2001 Toyota ECHO consumer reviews

I own two Echoes, a 2000 and a 2001. The 2000 i bought new and the 2001 i bought used. The 2000 is a manual and the other is an automatic. Both cars have over 140,000 miles and both are running strong. The only issue I have had is with the 2001, had to replace the AC. I throughly enjoy driving these cars. They handle well and are fairly responsive. Keep in mind that this model was designed to be low maintenance, i.e. there is a timing chain(no need to replace a belt) and the plugs go for 100,000, brakes last for a long time. I have only replaced the front pads once. The interiors have have plenty of headroom and plenty of storage space. The center mounted console provides extra visibility. I like simplicity in cars, crank windows, manual door locks, etc. In the long run one will avoid the costly repairs of all the bells and whistles. These cars also seemed to hold there value given their low price when new. I airs of all the bells and whistles.

Have loved this car since I bought it for my wife. Tested the mileage from when I first bought it and was averaging 42 MPG 9primarily driven on freeways) and I am still getting 42 miles after almost 15 years. Great head room and comfort. Has 121K miles and no problems yet. Just keep up the maintenance and it will last. Drove it from San Diego to Las Vegas once and enjoyed the drive. Filled up in San Diego and made no stops until I reached Las Vegas. Best mileage on any car I ever owned.

Bought this car new in 2001. Have used only synthetic oil since the first oil change. Current mileage: 303,000 and still running strong. I've hardly repaired this car, ever. It will go 40K-60K with no repairs. Rolls effortlessly. Never eats tires. I got 120,000 out of a set of 80,000-mile Michelins! Gas mileage is consistent at 38-42 mpg. In 300,000 miles, I've replaced 1 water pump, 1 alternator, and the rear shocks. Original engine, original trans, with NO repairs on either. I'm 6'4 and have more headroom and legroom that any other car I've sat it, even luxury sedans. Huge trunk, nice back seat. I plan on keeping this car as longs as it wants to be around. Thank you Toyota! Absolutely the best car I've ever owned.

Great value for the money, especially if a manual transmission. Auto trans is good also. A basic car that works! Get 32 to 39 mpg. Got 41.7 mpg once. Lowest mpg 29 once.

The echo is hands down the best small car ever. I purchased a well maintained 2001 echo 5spd with 89,000 miles on it. Drove it 5 days a week 200 miles per day round trip commute, and numerous other weekend trips. 40-45 mpg every tank. Only mechanical issue was the ignition coils went bad one by one around 200,000-250,000 miles. Each was $100 plus 10 minutes of my own labor. Other than that I had routine maintenance, and one wheel bearing (around 275,000m). Drove it till she had over 300,000 miles n sold it for $1800. Best car ever... sniff.

The 2001 has the timing chain. The most economical car I've ever owned. I have the 4 speed manual, which is very economical , more than the automatic. This is ok if you like to shift gears. The car has plenty of head room as others have stated and you can stretch you legs also. The car is easy to get in and out of and the back seat passengers have enough room also. The car has little pickup but cruises easily on the highway. It can easily go 60 and 70 mph. I got 42 mpg on my first test. I reccomend the car.

i bought my echo bran new 11 years ago , i have put some money in to it but that beats a car payment i love my ehco

Great price. Very low emissions. The best gas mileage I've heard of in a conventional vehicle: 42 mpg. The instrument panel in the center is great. As I'm 6'2"", there's no need to take my eyes off the road, tuck my chin down to my chest and peep through the steering wheel to check my speed, gas gauge, odometer, etc as I would in other vehicles. The trunk is amazingly deep, and the comfort is fine for two in the rear seat of the 4 dr sedan. Give me one of these and skip the hatchback -- there's plenty of room for suitcases or gear. If you're sensitive to road noise, look elsewhere as it tends to boom inside this vehicle.

We bought our 2001 Echo new in Feb 2001 (4-dr, auto trans and AC but otherwise no frills -- manual everything). As of June 2010, we have 97K miles on it and have never had it in the shop except for a change of the front brake pads. Other than that, routine maintenance, fluid changes, new tires, etc. are all that's been done. It still runs great; we use it almost daily. I wish they still made this car. Because of its reliability and MPG, it's one of the lowest cost vehicles a person can own. We intend to drive it until it dies. One of the reasons for the reliability is that Toytota has been making 1.5 litre engines for a long time and they do it very well. And the 2001 model has a timing chain, so no changing a belt every 60K miles. The trunk is huge for a car of this size, and the car seats four adults comfortably. My son is 6 foot 2 now and can still drive it comfortably. A sports car it's not, but it does everything we have needed and then some. And after almost 10 years of hard use, including kids who are now teenagers, the upholstery, interior and paint is still in good shape. I still get 30 MPG or more around town and about 38-42 on the highway. The car is tall for a small car, and a little light, so high winds buffet it a bit, but it holds the road and I've never felt unstable or unsafe in it. It can turn and park in small spaces and is very easy to drive. The center guage cluster is easy to get used to and I like that it leaves more windshield to see through ahead of me when I'm driving. The professional auto press generally panned this car as dumpy looking and tinny, but those of us who have actually bought and driven one almost universally love and praise it. Trust the latter. This is a car you can buy with your eyes closed.

I bought this car two years ago and I don't regret it. On the down side, it takes a while to get used to the gauge cluster stacked in the middle of the dash, if you have long legs then you feel like the seets arent long enough, but except that, THE CAR IS PERFECT!