The Toyota Vitz (sold in different markets as the Toyota Yaris and Toyota Echo) is a line of subcompact cars first launched by Toyota in 1999, designed by Sotiris Kovos. The Vitz is a 3 and 5 door hatchback automobile.In Europe, the Americas, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, the Vitz is sold as the Yaris Liftback (or simply Yaris). Up to 2005, the Vitz was known as the Echo Hatchback Canada, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand, with the Toyota Platz sedan being known as the Echo; the first generation Vitz as never sold in the US. Since 2006, the Vitz and Belta are marketed in US/Canada as the Yaris Hatchback and Yaris, respectively.
Toyota redesigned the Vitz in early 2005, immediately going on sale in Japan. The European, Australian, Canadian, Mexican, and Puerto Rican markets saw the second generation Vitz near the end of 2005. In the Australian and North American markets, the car was sold as the "Yaris" for the first time. The production 2007 Toyota Yaris for the US market was unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show in January 2006. The new Yaris is built in Japan, France, and Thailand.