Two weekends ago, we loaded up my mom's 2003 Echo with luggage, at least 700 lbs of human passengers on our destination from Sacramento to Yosemite. I really didn't want to take the Echo, cause it was deffinately as comfortable as the 1990 Honda Accord we could have taken, but oh well. I decided to drive instead of my mom because i didn't want to turn a 3 hour drive into an all day trip :). I jump on the freeway, back end lower than the front from all the weight in the trunk. Locked the bitch in 5th geat and cruised between 80 and 90mph effortlessly.
When we got closer to Yosemite it got STEEP!! and windy. This thing impressed me so much. I had it dropped into to 2nd gear pulling the STEEP ass hills with the A/c going and running between 4-6k rpms leaving the traffic on the short straights.
To go back, we left Sacramento with 25miles on the trip odometer. Got to Yosemite, 200 miles, with just over half a tank. Drove around Yosemite for 2 1/2 days. Started drive home and decided to put gas in the car 80 miles out of Sacramento. It took $17 - 8.3 gallons! HOLY!?!?!
What can i say??????
On this steepest of hills, it had power to spare and i was beginning to have fun.
I love my Civic, but even though the Echo is the BOTTOM of the barell of Toyotas damnit it deserves some huge respect. Deffinate bang for the buck.
Chris