Remember the Toyota Echo? The Echo debuted in the U.S. in 1999 and was Toyota’s attempt to capture the American youth market, which had traditionally avoided Toyota’s conservative line-up of cars. The hope was that the young buyer would purchase an Echo, and love Toyota so much that they would then move up to Toyota’s other cars (like Corolla and Camry) as they grew older.
As someone who owned an Echo, I can tell you that it was very roomy inside (especially for a subcompact car), offered loads of storage, was easy to drive and had the legendary Toyota reliability. There was just one problem . . . the Echo as configured for the U.S. was considered ugly!
As someone who owned an Echo, I can tell you that it was very roomy inside (especially for a subcompact car), offered loads of storage, was easy to drive and had the legendary Toyota reliability. There was just one problem . . . the Echo as configured for the U.S. was considered ugly!
Like many small cars, the Echo had to find a way to create as much interior space as possible within a small footprint. Toyota designers created more room in the Echo by making it taller. While the extra interior space was great, the short wheelbase and tall height made consumers feel that the car was something clowns would jump out of in the circus!
While initial sales were good, sales numbers had dropped considerably within a couple of years and Toyota discontinued the Echo name after the 2005 model year.
Around the time the Echo’s sales were slipping, Toyota rolled out a new car called the xB from its new Scion division. The xB featured funky box like styling and was an immediate success. In its first five years, the xB sold over 100,000 more units than the Echo in its first five years and the xB was Scion’s number one seller.
While initial sales were good, sales numbers had dropped considerably within a couple of years and Toyota discontinued the Echo name after the 2005 model year.
Around the time the Echo’s sales were slipping, Toyota rolled out a new car called the xB from its new Scion division. The xB featured funky box like styling and was an immediate success. In its first five years, the xB sold over 100,000 more units than the Echo in its first five years and the xB was Scion’s number one seller.
Here’s the funny thing, the xB was essentially the Toyota Echo with different “packaging.” YTou see the xB was built on the same platform as the Echo, and while the xB did have some higher end finishes, they were both mechanically the same car.
So why did one car do so well and the other fail after just a few short years?
Packaging. In short, Toyota missed with the Echo’s styling and hit a home run with the xB’s.
We have all heard it said that you can’t judge a book by its cover; yet we all know that we are all being judged all the time by people who know nothing about us except for what they see on our “covers.”
So, what does your cover say about you? Is it consistent with what you want it to say? Is it authentic to who you really are?
So why did one car do so well and the other fail after just a few short years?
Packaging. In short, Toyota missed with the Echo’s styling and hit a home run with the xB’s.
We have all heard it said that you can’t judge a book by its cover; yet we all know that we are all being judged all the time by people who know nothing about us except for what they see on our “covers.”
So, what does your cover say about you? Is it consistent with what you want it to say? Is it authentic to who you really are?
Tags: Toyota Echo, Scion XB, judge a book by its cover, cube cars, success principles, success tips, communication, communicating effectively, relationship difference, rommel anacan, lessons from car designs, leadership, teaching, training, professional development
