The electronically-controlled automatic transmission is a delight.  This is the first automatic that I've truly enjoyed driving.  It seems to be able to read my mind and shifts down exactly when I would have done so with a manual—say for overtaking or climbing up a grade. 

Speaking of climbing, we tried bringing the Echo up the steep main parking building of the Shangri-la Plaza mall, as well as the (terribly-maintained) mountain road leading up to Vieux Chalet in Antipolo, with five adults on board.  Admittedly, it didn't pull as strongly as a two-liter car, but neither did it break out into a sweat.  We climbed the steep sections quite easily, though we shifted to "L" just in case. 

Front seat space is excellent, thanks to a very tall roofline, and scooped out dash and door panels.  The rear bench is roomy for two, but just a little too tight for three, unless you're all Slim Shadys. 

With the short length and wheels-at-the-corners design, parking and turning capabilities are simply amazing.  If you find yourself without a parking space, just look for an unoccupied corner, and slip the car in.  Ford Expeditions, eat your hearts out! 

With gasoline at PHP18.00 (!!) and rising, one place where you'd be grateful is at the gas pump.  Our test unit with auto transmission has so far returned 11.18 km / liter.  That's squeezing out 65% more mileage than your average 2-liter car with manual transmission, and 35% more than a 1.5-liter car with automatic. Given that you travel 500 km/week, with today's gas prices, the savings can be as much as PHP575/week! With this, I'm actually tempted to sell my other car and get another Echo.

All is not perfect with this affair, though.  With the Echo, Toyota has given us an excellent mechanical package, but it has obviously skimped on safety and convenience features.  There's no ABS, no airbag, no front or rear foglamp, no rear wiper, no high-mounted brake light and the center rear headrest is missing.  Come on, Toyota, surely a third brake light and rear wiper can't cost that much! Also lacking are map lights, door courtesy lights, split rear seatback, hatch open warning light (necessary because the hatch can be closed but not securely so, and rattle the fillings out of your teeth), and rear shelf/cargo cover. 
Trunk is barely enough to fit books that are more than 11 inches in length. For students the Echo is more than enough.
Interior room size makes a good conversation piece. It's still a boggle for most to see a Kia Pride-sized car with interior space as large as a Honda Accord.
A ventilation system that sounds more like a World War II vintage fighter than a proper cooling system is one glitch we've found so far in our unit.