Popular hatchback and its crossover sibling receive safety boost and extended service plan.
South Africa’s third best-selling hatchback, the Toyota Starlet, along with its Starlet Cross crossover twin, has been updated to offer even more value than before.
The updates include enhanced safety in lower spec models and an extended service plan across the board.
Toyota Starlet gets more airbags
The Toyota Starlet in Xi and Xs guise now comes standard with side and curtain airbags which along with the driver and passenger airbags brings the total up to six airbags. Previously, only the flagship Xr model featured six airbags.
The Toyota Starlet is the production sibling of the Suzuki Baleno. Last month, the VW Polo Vivo and Suzuki Swift were the only two hatchbacks that found more new homes in Mzansi.
Six airbags, which was previously only offered on top-of-the-range Xr Starlet Cross models, are now standard on the Xs too. The crossover production sibling of the Suzuki Fronx is not offered in Xi trim.
Other standard safety features across both the Toyota Starlet and Starlet Cross range includes Vehicle Stability Control, Hill-Assist Control, ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and ISOFIX points for secure child seat mounting.
Service plan extended
The service plan across both ranges has been extended from three years and 45 000km to three years/60 000km. Toyota’s stock standard three-year/100 000 km warranty remains unchanged.
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The rest the specification list and the powertrain have been kept unchanged. Both the Toyota Starlet and Starlet Cross are power by the 1.5-litre K15B naturally aspirated petrol engine. It produces 77kW of power and 138Nm of torque and mated to five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission.
The Toyota Starlet range starts at R268 300 and goes up to R327 600. The Starlett Cross is priced between R304 900 and R375 900.
