The Toyota Echo comes with a spunky four-cylinder engine that can achieve over 30 mpg around town. You get front-wheel drive, a nicely tuned suspension that delivers the ride of a much larger vehicle, and Toyota's anti-vibration tricks that make the car amazingly smooth at highway speeds.
What you won't get are a lot of extras. Features that are standard on many cars cost extra on the Echo. Air conditioning, power windows, door locks and mirrors, antilock brakes and a CD player all require a bump in your monthly payment book.