SA Road Tests

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This is the home of automobile road tests in South Africa. I drive South African cars, SUVs and LCVs under real-world South African conditions. Many of the vehicles driven are world cars as well, so what you read here possibly applies to the models you get where you live.

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Promising: 2022 Toyota Starlet 1.5 Xr manual

Down to earth

Pics by Motorpress
Posted: October 17, 2022

The numbers
Price, Xr manual: R294 900
Engine: 1462 cc, DOHC 16-valve, four-cylinder petrol
Power: 77 kW at 6000 rpm
Torque: 138 Nm at 4400 rpm
0-100 km/h: 11.2 seconds
Top speed: 175 km/h
Real life fuel consumption: About 6.1 l/100 km
Tank: 37 litres
Luggage: 314 – 646 litres (1 057 litres max.)
Ground clearance; 150 mm
Turning circle: 10.2 metres
Standard tyre size: 195/55R16
Spare: Spacesaver
Towing capacity, unbraked/braked: 400 kg/1000 kg
Warranty: Three years, 100 000 km
Service plan: Three years, 45 000 km at annual or 15 000 km intervals


Concise Oxford Dictionary: Starlet - A promising young performer … being groomed for stardom.

Toyota produced five generations of Starlet between 1973 and 1999 but the newest one is nothing like those.

Today’s namesake, known as Toyota Glanza in some markets, is a badge-engineered, second-generation, Baleno from Maruti Suzuki in India. Being Gen-2, it incorporates improvements over earlier models, boasting stiffer and stronger construction with improved suspension among its highlights. Measurements are essentially unchanged except that the new car stands 30 mm taller to coincide with similarly raised ground clearance; now 150 mm vs 120 mm.

Toyota and Suzuki specification levels are very similar - Xs is much the same as GL with Xr very close to GX.  There is one engine; Suzuki’s proven 1500 cc, K15B, naturally aspirated petrol unit developing 77 kilowatts and 138 Newton-metres. This is coupled with either a five-cog manual or four-speed automatic. Toyota adds a manual only, entry-level, Xi version.

Automatics accelerate as quickly as manuals with the zero-to-100 km/h sprint dealt with in 11.2 seconds although stick-shifters run 15 km/h faster and use a little less fuel; rated by the manufacturer at 5.4 l/100 vs 5.7.

Our test unit was an Xr manual, so the most notable enhancements over lower models included six airbags rather than two, push-button starting, LED running lights and headlamps, automatic light control with follow-me, electrochromatic rearview, folding wing mirrors, cruise control, reversing camera, height adjustment for the driver’s chair, information display in colour, two more speakers and horizontal steering wheel adjustment.

The most striking thing about this car is its engine although the gearbox is nice too. Despite being non-turbo, it proved very flexible with decent low-end pulling power and almost “choose one and forget it” gearing. Third takes care of everything from ‘school zone’ to ‘ticket zone’ while fifth keeps fires burning from about 80 km/h to max. Cruising at 120 is a 3000-rpm amble and it accelerates comfortably from there, so there’s little need to fan flames for joyful performance.

The second-most appealing thing is that Starlet is down to earth and not full of unnecessary “features.” Having said that, there are a few track-centric, virtual, gauges hidden in the fuel computer – motion sensor, torque and power, and acceleration – but they’re easily ignored. Apart from that little pandering to coolness, the controls you need are easy to find and operate – HVAC, entertainment, trip meter, front and rear speed defrosters, lights and wipers for example.

Because it’s little, it’s rather narrow inside so with its small central armrest and low console, the driver can easily bump knees and elbows with passengers sitting “fatly”. Probably just a question of speaking firmly, right?

Back seat riders have fair headspace although your 1.84-metre tester could brush hair against hood liner when leaning right back. Apart from that, he had plenty of knee room and comfortable accommodation for feet. Facilities include ISOFix mountings with top tethers, one map pocket, powered and unpowered USBs, repeater vents, a central courtesy lamp, three belts and head restraints, and small bottle bins but no armrest or cupholders.

The boot’s loading sill is high, at 84 cm and the well is 32 cm deep. Fittings are restricted to a light and one bag hook. The space is about a metre wide between arches and 1.4 metres long while the 60:40-split seatbacks fold with a significant step.  A Spacesaver spare is stored under the lightweight baseboard.

Because low two-hundred thousand to a touch above three-hundred is considered “budget class” today, fixtures and fittings are mostly hard plastic and seats are covered in fabric. Fit and finish is generally good, if not at Lexus level. I could easily live with one.

Test unit from Toyota SA press fleet



What We Do

This is a one-man show, which means that every car reviewed is thoroughly researched, given my personal evaluation and receives my own seat of the pants judgement - no second hand input here.

Every test car goes through real world driving; on city streets littered with potholes, speed bumps and rumble strips, on freeways and if its profile demands, dirt roads or goat tracks as well. As a result, my test cars do occasionally get dirty. It's all part of the reviewing process.

I do my best to include relevant information like real life fuel economy or a close mathematical calculation, boot size or luggage space, whether the space is both usable and accessible, whether life-sized people can use the back seat (where that applies), basic specs of the vehicle and performance figures if they are published. In the case of clearly identified launch reports, fuel figures are of necessity the laboratory numbers provided with the release material.

If ever I place an article that doesn't cover most things, it's probably because I have dealt with a very similar vehicle already, so you will be able to find what you want in another report under the same manufacturer's heading in the menu on the left.

Hope you like what you see, because there are no commercial interests at work here. There are no advertisers and no “editorial policy” rules. I add bylines to acknowledge sponsored launch functions and the manufacturers or dealerships that provide the test vehicles.  And, as quite a few readers have found, I answer every serious enquiry from my home email address, with my phone numbers attached, so you can see I do actually exist.

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