Toyota Platz

The Toyota Platz (Japanese:トヨタ・プラッツ, Toyota Purattsu) is a subcompact car that was manufactured in Japan by Toyota from 1999 until 2005, when it was replaced by the Belta. Designated by Toyota as the XP10 series, the Platz was also sold in export markets as either the Toyota Yaris or Toyota Echo. The "Yaris" and "Echo" names were also given to the export version of the related Japanese market Vitz hatchback, from which the Platz derives. In Japan, it was available at the Toyopet Store and the Netz Toyota Store dealerships.

Toyota Platz (XP10)
Toyota Platz (XP10; pre-facelift, Japan)
Overview
ManufacturerToyota
Also called
Production
  • August 1999 – November 2005
  • 2000–2012 (China)
Model years2000–2005
Assembly
DesignerYoshiharu Nakajima
Body and chassis
ClassSubcompact car
Body style
Layout
PlatformToyota NBC platform
Related
Powertrain
Engine
Transmission
Dimensions
Wheelbase2,370 mm (93.3 in)
Length
  • 1999–2002: 4,145 mm (163.2 in)
  • 2002–2005: 4,180 mm (164.6 in)
Width1,660 mm (65.4 in)
Height
  • 1,500 mm (59.1 in) (FWD)
  • 1,510 mm (59.4 in) (4WD)
Curb weight
  • Sedan: 850–1,010 kg (1,874–2,227 lb)
  • Coupé: 923 kg (2,035 lb)[4]
Chronology
Predecessor
SuccessorToyota Belta/Yaris sedan/Vios (XP90)

Etymology

The name "Platz" is German for "space" (as defined by "the interior room is spacious"). Only straight-four engines were fitted to the Platz, which was sold in Japan as a four-door sedan only. A coupé version was also available in North America where the car was badged "Echo".

History

The Platz was introduced in 1999 as a sedan sold internationally, with a coupé version exclusive to North America following for the 2000 model year. The Platz is closely 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 bB, sold in the United States as the Scion xA and xB respectively, and the JDM-only WiLL Vi. The same platform is the base for the JDM-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, where Toyota also offered the three- and five-door hatchback versions of the Vitz badged as the Echo beginning with the 2004 model year to replace the Echo coupé (which was dropped after 2003). The coupé remained on sale in the United States until the 2005 model year along with the sedan, while the hatchback variants were never sold there. It was the predecessor to the current North American 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 models are equipped with manual windows and locks, air conditioning, and a six-speaker audio system with a CD and/or a cassette player.

Xiali 2000/Vela

In China, the Platz was marketed as the Xiali 2000 from December 2000 to March 2004. The car was then lightly facelifted and renamed as the Xiali Vela, which sold from March 2004 to 2012. It came with the 1.3-litre 8A-FE, 1.5-litre 5A-FE or a 1.6-litre Chinese-made engine known as the CA4GB2. A five-speed manual gearbox was standard on all models. From 2002 to 2003, a limited edition model was sold the Xiali Yaku and available with a 4-speed automatic gearbox.

Safety

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.[5]

Sales

Year
United States
1999 10,490
2000 48,876
2001 42,464
2002 27,985
2003 26,167
2004 3,899
2005 1,544
2006 27
2007 7
Total sales (Units): 161,459

References

  1. "75 Years of TOYOTA | General Status of Plants in Japan | Takaoka Plant". Toyota. 2012. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  2. "【威乐 2004款 1.3L 自动参数配置表】价格单_一汽_汽车之家" [[Ville 2004 1.3L automatic parameter configuration table] price list]. FAW Auto Home (in Chinese). China. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
  3. "【威乐 2006款 1.6L 手动参数配置表】价格单_一汽_汽车之家" [[Ville 2006 1.6L manual parameter configuration table] price list]. FAW Auto Home (in Chinese). China. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
  4. "Edmund's 2002 Toyota ECHO Features & Specs". Edmunds.com. Retrieved 18 May 2011.
  5. "Used Car Safety Ratings 2010" (PDF). Monash University. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 March 2011. Retrieved 24 December 2010.
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