Toyota Echo
 

I recently got a 2000 Toyota Echo and I was wondering how it scores in terms of eco-modder capacity. It gets pretty good mileage so far (33 city 42 hwy) but what else can I really do with this car?

It is an excellent, highly efficient vehicle, good choice. If you have a manual transmission, learn to engine off coast and you will see amazing increases in fuel efficiency.

With numbers like that I'm assuming you've got the manny tranny, but give us the deets. What are you willing to do? Bear in mind that 33 city is pretty darned good, even compared to current offerings.

Quick and easy stuff: weight loss, smoothie wheel covers, antenna removal - all small, incremental measures that add up.

By looking over the 100+ ecodriving tips you can pretty easily push that car to 50+ mpg in the summer if its manual. At the very least high 40s. If its auto your numbers will be lower. If you go at it with P&G and engine off coasting I'm sure you can come close to 60 mpg. Your car isn't all that different from my Paseo.

I've only had it about a month and the first two tanks I was getting around 32 mpg but this last tank which was mostly city driving I got up to 33. The first thing I want to do is get a scangauge. It really bothers me not knowing the engine rpms and it'd be great to see current gas consumption. I've thought of deleting the antenna once I get a cd play in it. Is engine off coasting bad for auto trans?

Probably, I would not EOC with an automatic. You can get good results coasting with the engine on, learning to take your foot off of the gas at the earliest opportunity.

A Scangauge is great for learning fuel efficient driving techniques.

nice try but no cigars for me.... i was attempting 1000 kms on a tank of gas, finished at 935 kms....that is 581 miles....on 43.5 litres or 9.56 imperial gallons or 11.5 U.S.gallons.works out 60.7mpg imp. or 50.4mpg US......on an echo 2004 man. with 300,000 kms or 186,000 miles on it. Can someone verify my numbers? thanks.
Alain

Those numbers look great. Congrats on the great mileage, and welcome to the site!

Those numbers are dead on. I still believe the 1000 km mark is possible with the Echo. It is my aim. :turtle:

perhaps an engine off switch is the way to gain 65 more kms.....