The Toyota Starlet: Still Ready For Its Close-up
The Toyota Starlet is the predecessor to the modern Yaris. It was cute, compact, and a lot of fun to drive.
Written by Alex Reale
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
Table of Contents
In a world where the
Corolla
is the number one best-selling car of all time, talking about anything Toyota
can feel a little like campaigning for the incumbent. But ubiquity is a prize that is hard-won, and Toyota put in the work. The Japanese company has churned out dozens and dozens of vehicles, some duds, some stars, in the course of chasing that top spot. Read on to drive down memory lane with a fan favorite, the Toyota Starlet.
A Starlet is born
In 1973, Toyota was ready to find the new car sweet spot—new enough to get people interested, but not so new that it rendered all current offerings obsolete. With the Starlet Publica, they struck that balance.
The Publica had been doing well in Japan as a small family car, and Toyota was ready to take that template a size up and throw in a few design changes. The Starlet Publica was marketed as a “high-grade” version of the Publica, says
Toyota UK Magazine
, and hoped to entice a younger audience.The Starlet looked to spark joy among the youth by way of a zippy shape, great fuel economy, and that coveted feature: rear-wheel drive. By 1978, the Publica line had died with no heir and cousin Starlet took the throne. Despite sporting the second-smallest engine of any car in the U.S. in 1981, says
Car and Driver
, the Starlet nevertheless managed to impress with its 1.3 L four-cylinder.A Starlet’s handler
But it was the fuel economy and handling that made it a standout: knocking out 39 miles to the gallon is an impressive achievement even today, and the Starlet did that with its eyes closed. And Toyota UK Magazine points out that this was the first Toyota to incorporate the more dynamic and responsive rack-and-pinion steering. This plus rear-wheel drive was a driver’s dream.
One YouTuber praised the talents of his old Toyota Starlet, fondly referring to it as a “go-kart.” He noted that the Starlet’s rear-wheel drive set it apart from other hatchbacks of the time, demonstrating this superpower by whipping it around a clearing in a series of breathless donuts. The Starlet cheerfully kicks up gravel and doesn’t lose a step.
In the course of its five-generation life, fuel economy expanded to nearly double, and a few switches in engine placement did not dampen enthusiasm. The Starlet was indeed a little star.
Ceding the spotlight
The Starlet faded out in 1999, when it was replaced by the Vitz and Yaris. To our contemporary eyes, the Starlet just looks cool—its boxy, trapezoidal shape is the rebellious punk to the softened Yaris’s prim rule-follower. But we’ve since bid the Yaris adieu as well. Perhaps it’s time for a Starlet revival?
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