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S P E C I A L : L O N G - T E R M T E S T |
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Ulysses Ang Photos By Ulysses Ang and Jason Ang |
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A few months ago, I
rambled about how poor dealers and service centers are in the
Philippines. I
un-regrettably mentioned several of them, whom I considered to be the
worse of the worst. Then, I said something about Toyota and how their
service seemed to be a bit better compared to these guys, judging on the
Echo’s long-term introduction. I
wanted them to prove me wrong on service imbecility and downright
stupidity of dealers in this country.
Alas, they have failed miserably—now I have added Toyota Otis
to the list of automotive dealer lowlifes. The thing I hate
about service centers here is that you pay them a huge amount of
money…you trust their reputation and their supposedly-Japanese quality
training—and what do you end up with?
People with the same IQ as Pee Wee Herman!
I maybe exaggerating a bit, but our experiences with the Toyota
Echo seem to prove my point. I’ll
go back to awful service centers later, but first I’ll give a run down
on my performance evaluation of the Echo thus far… It’s been 5,038 kilometers since we introduced our Toyota Echo as part of our long-term test fleet. Our initial observations on the Echo have dramatically changed in the past couple of months, as this car has become a mixture of good news, bad news and downright ugly news. As always, it’s best to start of with the positive stuff… The great news is
that, the Echo is still one little road rocket.
Even in four-speed automatic guise, this little egg, as we
affectionally call it, proves that with the correct gearing, even an
85-bhp engine will produce wonders.
Though I can’t boast that it has won all the street light
battles it has gone through, I could pretty much say that it cruises
remarkably well. The
excellent mid-range torque, a characteristic of Toyota engines, plus the
lightweight body (900-kilograms in automatic guise) makes this hatchback
great for stop-and-go Manila traffic. Fuel economy is also
remarkable for an automatic car: returning an average of 12.3 kilometers
per liter, the Echo easily beats our long-term manual Honda City LXi by
three kilometers per liter! More praises in the steering and handling departments as well. Though the steering feels a bit over boosted, it is precise and accurate. The Echo feels very maneuverable; especially in tight traffic jams and Galleria parking lots. |
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