The new Toyota Paseo is a well-built car, but that's not its best feature. The Paseo also performs well, delivers excellent fuel economy and is fun to drive. Those are strong points but still not the best thing about Toyota's new sporty coupe.
It is something bigger than that. Value is the driving force behind Paseo.With car sales stalled and the economy in a recession, the Paseo is a reasonable, sensible car for the times because a little money goes a long way in Toyota's entry level 2+2 coupe.
The list of standard features is long. The options are few. And the price is low enough to make almost anyone smile.
"This new nameplate gives young car buyers the opportunity to get an affordable, fun-to-drive, sporty subcompact backed by Toyota quality and performance," said Bob McCurry, Toyota's vice president.
The Paseo competes against such vehicles as the Hyundai Scoupe, Isuzu Impulse/Geo Storm and the Honda CRX.
After you drive the Paseo and compare, you'll discover how well it performs and appreciate the value built into the vehicle. The Paseo is not just a good buy. It's a smart buy.
The 100-horsepower, double-overhead cam, 16-valve engine in the Paseo is a derivative of the powerplant used in the new Tercel. However, Paseo's engine is not used in any other Toyota product. It should be.
The test car, equipped with a five-speed manual transmission, delivered nearly 26 miles per gallon in combined city/highway driving using the air conditioner. The Paseo is EPA rated at 28 mpg city and 34 highway.
The transmission is easy to operate. The clutch is smooth and requires little pedal effort. The shifter could be made a little less notchy, but I never once missed a shift.
Paseo handles well. The suspension system - McPherson strut up front and trailing torsion beams in the rear - is firm and allows little body roll in tight cornering maneuvers. Handling is very predictable and easy to get used to.
All Paseos come standard with power-assisted rack and pinion steering and front and rear stabilizer bars.
The turning radius is tight. The steering wheel provides good feedback and has a sturdy feel to it.
The power brakes, discs up front and drums in the rear, are adequate.
Like the Tercel, the Paseo has a dash and instrument layout that is a monument to simplicity. The user-friendly arrangement of such things as the air conditioning system and controls underscores the fun nature of the Paseo. The car is easy to drive.
Fully loaded, a Paseo with a manual transmission goes for $12,486. Toyota hopes to sell 25,000 Paseos this year and 40,000 next year. At that price, sales shouldn't be a problem.