New To The Forum, Either Echo Or Corolla Next Year - Corolland: the Toyota Corolla Forums

Guest The Kings of Random

Hey, I'm Ryan. I'm off to university next year, and will be in the market for a new vehicle to make the jump with me. I've been keen on the Echo hatchback (available in Canada) for quite some time, although I'll be doing a lot of highway driving (nice to have bigger car) and seeing as the Corolla's mileage only differs by a couple of MPG and is only a couple grand more than the Echo for a larger car, I've perked my ears up to the Corolla crowd.

My dad actually drives a 4-door 2005 Echo LE automatic, so I'm already into the Toyota scene a bit (have hung around the Echofans forums for a while), and I'm looking foward to learning some more about the Corolla and performance mods and such that people have done to their cars. Rock on!

Guest djwolford

Echos are easy to roll, I speak from experience. Go with a rolla.

I'd suggest a corolla as well if you can afford it. The echo is a very nice car but it's really a city car. For highway driving it's a bit of a pain... more noisy and very susceptible to wind (quite high for its weight).

OTOH, a hatchback is always a nice thing to have when you're a student. I'd say test drive both and see which you find most functional. Last I checked the echo had a few advantages... like an mp3-capable stereo.

If you're interested in Toyota's, and wish to have one with some versitility as far as cargo carrying is concerned, then consider the Scion xB - the box-shaped one. It is probably a bit less expensive than a Corolla, depending on options, and should provide good economy and utility. I also believe that it has an .mp3 compatible audio system.

Guest The Kings of Random

Unfortunately the Scion brand isn't available in Canada right now. I guess that's sort of the tradeoff for the Echo hatchback being available here but not in the States.

I'm not too concerned about mp3-compatible sound so that isn't much of an issue.

I'm mainly eyeing the Corolla because it's larger (I've been somewhat partial to bigger cars, but hate the gas mileage, although the 'rolla has both) and more powerful than the Echo, but differs VERY little in efficiency. I'll definitely test-drive both when the time comes around (can't wait!), and it has to be a 5-speed either way - the automatic in our Echo is obviously designed for efficiency and generally sucks as far as shift points go.