Toyota Starlet Glanza EP91

Toyota built the sporty Glanza-badged Starlet to compete in Japan's crowded small hot-hatch segment, giving it a turbocharged 4E-FTE engine that, despite its tiny 1.3-liter displacement, delivered genuinely quick performance thanks to the car's minimal weight.

Its remarkable power-to-weight ratio for such a small, affordable car earned it a cult following among enthusiasts who value tossable handling and big-hatch-humbling acceleration in a genuinely tiny package.

• Exceptionally light weight makes its turbo power feel very lively
• Compact size makes it extremely agile and easy to place on tight roads
• Affordable, accessible entry point into JDM turbo hot-hatch ownership
• Simple mechanicals that are easy to maintain and modify

• Very small interior and limited practicality
• Modest absolute power output without modification
• Never officially exported to most Western markets
• Small production numbers make clean examples increasingly rare

• Turbo wear and boost control issues on tuned examples
• Timing belt service is critical given the small, high-strung engine
• Rust in the unibody structure on poorly stored examples
• Aftermarket wiring issues from past ECU or turbo upgrades

Good for its class — turbo upgrades, ECU tuning, and weight-reduction mods are popular, and the car's light weight means even modest power gains translate to big performance improvements.

Since it's JDM-only and rare, verify import documentation, inspect for rust in the unibody, and check turbo and boost control health given the small engine's high-strung nature.

A cult favorite among enthusiasts who prioritize light weight and agility, though it remains a niche pick compared to more famous JDM turbo cars.

• Despite its tiny 1.3-liter engine, its power-to-weight ratio rivaled much larger hot hatches of the era
• The Glanza name was Toyota's badge for its sportiest Starlet trims
• It's frequently cited by enthusiasts as an underrated 'giant killer' for autocross and tight circuit use