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| Welcome to
the Toyota Echo--a mix of the Mercedes A-class and the Volkswagen Beetle.
The Echo is cuteness and versatility all rolled into one. Did we mention
it's fuel efficient (but fast) too? |
Central gauges are so
damn funky! All rounded-look gives the car an avant garde look. Well-placed
dials are easy to read. Gone is the floating electronic display, traded
in for a traditional black-on-white analog display. |
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| Hatch lifts above high
enough as not to hit even Jabbar's head. Though the exterior is rather
plain, this is the new thinking in European cars: small, economical and
dynamic. It's a fine small car...better than the City! |
Nope, this car doesn't
come with a rear-fog lamp. Since the CBU units came from Japan, it only
has rear brake lamps. The Echo is about being a basic transportation too:
there's no third brake light. |
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| Rear bench may look small,
but it can accommodate two huge adults with room to spare. The secret is
the Echo's high roof line and more upright seating position. All four passengers
get anti-whiplash seats too. |
This is the REAL Volkswagen
Beetle of the new millennium. Sure, it doesn't have the VW badge,
but it's half the price and has the same cheerful attitude. Surprisingly
huge interior front space beats the Corolla or Camry (!). |
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| The Echo's limitation
is the inadequacy of a trunk space. You'll have to decide between rear
passengers or your luggage when going out on a road trip. |
Folding the seats do
a lot of good in increasing space, but it's not a 'fold flat to the floor'
type, meaning things like TV sets can't be transported property. |