What car replaced the Toyota Echo?
The Toyota Echo was replaced by the Toyota Yaris in most markets during the mid-2000s. Toyota rebranded its subcompact hatchback lineup under the Yaris name to unify its global small-car offering.
Timeline of the replacement
Below is a concise map of where the Echo gave way to the Yaris, along with approximate timing.
- United States and Canada: The Echo was phased out in the mid-2000s, with the Yaris serving as its successor in showrooms around 2006–2007 model years.
- Europe and other markets: The Yaris effectively replaced Echo variants as Toyota unified its small-car lineup under the Yaris name during the same period.
- Japan and Asia-Pacific: The market largely used the Vitz name locally, with the Yaris branding applied for many export markets, effectively replacing Echo-era offerings through branding realignment.
Across these regions, the replacement reflects Toyota's strategy to streamline branding while preserving the underlying platform and engineering that made the Echo popular as a compact hatchback.
Regional naming and variations
United States and Canada
In North America, the Echo’s role was taken over by the Yaris, with the hatchback marketed under the Yaris name starting in the late 2000s. This marked a shift from Echo branding toward a single, widely recognized subcompact nameplate.
Europe and other markets
Europe and many other regions adopted the Yaris as the successor to the Echo, aligning with Toyota’s global branding strategy. The Echo name largely faded from new-car brochures in these markets as the Yaris became the main small-car offering.
Japan and Asia-Pacific
In Japan, Toyota used the Vitz name for the same underlying vehicle, with the Yaris branding appearing in other markets. The Echo was not a dominant nameplate there, so the replacement occurred primarily through regional branding rather than a direct Echo-to-Yaris switch in the domestic market.
Summary
Across most markets, the Toyota Echo was replaced by the Toyota Yaris as Toyota sought a unified global small-car identity. The transition varied slightly by region, with Japan using the Vitz naming and other markets embracing the Yaris badge. The result was a streamlined, globally recognizable subcompact hatchback lineup that continues to evolve today.
What did Toyota replace the Echo with?
Yaris
The car was discontinued after the 2005 model year and was essentially replaced in Toyota's lineup by the 2007 Yaris. The Echo also had spiritual successors in the 2004 xA and xB subcompacts from Toyota's newly launched Scion brand.
Does Toyota still make Echo?
No, Toyota discontinued the Echo after the 2005 model year and replaced it with the Yaris in most markets. The car was essentially the first-generation Yaris, but the "Echo" name was used in certain regions like North America for a time.
- Discontinuation: The Echo was last made for the 2005 model year.
- Replacement: It was replaced by the Yaris, a model that was already being used for the car in other parts of the world.
- Global Naming: For the 2007 redesign and beyond, Toyota unified the name to "Yaris" globally.
- Other Names: In Japan, the sedan was called the Platz and the hatchback was called the Vitz.
Why did they discontinue the Toyota Echo?
Despite rocketing to the sales charts in 2000 (mainly due to the success of its predecessor, the Toyota Tercel), Echo sales fell through the roof in 2004, with only 4,000 units sold to American buyers. Toyota pulled the plug in 2005, but the Echo remained in production worldwide as the Yaris.
Did the Toyota Echo become the Yaris?
In many regions, the car was always sold with the "Yaris" name. Except for Japan, where it was called the "Platz" (sedan) or "Vitz" (hatchback). Due to Project Genesis in North America, the original 2000 Toyota Yaris was renamed into something more hip, as "Echo" to appeal to the millennial car drivers.
