Manufacturer Toyota Designer Yoshiharu Nakajima | Model years 2000–2005 | |
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Also called Toyota Echo
Toyota Yaris
FAW Xiali 2000
FAW Xiali Vela Production 1999–2005
2000–2012 (China) Assembly Japan: Toyota, Aichi
China: Tianjin (FAW) | ||
The Toyota Platz is a supermini automobile that was manufactured in Japan by Toyota from 1999 through to 2005, when replaced by the Toyota Belta. Designated by Toyota as the XP10 series, the Platz was sold in export markets as either the Toyota Echo or Toyota Yaris. The "Echo" and "Yaris" names were also given to the export version of the related Japanese market Toyota Vitz hatchback, from which the Platz derives. In Japan, it was only available at the Toyopet Store dealerships.
Contents
"Platz" is German for "space" (as defined by "the interior room is spacious"). Only inline-four engines were fitted to the Platz, which was sold in Japan as a four-door sedan only. A coupe was also available in North America where the car was badged "Echo".
The Yiddish word "plotz" is pronounced similarly, but means "burst" or "explode", providing amusement for some.
History
The Platz was introduced in 1999 as a sedan sold internationally. For North America only, when the model launched as the Echo in 1999 for the 2000 model year, a coupé guise was also offered. The Platz is heavily related to the Vitz hatchback—with which it shares front doors, a common interior and mechanical componentry. The running gear is also shared to a lesser degree with the ist and Toyota bB, sold in the United States as the Scion xA and xB respectively, and the Japan-only WiLL Vi. The same platform is the base for the Japanese-only Probox and Succeed wagons.
In the United States, the Echo sold almost 50,000 units in its first year, with just half that many in 2003. The Echo was an element of Toyota Project Genesis, a failed effort to bring younger buyers to the marque in the United States. The Echo sold in high volumes in Canada. There, Toyota also offered three- and five-door versions of the Toyota Vitz also under the name "Echo", although they went on sale as 2004 models to replace the Toyota Echo coupe (last sold in Canada after the 2002 model year). As a response for Toyota bringing Echo hatchbacks to Canada, the Toyota Echo coupe was last sold in Canada as a 2003 model, but remained on sale in the United States until ending production as a 2005 model, along with the sedan. It was the predecessor to the current North American Toyota Yaris, sharing many identical features, such as the odd (and somewhat controversial) center placement of the speedometer and gauges, as opposed to in front of the steering wheel. Power options on the Echo are a rare find. Most are just equipped with manual windows and locks, A/C, and a six speaker audio system with a CD and/or a cassette player.
In China, the Toyota Platz was marketed as the Xiali 2000 from 2000 to 2004 then as the Xiali Vela from 2004 to 2012. It came with a 1.3, 1.5 or a 1.6-liter engine and five-speed manual transmission; the four-speed automatic was not offered.
In some parts of Southeast Asia (not including Hong Kong and Japan), a modified version of the Platz with different body panels is sold under the name Toyota Vios.
The 2010 edition of Monash University's Used Car Safety Ratings (UCSR), found that the XP10 provides a "poor" (two out of five stars) level of occupant safety protection in the event of an accident.