Toyota's compact car

[Montoya]

Originally Posted by shan_jp

I saw Aygo in TV showcased in some Autoshow.. It was a 2 door version and pretty small in looks like Alto.. dont know if Toyota's overpricing for a 2 door will be worth a buy. I done see many takers for 2 door version as in US.

But i dont understand bring a small car at a high price as indians are more attracted to big wheels. For eg. Getz people think why to buy getz when you can get a three box at the same price

[v_s_natarajan]

actually, it is going to be the Rupees one lakh care byTATA.
Toyota is just going to sell that under its name
:-)

[johnjacob]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

Echo isnt a hatchback. Its a sedan.

Isn't the Yaris the hatchback version of the Echo (or maybe the Echo is the booted version of the Yaris)?

[shankaranand]

toyota launching a small car doesn't excite me much..

1. they overprice their vehicles. we will be paying much more thant they are worth

2. they will introduce a bare bones version withoug powersteering, probably without ac aswell (ala innova) so that they can keep the base price version down.

customer doesn't get much value in the end.

[CaliAtenza]

i seriously think toyota should launch the Vitz..its a fun little car and can be modded quite good. Honda has a competitor also...for that market.

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by johnjacob

Isn't the Yaris the hatchback version of the Echo (or maybe the Echo is the booted version of the Yaris)?

I think Yaris came first, Echo is the booted version thats doing very well. Very practical little runabout with LOTS of space. Should give the Indigo a run for its money, but doubt if they can match that price and it feels very light. As they say in Malaysia about the Proton - scratch the paint and you will see 'Nestle Milo' underneath...

[Mpower]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

Echo isnt a hatchback. Its a sedan.

Steeroid, you are right and wrong & I was wrong and also right. Echo not sold as a hatchback in the US, but there is a Echo hatchback in Canada and probably Australia. Take a look.

http://www.1000islandstoyota.com/new.../echohtch.html

Echo is not only a sedan but also a coupe in the US (only). Ya, its a joke of a car, but it does exist.

But wait! the plot gets thicker........... there is a Yaris sedan in Latin America, but Europe gets only the hatchback. Same car is sold as Vitz in Japan. Bottom line is all these cars are built of the same platform and can be recognized by the center mounted gauges.

[Mpower]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

I think Yaris came first, Echo is the booted version thats doing very well. Very practical little runabout with LOTS of space.

Echo was targeted as as dirt cheap car for first-time buyers in developed countries. For the Asian market, Toyota launched the Vios based on the Echo and it has upmarket features like chrome trim etc that appeal to an older, more mature customer.

[johnjacob]

Originally Posted by Mpower

...but there is a Echo hatchback in Canada and probably Australia.

I don't know about the Echo hatchback in Canada (I don't remember ever seeing one) , but there is definitely an Echo sedan in Canada. One of my friends had one.

PS: Ok, looked at the link you posted. The Echo is sold as both a hatch and a sedan in Canada. The hatch must be new - I don't think it was there when I was working in Canada upto 2003.

[man23ish]

Most people would identify the Toyota Echo, with the speedo and dashboard on the centre console above the A/C controls.

I've owned the Echo Coupe Myself, Ha! That was my first car ever. The Echo is a cute little car with loads of space and lots of mileage/gallon. I used to clock 40 mpg regularly on both city as well as highway driving. Besides it is a small car by American standards so parking space for the echo was not a problem. Also you sit high in the echo as compared to other sedans and that gives you a bit of advantage in traffic situations.

The only problem with the vehicle is that the C.G is higher and the vehicle is very light-weight, causing it to be unstable in windy conditions and on bad roads. The suspension was also not very good and you'd bounce a lot in the car because of its less weight. But fill the car with 4 sturdy men and a bit of luggage and the Echo is as stable as it can be.. The other problem with the car was that the side A-bars could hide an elephant. But I saw the same problem with the Indica as well.

Overall it is a nice VFM package.

[man23ish]

I have a pic of the Echo. how do i upload it here??

[Mpower]

Originally Posted by man23ish

I've owned the Echo Coupe Myself, Ha! .

Hey Man
Just kidding about the Echo Coupe. I just think it looks funny because of the small wheels and the fact that its trying to look sporty.
I'll take a 2 door Echo hatchback (T-sport) anyday.
Check the FAQ on how to post pictures. Would love to see a detailed review with pictures. Also, what do you think about the center gauges. Is this the way forward???

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by man23ish

The only problem with the vehicle is that the C.G is higher and the vehicle is very light-weight, causing it to be unstable in windy conditions and on bad roads. The suspension was also not very good and you'd bounce a lot in the car because of its less weight.

Yes its quite like the Esteem in that respect (weight, not CG) - a bit better, but still in the same league. On the upside, you get the kind of space that an Esteem will never be able to give you...

Originally Posted by man23ish

The other problem with the car was that the side A-bars could hide an elephant. But I saw the same problem with the Indica as well.

Yeah man I noticed the same when I drove the despatch Echo which came to pick me up after I ripped a tyre on the highway. Thats the trouble with all these 'modern' 2.5-box designs where the 0.5 is the bonnet and not the boot...

Originally Posted by man23ish

Overall it is a nice VFM package.

Absolutely!

[deepakhon]

Yesterday in the CNBC auto show, the question about Toyota's compact car was asked to Hormazd. He was of the opinion that the car wont be ready till 2008 and Toyota is planning to launch it with the sticker price of 3.9 lakhs, though he was not sure that this would be the price in 2008. He was also mentioning that the car would be from Daihatsu.

[ajmat]

Originally Posted by MONTOYA

But i dont understand bring a small car at a high price as indians are more attracted to big wheels. For eg. Getz people think why to buy getz when you can get a three box at the same price

You are right - look at China where big cars are selling well.