1997 Toyota Paseo Sports Car Review & Performance

of folks who inquired if this was the new Toyota. Just goes to show that

convertibles do make people look--and maybe too, the Toyota advertising

has made an impression.

Whatever the reason, our basic black convertible drew questions and

attention. Toyota calls this color Satin Black Metallic, by the way, and

it is one of only three in which the Paseo convertible is available. The

others are Super White and Super Red. The palette is larger for Paseo coupes,

with eight exterior colors offered in all.

The body panels upon which the color is sprayed and baked fit together

well. Coupe or convertible, the finished car has a sporty, fun look that

invites you to take it for a drive.

And if it's the convertible, well, ya gotta put the top down. No problem.

Undo the latches on the windshield header and flip it down. It's almost

as easy as a Mazda Miata.

Look in the trunk and you'll find the separate boot to snap over the

folded top, to tidy up the appearance. When it's time to put the car away,

or if weather becomes a problem, reversing the procedure is equally simple

and quick.

An added thoughtful touch is the glass rear window with an integrated

electric defogger, a quality feature we usually associate with much more

expensive convertibles. In fact, some very pricey ragtops still have plastic

rear windows, which is prone to yellowing and distortion over time.

Another nice touch: the rear quarter windows fold down with the top.

Toyota builds the Paseo at its big plant in Toyota City, Japan. Paseos

ticketed for convertibilization are only partially assembled and additional

structural members are added in Japan. Then they are shipped to California

where a division of ASC (formerly known as American Sunroof) takes over.

ASC completes the conversion and adds the high-quality, multi-layer insulated

convertible top.

only a moment of orientation to locate all the controls, which are logically

placed, well marked and operate as one would expect.

We found the Paseo surprisingly quiet and taut for a convertible. There

was some wind noise noticeable from the driver's seat, but not much, and

not enough to interfere with conversation, even at freeway speeds.

And equally pleasant was the ease with which conversation between front

and back seat occupants was possible, without raising voices.

However, we think there won't be many occasions when you'll be talking

to folks in the rear seats. This is a subcompact car, and even though the

Paseo has almost as much rear seat legroom as a Ford Mustang, it's still

a 2+2, and that back seat is suitable only for very short trips.

A primary mission of subcompact cars is to keep costs down, which means

they don't offer much in the way of comfort and convenience features, at

least not as standard equipment.

However, the Paseo is not a stripper. Standard appointments include

two front air bags, reclining cloth-covered sport bucket seats in front,

intermittent windshield wipers, full carpeting, and a gauge package that

includes a tachometer and trip odometer.

Also standard is the digital clock, which is recessed high in the center

of the dash making it easily readable day or night from anywhere in the

car. An AM/fM radio with four speakers is also standard, along with the

requisite cup holders.

Air conditioning, the only extra on our test car, adds $926 to the sticker

price. Also available as factory options are cruise control, power windows

and door locks, and an upgrade radio with a cassette player. Antilock brakes

add $550, and coupe purchasers can also consider adding a moonroof ($415),

as well as a rear decklid spoiler.

everyday driving.

Thanks to its low curb weight, the Paseo's 1.5-liter twin-cam 16-valve

four-cylinder engine delivers surprisingly peppy acceleration, as well

as very good fuel economy on good old unleaded regular. We liked the shift

action of the manual five-speed transmission, which adds to the driving

fun, but even with the optional four-speed automatic the car performs respectably

compared to other small cars.

ASC seems to have done its usual good work in creating this convertible

for Toyota. Although its chassis isn't quite as rigid as the coupe, an

inevitable consequence of removing the roof structure, it has the solid

feel we've come to associate with Toyotas over the years.

It also delivers respectable handling and a sporty but comfortable ride.

This is another area where the Paseo's low weight pays high dividends.

The less weight there is to shift back and forth, the quicker the response

to driver commands.

The combination of crisp steering and prompt responses in avoidance

maneuvers gives the Paseo a lively feel that we found surprising. It's

not a Miata, but it doesn't pretend to be; and, as we noted earlier, your

insurance company won't think it's a Miata, either.

Braking performance, from a front disc, rear drum system, is good--low

curb weight paying yet another dividend--though we recommend popping the

extra $550 for ABS, a good price for this important active safety feature.