THE Toyota Starlet, which debuted in September 2020, was met with loud cheers and it quickly cemented itself in the highly competitive B-segment of the passenger car market.
Motorists praised the Starlet for its stylish good looks, traditional hatchback layout, comprehensive specification level and impressive frugality at the pump.
The new Starlet has a revised front and rear-styling up the visual ante with sleek headlamps up front, chrome detailing, a sloping rear roofline with boot spoiler, which flows seamlessly into the tailgate and stylish two-piece rear light clusters which complete the sporty yet elegant profile.
A revised interior design features swooping accent lines and blue detailing, with a large centrally-mounted infotainment screen and easy-to-read instrument binnacle.
A sporty, three-spoke steering wheel with large Toyota insignia and steering switches provide the perfect driver interface.
The newcomer also gets a boost in performance with the adoption of a larger 1.5-litre engine, as employed in the Urban Cruiser, replacing the outgoing 1,4-litre power plant.
This enhances performance by 9kW for a total power output of 77kW, while the torque receives an 8Nm amplification to take it to a max of 138Nm.
Despite the increase in performance, the fuel index remains low, ranging between 5,4 and 5,7 l/100km.
Driver assistance is aided by rear parking sensors (PDC), hill assist control (HAC), vehicle stability control, anti-lock braking system (ABS) and electronic brake force distribution (EBD) across the board.
Driver and passenger airbags are also provided with the flagship Xr grade featuring side and curtain versions too.
The top-tier Xr model adds Smart Entry, Push Start and Cruise Control among other options.
Pricing:
Starlet 1.5 Xi MT - R 226,200
Starlet 1.5 Xs MT - R 239,100
Starlet 1.5 Xs AT - R 261,100
Starlet 1.5 Xr MT - R 294,900
Starlet 1.5 Xr AT - R 313,300
All Starlet models are sold with a three-services/45 000km service plan, with 15 000km service intervals.
A three-year/100 000km warranty is also provided.
