Economy cars may not be the first choice for many of us who prefer high-performance vehicles, but we can all appreciate a survivor – especially one that packs an unusual combination of features. The Toyota Echo is a vehicle that isn’t quite a household name in the company’s economy car lineup, slotting behind nameplates like the Tercel and the Corolla. However, it has the same reputation of those models for durability and exceptional fuel economy. The Echo shown here on the Postal Cars website is a Japanese market import known as the Platz, and it features all-wheel drive and a 5-speed manual.
The Echo was a surprisingly competent car in the U.S. market, offering a unique combination of base model thriftiness and outstanding packaging. The narrow footprint may fool you into believing it’s tiny, but inside, there plenty of room for four adults – five if you squeeze the last one in. Toyota offered the Echo in the U.S. with a 108-hp, 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine. That doesn’t sound like much, but it was surprisingly quick when compared to other economy cars of the same era. And it achieved this on 87 grade octane while going on to record almost 40 miles per gallon.
The 5-speed manual was praised when new for being buttery-smooth, if not particularly racy. But it could reach 60 in around 8.5 seconds, faster than both a Kia Sephia and the Dodge Neon as noted in a Car & Driver test when the Echo was introduced. The only real complaint about the Echo was its road-holding abilities, that it wasn’t all that competent on the skidpad – which makes me wonder if this Japanese-market model, with an all-wheel drive system not offered stateside, may address this one shortcoming. And with just under 30,000 original miles, this one looks absolutely mint inside and out.
Tiny tires are a reminder of this car’s true purpose: low-buck commuting and reliable running, with an annual maintenance budget that makes supercar owners blush. The Echo, or Platz as it’s known here, was a compelling offering when new that didn’t stick around long in the U.S. With the 1NZ-FE timing chain engine known to go the distance without needing replacement and just basic servicing, this low-mileage import will likely outlast anyone who owns it next. The AWD may not turn it into a track car, but it does add a layer of intrigue not often seen in this vehicle segment. The selling dealer is asking $8,900.
Thanks Lavery. They’d probably have sold alot of these North of the border.
Interesting car! Good on for a contract rural mail carrier with a small number of deliveries.
Insofar as being a track car, for the money a well used Miata might be a better choice.
Someone out there is going to plotz at the sight of this Platz.
I was going to say, the first thing I thought of was the Yiddish word “plotz”. Probably not something you want people associating with a car you’re trying to sell them.
The seller doesn’t describe the car in much detail. There’s no mention of the car having air conditioning or power windows.
If you’re blue and you don’t know what to drive,
Here’s an idea to drive you bats,
Puttin on the Platz!
Wrong-hand drive and almost fast enough
To outrun gnats,
Puttin on the Platz!