Instead of having a two-day launch on location, Toyota opted for a virtual launch and supplied us with the Toyota Starlet a few weeks later. This afforded us the opportunity to spend 72 hours with Toyota's brightest "new" addition to the local range.
Related: The new Toyota Starlet hatchback is here!
Styling
Something’s familiar, isn’t it? Yes, you’ve got it: The Starlet looks almost exactly the same as the Suzuki Baleno, apart from the badge and grille! In August 2019, Toyota and Suzuki joined hands and the Starlet was the first baby to be born of this newfound partnership. Maybe you’ll agree that the Starlet not the most interesting-looking hatch you'll see on the road, but once you spend a few days with this car, you'll realize why it works so well — it is a terrifically sensible set of wheels, and for a hatch, it has a practical amount of ground clearance which made parking on my steep driveway possible, a surface which is usually reserved for crossovers and SUVs. If you put the Starlet next to the Etios, the Starlet actually looks like a bit of a beauty queen!
Interior
On the inside, you can expect the same comfort, ergonomics, and excellent use of space as we’ve seen in the Baleno. There are decently-sized storage binnacles, and large bottle holders for every occupant. A small, yet deep cubby hides in the central armrest and makes an excellent place for keeping a few face masks or a phone or wallet. Our test model, the Toyota Starlet Xr, comes equipped with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and all new Starlets sold also have in-car Wi-fi with 15GB of data which can be topped up on a regular basis. The dual-toned seat material feels durable and the seats offer enough support, while the striped carpets in our test model add some visual interest.
Space and comfort
From the front to the back seat and all the way to the boot, the Starlet has no shortage of space, making it an ideal family car, even if long-legged teenagers ride along to school every day. An added bonus is the rear central three-point safety belt, and three adults will fit in the back side-by-side. It’s much bigger on the inside than you would imagine.
The Isofix anchorage points are exposed, making it a fuss-free affair when fitting a child seat, and a 12V power socket is available in both the front and the back, should someone want to plug in a portable USB hub. The darkly-tinted glass keeps rear occupants cool and serves as an added security feature.
The cargo area is large for its segment and also quite deep, allowing you to stack school bags on top of each other, and will easily swallow holiday luggage for four persons if your crew doesn't insist on bringing too many pairs of shoes. The downside to this generously-sized boot is the space-saver spare wheel, but you can't have your cake and eat it too.
Power and fuel efficiency
The Starlet's free-revving 1.4-litre engine is a little gem, and its 5-speed gearbox is as slick as they come. Keeping up with highway traffic is effortless and town driving equally so. The Suzuki-sourced engine is as light on petrol as ever, and our average fuel consumption came to a mere 6.1 litres per 100km in the city. As I have mentioned before, the 1.4-litre DOHC four-cylinder engine with 68kW and 130Nm feels more like a 1.6, thanks to the Starlet’s low bodyweight. Not many cars in this segment have as much zest as this... or as much space!
Safety
The Toyota Starlet has many more safety features than the Etios had, although the Etios was known as one of the safer entry-level cars on the market, scoring high marks for both adult and child occupant protection. There were only two airbags, though, and no ESP or VSC.
The Starlet 1.4 Xr is equipped with ABS, EBD, brake assist, VSC (vehicle stability control), six airbags (the other variants have two each), projector headlamps with daytime running lamps, the aforementioned rear privacy glass, a rear-view camera and park distance control. Cruise control will assist in keeping those speed fines to a minimum. Satellite buttons on the steering wheel allow you to change a variety of settings without having to take your eyes off the road.
The Suzuki Baleno's EuroNCAP crash test results amounted to four stars back in 2016, but that was with the addition of Radar Brake Support, which is an automatic braking feature that EuroNCAP views as 'collision avoidance technology' which can be found on many of the premium offerings locally, such as the Mercedes-Benz A-Class. This feature may eventually filter down to future Toyota Starlet models as well.
Price
The Starlet 1.4 Xr MT we tested is priced at R258 500, but if you're short on cash, why not opt for the entry-level model? At R204 900 the 1.4 Xi MT is probably going to fly from the showroom floors. It’s not poorly equipped either; featuring air-conditioning, 2x12-volt power outlets, electric windows, a tilt-adjustable steering column, 60/40 folding rear seats, power-adjustable side-mirrors and remote central locking. While they may not have the fancy touchscreen system, both Xi and Xs models feature a double-DIN audio system with CD/Bluetooth/USB/AUX functionality. For efficient daily transport, reliability and build quality, you don't need more than this.
For your reference, we’ve also added pricing for the rest of the line-up below:
Starlet 1.4 Xi MT – R204 900
Starlet 1.4 Xs MT – R215 200
Starlet 1.4 Xs AT – R235 700
Starlet 1.4 Xr MT – R258 500 (tested)
Starlet 1.4 Xr AT – R272 500
Competitors
Competition in this segment of the market is cut-throat. For the same price as a Starlet, you can get a new Suzuki Swift 1.2 GLX (R208 900), Ford Figo hatch 1.5 Ambiente (R215 100), Hyundai Grand i10 1.2 Fluid (R219 900), Honda Jazz 1.2 Trend (R236 100), VW Polo Vivo Highline (R253 900) or even a Mazda2 1.5 Active (R261 900), among many others. Pricing for the entry-level Toyota Yaris 1.5 Xi is R264 200.
Verdict
If you like the Suzuki Baleno but insist on buying only Toyotas, your problems have been solved. The most affordable Starlet comes in a little cheaper than the entry-level Baleno, but it’s the Toyota badge that is ultimately going to add value, especially when you want to trade in or sell at a later stage. The Starlet also benefits from Toyota’s massive dealer footprint in SA.
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