I noticed that even though the dealership
had two Echo Hatchbacks in their showroom, almost all the activity was
centered around the Sienna, Camry and Corolla. Nobody even sat in the Echo
Hatchbacks during my hours hanging around there.

 


Yup. Seems like that here as well. most people I see driving Echoes are
older (my age or more). Have NOT seen even one of those Echo Hatchbacks on
the road yet.

--
TeGGeR®

Neil <com> wrote in message
news:google.com... 
news:<11.168.195>... 
Echo 
on 

I've seen a few Echo hatchbacks here... popular with the elderly. Easy to
park and easy to use as a roadblock for other road users... grrrr. :-)

Sweet little rides but like most Japanese cars in their class just a little
tall for my liking - I'm not a fan of a high centre of gravity.


Nick.