Will Toyota's new Starlet be revived after 27 years? Will it be fully redesigned and released in 2026?

It is rumored that Toyota will fully remodel the new Starlet and release it in 2026. The previous Starlet was discontinued in 1999, so if this happens, it will be the first revival in 27 years. According to a report in the May 10th issue of the Japanese car information magazine Best Car , Toyota’s small car Starlet will be revived in 2026.

I will explain in detail what kind of model it is, including my own thoughts on it.

table of contents

What kind of model is the new Toyota Starlet?
The relationship between Toyota and Suzuki is also a point of interest.
Toyota New Starlet Specifications that will be adopted if made by Daihatsu
About Toyota Starlet
A word from the editorial department

What kind of model is the new Toyota Starlet?

The previous model, the Starlet, was released as what we would now call a compact car, and was a sports compact car with a lineup of equipment and grades aimed at sports driving.

The most likely possibility is that it will be a successor to Toyota’s “Passo”, which will be discontinued in 2023. Considering the Passo’s history, it seems likely that Daihatsu will develop and produce it, but overseas, the Starlet name was revived in Africa for the first time in 21 years in 2020, and the base vehicle is the Suzuki-produced “Baleno” as an OEM vehicle. Furthermore, the Starlet is also participating in the South African Rally Championship.

Subsequently, in 2023, fraud issues regarding Daihatsu Motor’s certification procedures were discovered, so a question remains as to whether development will proceed as usual at Daihatsu Motor.

The relationship between Toyota and Suzuki is also a point of interest.

Another option for Toyota is a possible partnership with Suzuki. The trend of OEMing Suzuki vehicles is becoming stronger overseas, with Toyota announcing the new ” Urban Cruiser Tycoon ” as an OEM for Suzuki’s crossover SUV “Fronx.”

Toyota New Starlet Specifications that will be adopted if made by Daihatsu

The most likely scenario is that Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Toyota, will develop the Starlet. Currently, Toyota vehicles manufactured by Daihatsu in Japan include the Rise, Roomy, and Copen GR SPORT.

If Daihatsu develops a new Starlet, it will use Daihatsu’s newly developed platform DNGA (Daihatsu New Global Architecture) . It is easy to imagine that it will adopt the next-generation “Smart Assist” .

About Toyota Starlet

First generation Starlet

The first generation was released in 1973 as the “Publica Starlet”, a sporty model of the second generation “Publica”. Initially, only a 2-door fastback coupe was available, but a 4-door model was later added, at which point it was separated from the “Publica” series and became the “Starlet”. The engines were 1L and 1.2L.

Second generation Toyota Starlet

The second generation, which appeared in 1978, dropped the “Publica” name and changed to the sole name Starlet. Commonly known as the ” 1300 Starlet ,” the body type was changed to a hatchback, and 3-door and 5-door models were available. While competing models adopted front-wheel drive, the Starlet maintained rear-wheel drive on a newly developed platform.

3rd generation Toyota Starlet

The third generation, which appeared in 1984, changed the drive system to front-wheel drive. The powertrain lineup included a 1.5L diesel engine and a gasoline turbo engine, and a motorsport grade was also available.

4th generation Toyota Starlet

The fourth-generation model, which underwent a full model change in 1989, featured four-wheel disc brakes on the top-grade “GT” model, a first for the Starlet, and ABS was also available as an option, a first in its class.

5th generation Toyota Starlet

The fifth generation, which appeared in 1996, was available as a three-door sporty model called the “Glanza.” The turbo model was equipped with a mechanism that reduced boost pressure in first gear to prevent wheelspin when starting. Sales of this model ended in 1999 when a 1.3L engine was added to the “Vitz (current Yaris).”

The first generation Vitz was released in 1999, and this was released as its successor model.

6th generation Toyota Starlet (overseas model)

Starting in 2020, the “Starlet” name was revived overseas as an OEM model of the Suzuki “Baleno”. This is the first time in 21 years since its sale ended in August 1999. This model was born from a partnership between Toyota and Suzuki .

A word from the editorial department

The revival of the famous Starlet is sure to generate a lot of buzz. However, looking back at history, the Vitz was released as the successor to the Starlet, and the Yaris has been released since, so I have some doubts about reviving the Starlet name. As it is a model in the same segment, it may not be sold unless it has features that are different from the Yaris. We will let you know as soon as we have new information.

toyotanearme