Toyota Paseo Convertible

With the arrival of warm weather, the thoughts of MotorWeek staffers invariably turn to ... convertibles. And this year, the first new ragtop out of our box comes from Toyota! It's the Paseo convertible. A fun-in-the-sun version of Toyota's sporty little econobox. So grab some cool shades and let's go!

And light, compact convertibles like the Toyota Paseo are just what summer sun worshippers crave.

Sharing identical mechanicals with its hard-top sibling, the Paseo Convertible is the smallest ragtop in the Toyota line. Its manually-operated, 4-layer insulated top is a product of drop-top specialists ASC. It closely mimics the lines of the regular Paseo's metal roof and features a proper glass rear window with defroster.

But, thanks to a wide rear-pillar area, also has huge blind spots at the rear flanks, while loose weather-stripping produced a water leak during downpours. Light weight makes for easy top operation, though. Just pop two header latches and it folds back. But expect to fight a bit with the tight-fitting, semi-hard boot cover.

Once opened up, the interior proves to be standard Paseo. The dash is clean, though rather utilitarian in appearance. Large, white-faced gauges fill the instrument pod and face bucket seats wearing cloth coverings with funky, multi-colored center panels, a decor definitely aimed at younger buyers.

The seats are more supportive than most in the subcompact class. The manual adjustments are basic and efficient. But tall drivers will dislike the lack of a tilt wheel, and the low-mounted shoulder belt anchors, which pull the belt over the shoulder from behind, are very annoying.

Also mounted a bit too low, but this time in the dash, is the optional cassette stereo. Ventilation controls, however, are perfectly positioned and easy to comprehend.

The tight rear seat has a very vertical back cushion and is best suited for children or pets. But the 6.6 cubic feet of trunk space is still quite acceptable, despite losing almost a full cubic foot to top storage.

The Paseo package is motivated by the same 1.5-liter, 16-valve 4-cylinder engine used in the Tercel coupe. It makes 93 horsepower, and 100 pound-feet of torque. Transmission choices are a 5-speed manual, or our test car's 4-speed automatic. We recommend the manual. Because with a 0-to-60 time of 11.4 seconds, the automatic was just plain slow. The quarter mile was an equally leisurely 18.4 seconds, at 74 miles per hour.

The power curve is very flat for such a tiny engine, but it's very buzzy under any kind of hard acceleration. But while acceleration was a disappointment, handling was a revelation! The Paseo performed as well, or better, than some much more expensive sport coupes.

Front plow is minimal. Smooth, predictable transitions, and plentiful steering feedback make it a genuinely fun drive. While its 14-inch Goodyear Eagles delivered plenty of grip. Braking was also quite impressive. Front discs and rear drums, with optional ABS, delivered average stops from 60 of 115 feet. Stability was excellent and pedal feel plentiful, impressive for a subcompact car.

We were less impressed, however, when we left our smooth test track and entered the everyday world of bumps and potholes. Moderate chassis flex was noticeable, even over small bumps, and over bigger ripples gave the handling an unsettling feeling.

Interior noise with the top up is quite reasonable, measuring 71 decibels, at 60 miles per hour. And fuel economy was excellent. EPA ratings are 27 city and 32 highway. Our mixed test loop returned a best average of 32 miles per gallon.

Numbers that compare favorably with the ones on the price tag. Base price for the Toyota Paseo Convertible is $17,528, the lowest price of any ragtop on the U.S. market. Our test car's options boosted the final price to $20,368.

All in all, not a bad sticker for a sporty, economical little car, let alone one that offers the added bonus of sun on your face, and wind in your hair. And while this show-off does occasionally fall short of the almost seamless perfection that we've come to expect from Toyota, it remains a very tempting choice for the serious sun worshipper.

Want to see more Road Tests? Take a look Behind the Wheel.