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Car Forum / Toyota / Toyota Cars / October 20052005 Echo - does it exist
The dealers in my area are saying that either the 2005 or 2006 Echo doesn't exist, or that they're just not being sold in my region - Connecticut, USA. Is anyone getting them? 2003's with 40K are getting MSRP around here!  SignatureKen Goldman kgold@watson.ibm.com 914-784-7646 I don't think you'll find one. I saw an 03 in Saybrook/Loernson Toyota- secondhand- for the same price as I paid for my daughter's Echo new two years ago. I'd keep away from the Scion xA as an alternative. The mpg is nowhere as good, although my wife loves hers. On Edmonds.com they note "limited production" Toyota.com shows the "Yaris" comming in spring 06 as the replacement. I'd wait till the spring. > The dealers in my area are saying that either the 2005 or 2006 Echo > doesn't exist, or that they're just not being sold in my region - [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > 2003's with 40K are getting MSRP around here! > I don't think you'll find one. I saw an 03 in Saybrook/Loernson Toyota- > secondhand- for the same price as I paid for my daughter's Echo new two > years ago. I'd keep away from the Scion xA as an alternative. The mpg is > nowhere as good, although my wife loves hers. On Edmonds.com they note > "limited production" Toyota.com shows the "Yaris" comming in spring 06 as > the replacement. I'd wait till the spring. According to the dealers around here, the Yaris will be Echo-sized but with a big engine and nowhere near the same gas mileage, a hatchback, and loaded with toys and power everything, so much more expensive. SignatureKen Goldman kgold@watson.ibm.com 914-784-7646 > According to the dealers around here, the Yaris will be Echo-sized but > with a big engine and nowhere near the same gas mileage, a hatchback, > and loaded with toys and power everything, so much more expensive. Either those dealers are uninformed, or it is different between the U.S. and Canadian models. The Canadian model comes in three trim levels and costs only a little more than the Echo, and gets about the same gas mileage. The engine is a re-tuned version of the Echo's engine but has about the same amount of power. Source: http://www.canadiandriver.com/testdrives/06yaris.htm > The dealers in my area are saying that either the 2005 or 2006 Echo > doesn't exist, or that they're just not being sold in my region - [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > 2003's with 40K are getting MSRP around here! Discontinued in the US, but not in Canada! Go figure. I would guess a 38-45 MPG car would be flying out the door! check this out http://www.toyota.com/vehicles/future/yaris.html > The dealers in my area are saying that either the 2005 or 2006 Echo > doesn't exist, or that they're just not being sold in my region - [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > 2003's with 40K are getting MSRP around here! > check this out > > http://www.toyota.com/vehicles/future/yaris.html Whatever happened to puting the instumentaion in front of the *driver*? >> check this out >> >> http://www.toyota.com/vehicles/future/yaris.html > >Whatever happened to puting the instumentaion in front of the *driver*? Where you had to twist and strain to see it through the steering wheel? Signature+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ | Brian Gordon -->briang@panix.com<-- brian.gordon at cox dot net | + Bass: "Spirit of Phoenix" SPEBSQSA Chorus (and Gotcha! dad) + -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- >>> check this out >>> [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Where you had to twist and strain to see it through the steering wheel? Amen! I'll never go back to left-mounted instrumentation, if I can avoid it Natalie >>> check this out >>> [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Where you had to twist and strain to see it through the steering > wheel? Never had the problem and I don't like the placement on the mini-cooper either. If it's cute enough I'd buy one but I think my vote's still for the Smartcar. >> check this out >> >> http://www.toyota.com/vehicles/future/yaris.html > > Whatever happened to puting the instumentaion in front of the *driver*? 1. when you're building a car for the world market, you need two different dashboards. This way, you make ONE dashboard, and two instrument clusters, which you would have to do anyway! 2. Ever driven one? After the initial 'shock' of it not being where you expect, it's actually in a good sot for looking at while you're driving! What IS unnerving, however, is the lack of illumination of the steering mounted controls at night; tha stalks and the buttons on the wheel. It's dark! >>> check this out >>> [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > dashboards. This way, you make ONE dashboard, and two instrument clusters, > which you would have to do anyway! It's easier to see anyway! > 2. Ever driven one? After the initial 'shock' of it not being where you > expect, it's actually in a good spot for looking at while you're driving! Yup! > What IS unnerving, however, is the lack of illumination of the steering > mounted controls at night; tha stalks and the buttons on the wheel. It's > dark! I don't have that problem - have you turned the light level down? ;-) Natalie >>>> check this out >>>> [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > I don't have that problem - have you turned the light level down? (Actually, it was a Prius, but similar dash!) > ;-) > > Natalie > >> check this out > >> [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > mounted controls at night; tha stalks and the buttons on the wheel. It's > dark! This is very true. It would be easy to get illumination power to the steering wheel, and while you were at it you could gently warm the rim. Heated seats are nice, but a heated wheel would do away withe need for clumsy gloves. Brent > This is very true. It would be easy to get illumination power to the > steering wheel, and while you were at it you could gently warm the rim. > Heated seats are nice, but a heated wheel would do away withe need for > clumsy gloves. > > Brent Thing I don't like about the dash is that there is no durn light on the ashtray! ps: I drove a 1,300 kilometre round trip several times over the summer. Automatic sedan, with the AC on, cruising mostly at 110-115kph I got 46 MPG. But that's an Imperial gallon, and I converted it all from metric anyway, so who in hell knows if it's right? >> This is very true. It would be easy to get illumination power to the >> steering wheel, and while you were at it you could gently warm the rim. [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > But that's an Imperial gallon, and I converted it all from metric anyway, so > who in hell knows if it's right? I would guess. I had a '95 Tercel, basically the same car, and averaged over 40 MPG during the period I owned the car. >> check this out >> >> http://www.toyota.com/vehicles/future/yaris.html > > Whatever happened to puting the instumentaion in front of the *driver*? For what reason? so it can be what you are used to? > >> check this out > >> [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > For what reason? so it can be what you are used to? Perhaps, but that's not a bad reason. In an emergency you're likely to do what you're used to doing. If you're accustomed to finding the instrumentation with a simple downward glance, having to look downward and rightward will take longer. The elevated cost of satisfying the opposing demands of left- and right-hand drive dosn't justify making the instrumentation's location unfamilar to both. Each car is driven by one person at a time, and the driver shouldn't have to pay a penalty just because other countries have different standards. The Prius has unusual instrumentation and controls, but those innovations don't involve the controls and data a driver needs suddenly. The brake pedal, the accelerator, the steering wheel, the speedometer, the horn -- those and other vital controls are where you'd expect, and they function conventionally. By arraying the gauges and alerts horizontally beneath the windscreen, Toyota has made it easy to site the crucial readouts (speedometer, etc) at one end or the other, placing them in front of either the lefthand or righthand driver as needed. That's smart design. And BTW when you look at those crucial readouts, you're not viewing them directly. You're seeing their reflection in a 45-degree mirror. Could Toyota be anticipating the day when those readouts will be part of a head-up display system wherein the data appear to float in the driver's field of view? That would require no looking downward at all, merely a small refocusing of the eyes. I suspect the Prius is a rolling testbed for Toyota's broader plans. Brent > Perhaps, but that's not a bad reason. In an emergency you're likely to > do what you're used to doing. If you're accustomed to finding the > instrumentation with a simple downward glance, having to look downward > and rightward will take longer. 1 - I'm trying to imagine an emergency that requires a quick look at the instruments. Ah, got one. "Oops, a radar trap - quick - how fast am I going" :-) 2 - It took me just a few days to get used to the center mounted instruments. For a car purchase, it's really not an issue. For a rental car, I agree that a more typical layout is better. Years ago, Fords had strange controls - horn on a stalk, strange headlight switch, even an unusual method for removing the key, and I hated renting a Ford. SignatureKen Goldman kgold@watson.ibm.com 914-784-7646 > For a rental car, I agree that a more typical layout is better. Years > ago, Fords had strange controls - horn on a stalk, strange headlight > switch, even an unusual method for removing the key, and I hated > renting a Ford. I remember those God-awful "pod" controls for lights and wipers that Pontiac used in some of their cars in the late 80s/early 90s. >> Perhaps, but that's not a bad reason. In an emergency you're likely to >> do what you're used to doing. If you're accustomed to finding the [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Ah, got one. "Oops, a radar trap - quick - how fast am I going" :-) That's what I was thinking, but there's also: I smell Maple Syrup. Oops..not temp guage in the Echo... > 2 - It took me just a few days to get used to the center mounted > instruments. For a car purchase, it's really not an issue. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > switch, even an unusual method for removing the key, and I hated > renting a Ford. And we hated owning a Ford. After YEARS of hitting the center of the steering whell, you now have a car backing out of a driveway, looking the other way ,and you hit the center of the wheel, and...NOTHING!!! Locking up the brakes in a full sideways skid always got their attention! "Better Idea", huh... Here in Canada, there's no 2006 Sedan, nor anything on the horizon to replace it. The hackback is the Yaris. Havne't seen one on the road yet. > Whatever happened to puting the instumentaion in front of the *driver*? Having driven an Echo for two years, you get used to it very quickly. And then you find: - no matter your height or seat adjustment, the steering wheel never blocks anything. - there are no bothersome reflections from the instruments at night. I don't think this is a big issue either way, but I like the centered instruments. I do miss the temperature gauge, though. SignatureKen Goldman kgold@watson.ibm.com 914-784-7646 >> Whatever happened to puting the instumentaion in front of the *driver*? > [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > I do miss the temperature gauge, though. I also miss the tachometer, but I've heard that it's included in the newer models. I have the prototype Natalie > I also miss the tachometer, but I've heard that it's included in the newer > models. I have the prototype The 2003 has a tachometer, but I typically shift by ear anyway. SignatureKen Goldman kgold@watson.ibm.com 914-784-7646 >> I also miss the tachometer, but I've heard that it's included in the >> newer >> models. I have the prototype > > The 2003 has a tachometer, but I typically shift by ear anyway. I shift by pushing the gas pedal down further.... :-) Natalie www.yaris.ca Pretty cool 3d views of the interior. Yaris has been launched early in Canada (October, 2005) and the will be launched this spring in the USA. A sedan version is apparently in the works. If you want a unique car, forgetaboutit. The Yaris hatchback is well on its way to becoming a modern day VW bug. Unfortunately, instead of Lindsey Lohan, they hired some looser from Toronto (Uncle Yaris) to star in all the commercials. Apparently (although I find this hard to believe), the marketing campaign is the most expensive automobile publicity campaign in the history of Canada. The commercials suck. However, being 31, I'm over the hill for Toyota's target audience of under 30. I don't like the look of the Yaris. I prefer the look of my Echo hatchback. The Echo is smaller and lighter. There was talk of a hybrid version but I guess only the lucky early adopting Japanese will have access to it. One review said the Canadian Yaris has been slightly modified for Canada's harsh winters. Something about steering. However, I haven't seen that confirmed anywhere. The Canadian version is made in Japan. There will be plenty of small cars to choose from this Spring in North America, something we haven't been used to. I'd buy the Mercedes B class hatchback, but for C$30,000, I'll have to wait until I get a job. I must be part of the target audience for the made in Canada Toyota Corola. The commercials are hilarious. I think they are the best commercials on TV. Premise: Father approves of daughter's date as soon as the Corolla pulls up to the curb. Cut to scene of daughter entering car. Variations: driver/date is a jock, a nerd, a girl (they kiss!), three jocks. Too funny. If there was a hatchback version, I'd buy it. Sam in Canada. PS. I live on the border and I regularly get my car searched by US customs. Not once have they checked the storage compartment under the seat. Loaded with weed or prescription drugs, one could easily pay for the car while making weekly crossings. Uncle Yaris would approve (as would Lindsay Lohan, I'm sure). ------------------- Topless Natalie Portman Topless Cameron Diaz Topless Kirsten Dunst Tolpess Charlotte Gainsbourgh Topless Keira Knightely (maybe illegal in Alabama): http://www.geocities.com/merdealorsen/eyecandy.html > >> I also miss the tachometer, but I've heard that it's included in the > >> newer [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > Natalie |
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