First of all i will begin my review of the Toyota Starlet GT by giving you a brief history of the vehicle. The first model of the Starlet GT (chassis code EP82) was produced in 1990 and continued on through until 1995 when production was ceased.The code given to the engine used was 4-EFTE. ... Read review
Advantages: Fuel Economy, Fast, Comfortable, reliable, head turning looks. Disadvantages: Need an aftermarket fog light as these cars are imports.
...begin my review of the Toyota Starlet GT by giving you a brief history of the vehicle. The first model of the Starlet GT (chassis code EP82) was produced in 1990 and continued on through until 1995 when production was ceased.The code given to the engine used was 4-EFTE. During the 5 years of manufacture the GT went through a slight cosmetic change from having square lamps at the front (pre <94 models) to having rounded headlights. I have been ... .../>
I personally own a Toyota Starlet GT so i will be talking from my own experiences of the vehicle and the knowledge i have gained from the clubs i am a member of. I will provide you with the website address's of both clubs near the end of my review. I bought my GT this year for £4500 but i had a few extra goodies with mine such a parcel shelf speakers from the factory, factory door speakers, parking pole etc. as well as it being a clean example ... more
First of all i will begin my review of the Toyota Starlet GT by giving you a brief history of the vehicle. The first model of the Starlet GT (chassis code EP82) was produced in 1990 and continued on through until 1995 when production was ceased.The code given to the engine used was 4-EFTE. During the 5 years of manufacture the GT went through a slight cosmetic change from having square lamps at the front (pre <94 models) to having rounded headlights. I have been a member of a few starlet enthusiast clubs for a while now and this newer model ( post 94>) tends to be called a "quadlight model". Also the post 94> models had a revised tailgate from the pre <94 models, the difference being a reflective strip being removed from between the rear tail lights.
I personally own a Toyota Starlet GT so i will be talking from my own experiences of the vehicle and the knowledge i have gained from the clubs i am a member of. I will provide you with the website address's of both clubs near the end of my review. I bought my GT this year for £4500 but i had a few extra goodies with mine such a parcel shelf speakers from the factory, factory door speakers, parking pole etc. as well as it being a clean example with low mileage (60,000). You can get the cars from private sellers for cheaper but without a warranty, i recommend buying from an approved importer/dealer so you have a warranty and some comeback in the event of anything bad happening. First of all i will talk about the performance of the starlet GT. 0-60 times are logged in the book as 6.8 but i can tell you it sure feels alot faster. The tuning potential of these cars is amazing considering it only has a 133bhp 1.3 litre turbocharged engine and has the capability to be tuned to well over 200bhp, power which is equal to much larger cars such as the vauxhall Astra VXR and a few Subaru Impreza wrx's.
The key to the performance of the GT is its weight. When toyota created it, weight was a huge factor in the process. The starlet weighs 860kg so has a great power to weight ratio. The build quality of the engine is brilliant and if looked after correctly and regularly maintained it will last the life of the car. The turbo model in the GT is the Toyota CT9 (dual mode boost). This basically means you can choose the power output from the turbo, low being 0.45bar and high being 0.65bar. The cool air which the turbo requires is provided by a TMIC (top mounted intercooler) which sits directly on top of the engines rocker cover.
The air is fed into the intercooler from the bonnet scoop, another great thing about the car. The engine has a factory BOV (blow off valve) or as referred to by some a dump valve. The factory BOV is a re-circulating unit and suits the CT9 turbo nicely but if you are planning any engine or turbo upgrades i would highly recommend an aftermarket unit such as a Blitz SuperSound or HKS. For you readers who are not familiar with this jargon i am proposing, a BOV releases pressure caused by the turbo and vents it to the atmosphere. This is why some cars will make a "whoosh" noise when the car changes gear.
The appearence of the Starlet GT is a real head turner, this is the only way i can describe this little pocket rocket to you, or as some call it, "rice rocket". From the front you have an aggresive look which is compiled of the colour coded door mirrors, a bonnet scoop which is located in the middle, centred grill with the "GT" badge emblazoned, and a sporty looking front bumper with fog lights. The rest of the body styling is suited to the front view with the rear having a sporty bumper, and a dual exit exhaust. On both driver and passenger doors you have the words "GT Turbo" embossed. The car came in a range of colours such as metallic silver, white, and black. These are the most popular colours but some other limited edition colours were produced. There was also an option for two tone colured models.
The interior of the car is still acceptable today in terms of colour schemes and upholstery patterns. It comprises of sporty front seats with a tasteful section missing in the headrest area, both front seats are fully adjustable, back and forth and recliner positions (operated by 2 levers which are at a comfortable arms length). In the centre console of the dashboard area we have 3 push type buttons, from left to right, the first being Hi/Lo mode for the turbo boost, second is the hazard lights, and third being the rear window de-mister. Below this we have different air settings, you can choose from face, face and feet, feet, front window de-mist, and circulate. Further down we have the pull knob which dictates the air temperature (Cold<<<>>>Hot). Then to the side of this there is another pull knob know which has the options Off/Auto/Lo/Hi (air on or off etc). Directly under these buttons there is 2 more, one for Air conditioning and the other for E-con. Below this we have the cd player or cassete deck, dual cup holder, hidden pullout compartment, cigarette lighter, and lastly the ashtray.
The steering wheel has a nice feel and the build quality is really good, it feels nice to hold, your hands dont sweat against it on long journeys and it has a good position. You can alter the position from a lever just below the wheel. Looking face on into the instrument cluster we have (left to right) a fuel gauge, speedo, Turbo Boost Gauge, Revs gauge, and engine temperature. The dashboard doesn't look or feel cheap and "plasticy". It has a good build quality and there doesnt seem to be much chance of it cracking in sunlight like some cars. Surprisingly the interior is rather spacious for a small car, and the back seats are very comfortable. The gear stick sits quite high up in comparison to other cars but it gives you a feeling of control i would say. The speakers are located in the lower dash and are 10cm in diameter, but as a factory option you could have chosen door speakers, which are 13cm in diameter and give a better sound.
The car is great to drive, the clutch is nice and light and the bite is easy to get used too, the transition from gear to gear is smooth with no jerkiness and the engine sound is quiet (unless you decide to drop a gear, employ the turbo, and boost away like a bat out of hell!!!). Fuel economy is great considering the car is a turbo. You can expect 300+miles from one full tank of fuel with the low boost setting and driving sensibly. Sensibly meaning changing gears smoothly, keeping revs below 3000rpm, and having a mixture of motorway and street driving. I have filled up the tank a good few times and i can squeeze in about £30 but it depends on your local garage petrol prices i guess.
The succesor of the GT is called a Toyota Glanza which has the exact same engine (4-EFTE), gearbox, chassis etc but the newer version weighs in at 920kg which is 60kg heavier than the GT and performs the sprint of 0-60 in 7.2 seconds. The main factor in this 0.4 difference is the Glanza has turbo boost restriction in the 1st and 2nd gears, but it is common knowledge amongst enthusiasts that this safety measure can be easily over-ridden. This model has the same power output as the starlet GT at 133bhp and also uses the CT9 turbo. Dont get me wrong at all about the GT/Glanza turbo, it is small in size so there is not much turbo lag (delay experienced when waiting for the exhaust gases to spin the turbine before boost comes on) but it runs out of power at about 80-90 but both cars will pull you to 130mph if you have had it de-restricted from 112mph. Remember both the cars are Japanese imports and they leave the factory restricted.
Some features the Starlet GT came with were Air Con, Electric mirrors, Power Steering, climate control, 14" lightweight alloys, front strut brace. (strut brace is a device which is fitted to the rear of the engine bay to reduce sway in the chassis and provide better handling).
Below i have gave some useful website address's for you if your interested in These cars.
Clubs/Online community : www.ukstarletclub.com www.ToyotaGTturbo.com
Car 0-60 comparison:
TOYOTA STARLET GT = 6.8 seconds Audi TT quattro 1.8T 180PS = 7.3 seconds Mini cooper S = 7.2 seconds VW Golf VR6= 6.7 seconds
Just to give you an idea of the power.
I hope you enjoy reading my review and have given you enough information on my pride and joy. Feel free to leave comments or send me a message if your after any more info...Marc .S. Montgomery
Advantages: Cheap to run and service, excellent Toyota reliability Disadvantages: Low spec levels, design is starting to show it age
...the internet and found a Toyota Owners Forum full of information on servicing parts, tuning and looking after you Starlet. It seems that this car has been the forgotten model that Toyota has made, and was more popular abroad due to higher sales and greater awareness of the Starlet model.
The last Starlet models (EP91) came with 1300cc 16v engines that give about 75bhp, that when compared to other manufactures equivalent models is a reasonable amount ... ...can be wired in as Toyota tucked away the cabling behind the rear quarter inner panel). Saftey wise it does have a drivers airbag, but nothing more exotic like seat pre-tensioners. The Key also has a basic transponder chip in it to active the electronic immobiliser. Toyota parts can still be ordred from main dealers for reasonable prices eg: a geniune headlamp unit will cost £50, and servicing cost are minimal too.
As funny as it sounds, I still ...
spaced 20.10.2005
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: very helpful Review of Toyota Starlet
Advantages: Very reliable, economical, fast, fun, great tuning capability and cheap to run Disadvantages: Parts can be difficult to obtain
...2007, its a N-reg 1996 Toyota Starlet Glanza V. I paid £3800, all of my friends and family thought i was mad to pay this amount of money for a 11year old car. But i've like these cars since i was 15, (21 now). The reason i love these cars so much is:
Its got a simple 1300cc Toyota engine which has been in production for years and very rarely has any problems
Because it only 1300cc, it means low tax and low insurance
Its very economical, if you ... ...KPH
For people who are interested in the tuning side, there are endless amount of mods to be done to this pocket rocket.... I've had mind for about a month now, and i've found the most efficient mods are:
-Decat (altho illegal)
-Full stainless steel exhaust system
-Dumpvalve (Bailey's)
-Induction Kit (Blitz)
Just these simple mods help the car run more smoothly and freely. Anyone who is more serious will go into, bigger intercooler, turbo's ...
bullet00th 11.10.2007
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: helpful Review of Toyota Starlet
Advantages: good make of car, good handeling Disadvantages: not much space in the back, lap belt over the middle seat
I recently bought a Toyota Starlet as a 1st car for myself and it is in this that I have learnt to drive(ish). As a Toyota it is reliable by definition, mine is 10 years old and is running better than alot of cars my parents have had over the recent years. The front of the car is spacious enough, the only design fault really is how far back the seat belts are but I think that this is generalised to all 3-door cars, the back on the other hand is not ... ...personally i would only ever try to put 2 children in the back there are 2 reasons for this; 1) the lack of legroom and 2) the middle seat belt is only a lap belt. The car itself drives very well, mine has a 1.3 litre engine and the power behind it is very obvious. It is very quick and handles excellently. I would recommend this as a 1st car for someone who is not scared of driving. ...
lil-miss-critic 08.10.2009
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: helpful Review of Toyota Starlet
Advantages: modding potential, fast, nippy, head-turner Disadvantages: quite old
Before I start, allow me to say that I am not the owner of a Starlet. However, my boyfriend does own a1996 Glanza V that was imported from Japan and since he is a car maniac, I have spent a fair amount of time learning about it!
For a start, the design of the car is a head-turner. It's small and looks slightly like a Nissan Micra from the back (because of the shape of the rear lights) and the front has a rather nice bonnet vent. For those in the ... ...GT Turbo and in comparison, it feels slightly heavier but is still faster since it is an upgraded (and facelifted) version and there is the fact that weight can be reduced through upgrades such as bucket seats and a carbon bonnet.
As for features, the Glanza has electric locks, windows and mirrors, which is a bonus. It also has a turbo timer, which keeps the engine on idle for a few minutes when it is turned off by the key in order to cool it down ...
leciel 03.11.2006
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: helpful Review of Toyota Starlet
Advantages: Reliable, maintenance-free, comfortable, great drivability. Disadvantages: No auto climate control, no heated electric wing mirrors, no electric back windows.
I bought my Toyota Starlet 1.3 GLS brand new from a franchised Toyota dealer in 1998. This was the last year of production before the the model was discontinued. I had it for 4 years before it was written off in a car accident.
During that time, I enjoyed owning it and I would drive it everywhere and we had many adventures together. I took it on holiday with me from the Highlands in Scotland, to the Isle of Wight and even abroad to Calais in France. ... ...a lot left to give. It was very manoeuverable with power steering being quite light and the big windows for good visibility for parking. It was a 5 door hatchback, big enough to seat three medium sized adults comfortably in the back. When my son was born, I could fit his car seat in the back and have all the baby stuff like pram, blankets etc, in the boot. (It didn't leave much room for shopping bags though).
Ideally, I would have liked climate ...
mickeny 03.12.2008
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: helpful Review of Toyota Starlet
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