Toyota South Africa Motors has slightly upgraded its Starlet Cross small crossover; all variants now come equipped with front-, side and curtain airbags.
It’s been 14 months since the Toyota Starlet Cross , the cousin of the Suzuki Fronx small crossover, made its local debut, and it has gone on to become a firm fixture in the South African new-vehicle market.
In the first 8 months of 2025 alone, Toyota South Africa Motors sold 15 238 units of the Indian-built Starlet Cross and its Starlet sibling (the compact hatch on which the model is based), with the former contributing 6 547 units (around 820 per month) and the latter 8 691 units (averaging 1 100 per month).
While the Fronx line-up comprises 4 derivatives (in mid-tier GL and flagship GLX trim grades) and has pricing bookends of R298 900 and R362 900; the Suzuki’s non-identical Starlet Cross twin also has 4 variants – in XS and XR trim grades – and prices at R304 900 and ends at R375 900 (September 2025).
See also: Suzuki Fronx vs Toyota Starlet Cross: What’s the Difference?
All Starlet Cross derivatives are powered by Suzuki’s ubiquitous 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder petrol engine. As it does in various other Suzuki and Toyota applications, the K15B mill sends 77 kW and 138 Nm to the front axle via either a 5-speed manual gearbox or a 4-speed automatic transmission. TSAM claims average fuel consumption figures of 5.6 L/100 km, for the manual, and 5.8 L/100 km, for the automatic.
The Starlet Cross is 3 995 mm long (with a 2 520-mm wheelbase), 1 550 mm tall (+50 mm compared with the Starlet), 1 765 mm wide (+20 mm) and has a ground clearance of 170 mm (+30 mm). Exterior adornments include chrome garnishes on the grille, LED head- and taillamps (the former in conjunction with LED DRLs), front- and rear skid plates, a roof-end spoiler, as well as 16-inch alloy wheels.
The cabin features a 3-tone dashboard with premium finishes in charcoal, silver, and bordeaux, TSAM says, as well as cloth upholstery, chrome interior accents, a leather-trimmed multifunction steering wheel, cruise control, auto aircon, 3 USB chargers, rear parking sensors and a reverse-view camera.
XS variants feature a tilt-adjustable steering column and a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system (with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity), in conjunction with a 4-speaker audio setup.
XR derivatives are additionally equipped with chrome-finished inside door handles, a door courtesy lamp, silver (as opposed to black) side-sill garnish, height adjustment for the driver’s seat, tilt-and-telescopic adjustment for the steering column, a colour instrument display, a head-up display, an electro-chromatic rear-view mirror, a 9-inch infotainment touchscreen (and 2 extra speakers for the audio system), wireless charging pad, an illuminated glovebox, a 360-degree camera system, as well as keyless entry and start.
In terms of safety features, all Toyota Starlet Cross derivatives have ABS with EBD, vehicle stability control, hill-assist control and ISOfix child-seat anchors. And from September 2025, XS variants, which previously came with 2 airbags, will be fitted with front-, side and curtain airbags, as on XR derivatives.
TSAM also says the model is available in a variety of monochrome and bi-tone colours. Standard colours include Mystic Pearl White, Sonic Black Pearl, Premium Liquid Silver, Galaxy Blue, Shadow Grey, and Fine Orange (as pictured below). The bi-tone options include Luxe Red, Fine Orange, and Liquid Sliver in combination with a Sonic Black Pearl roof finish, which also adorns the roof spoiler and side mirrors.
How much does the new Toyota Starlet Cross cost in SA?
| Starlet Cross 1.5 XS manual | R304 900 |
| Starlet Cross 1.5 XS auto | R335 800 |
| Starlet Cross 1.5 XR manual | R355 300 |
| Starlet Cross 1.5 XR auto | R375 900 |
Prices include a 3-year/100 000 km warranty and a 4-services/60 000 km service plan.
All Toyota owners can sign up for a MyToyota profile. MyToyota provides a platform for owners to quickly and conveniently access all information and services related to the Starlet Cross. Once they opt in, they’ll have access to in-car WiFi capability (with a complimentary 25Gb) and supplementary Connect services.
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