Toyota STARLET (1985 - 1999)
MODELS COVERED: 1985-1991 - 1.0GL 3DR 1991-1996 - 1.0 GL 3dr / 1.3 3dr and 5dr [GL, GLi, XLi] 1996-1999 - 1.3 3dr and 5dr [Sportif, CD, i, S, SR, GLS]
BY JONATHAN CROUCH
| Build |
 |
| Comfort |
 |
| Depreciation |
 |
| Economy |
|
| Equipment |
|
| Handling |
|
| Insurance |
|
| Performance |
|
| Styling |
|
| Value |
|
In almost every manufacturers range, there tends to be a forgotten model - the car you just don't see around. For
Toyota in recent years, that car has been the Starlet which, prior to the more recent Yaris, was the smallest vehicle in their line-up. The reasons for this are rather difficult to fathom. To put it bluntly, there's really very little wrong with it. All right, so dynamically the Starlet always lagged behind the class-leaders. And older 1.0-litre models certainly struggled to keep up with the traffic.
Against that, however, you have to put exemplary reliability and strong build quality. If these things are important to you above all else, the Starlet is likely to be your kind of supermini.
An inoffensive little car that won't let you down - but won't excite you very much either. Build quality is impeccable and the last examples were quite well equipped.
Try to avoid the 1985-1991 models unless all you need is an urban runabout. Try if you can to limit your search to next generation 1.3-litre models. These start on L-plates for just over £1,000, but more typical M or N-plate old-shape 1.
3-litre models tend to range between around £1,600 and just over £1,800 in three-door form. Five-doors command a £100-300 premium. New-shape Starlets start on 96N-plates for about £1,600 in basic three-door Sportif form, with more typical P and R-platers between £1,700 and £2,000 in three-door Sportif guise. Five-doors are worth a £300 premium and plusher CD trim costs around £400 more, model for model.
Last-of-line cars start at around £2,400 for a 99S three-door S and go up to about £3,200 for a 99T GLS automatic.
Rust around the tailgate and sunroof of early cars which can also get smoky and noisy with high mileage. Later models shouldn't really cause you any problems at all; theyve usually had owners who drive them carefully and look after them.
(approx - based on a 1996 1.3 CD excluding VAT) A clutch assembly is around £80. Front brakepads are around £30, a catalytic converter about £465 and an exchange alternator around £175. A headlamp is about £70.
Out on the road and in normal day to day use, the Starlet will appeal to those who view the purchase of a car much like that of a dishwasher or a fridge. The model they choose must perform its functions reliably and without fuss, stress or expense. It must be as simple to operate as a payphone and should demand as little input as possible from the operator. On all these counts, the Starlet scores heavily.
It's a cinch to drive, simple to park and economical to run - expect over 40mpg on a motorway trip. The post-1993 fuel injected catalysed 1.3-litre engined models make these kinds of longer journeys a more realistic proposition; cruising at 85mph is easy and quiet and the top speed is around 106mph. On A and B roads, while the 1.
3 isn't exactly a ball of fire, there's plenty of acceleration on tap for fleeting overtaking opportunities; rest to 60 takes around 10.3 seconds. Later versions also handle competently too, thanks to an independent suspension and the addition of an anti-roll bar. Not that many potential buyers will notice the difference, though they may remark on the fact that the car rides bumpy tarmac with surprising assurance.
The five-speed gearbox fitted to later cars also makes cruising less stressful.
Buy a late one and it makes some sense. Early cars have little to recommend them other than reliability.
<< Back to Toyota car reviews
<< Back to car reviews homepage
Find New & Used Cars in the UK |
New & Used Toyota Cars For Sale UK
