Toyota Echo
The Toyota Yaris is Toyota's current model of subcompact car, usually seen as a hatchback. It went on sale in Europe in early 1999, and migrated to North America first in 2000 as the Echo in a sedan variant, and later in 2004 in the European hatchback as the Echo Hatchback in Canada and as the Scion xA in the United States (the same platform powers the xB).
Instead of a conventional speedomiter, the European Yaris has digital performance readings which were mounted in the centre of the dashboard. The Echo and xA have conventional speedometers but are still mounted in the centre of the dashboard. Space for the driver and front seat passenger is reported to be large for a subcompact, while rear seat legroom could be altered via a sliding rear bench.
Engines powering the Yaris include 1.0L and 1.3L VVT-i petrol engines. The European Yaris T-Sport variant (introduced in 2001) contained a 1.5L engine (which powers the Echo and the xA). The T-Sport was marketed as more fun to drive than the base models because of a sportier suspension.
New to the Yaris range in 2000 was the Yaris Verso, a mini-MPV which used the same running gear as the conventional hatchback but was designed to have an even more practical interior.
