For its last year of production, Toyota added a convertible to the Paseo lineup. Despite having a small following of fans, Toyota decided to discontinue the small, sporty coupe after this year. Sales were lagging, and overall consumers were turning away from sporty coupes.

The 1997 Toyota Paseo came in two trim levels, the two-door coupe and the two-door convertible. The convertible had a manual-folding top. Both shared a 1.5-liter, four-cylinder, 93-horsepower engine. A five-speed manual transmission was standard, with the option of a four-speed automatic. Fuel economy was about 27/32 mpg.

The 1997 Toyota Paseo is well liked for its small, sporty looks; excellent fuel economy; and reliability. Most drivers caution that the car is not for more than two people, as the backseat is unreasonably small, and many find the engine to be way underpowered. While the Paseo had its fans, many derided it as a “girl car,” and it passed into retirement without much fanfare.