The Toyota Starlet GT Turbo and the Glanza V are small, light hatchbacks with a turbocharged 1.3 litre engine, and they have been a favourite cheap fun import for years. Both were built for Japan, which is where most of the good ones still are. The questions are usually about tax, testing and whether the sums still work on a car that does not cost much to buy. Here is how it all fits together.
- Built
- 1989 to 1999, across two generations
- Shipping from Japan
- From £3,575, shipping only
- Typical journey
- About 5 to 8 weeks
- Test
- MOT, as every car is over 10 years old
Starlet or Glanza?
Owners know them by their chassis codes. The EP82 is the Starlet GT Turbo, and the EP91 is the car that replaced it, sold in turbo form as the Glanza V. Both are three-door hatchbacks, both drive the front wheels, and both use the 4E-FTE engine.
| Feature | EP82 Starlet GT Turbo | EP91 Glanza V |
|---|---|---|
| Built | 1989 to 1995 | 1996 to 1999 |
| Engine | 1.3 litre 4E-FTE turbo | 1.3 litre 4E-FTE turbo |
| In brief | The original, simple and very light | The later, rounder shape, a little more modern inside |
| UK test | MOT | MOT |
| Tax today | 5% VAT, no duty, if original | 5% rate only if built before 12 October 1996 |
The EP82 is the rawer of the two and the one with the bigger following. The Glanza V is newer, so it is often easier to find in tidy condition. Mechanically they are close, and plenty of parts are shared.
What to check before you buy
These were cheap cars, and many were bought by young drivers who liked to turn the boost up. A standard, cared-for example is worth far more than a fast one with no history. Rust is the other thing to look for, as the youngest cars are now 27 years old.
Before you pay a deposit
0 of 8 done
Our guide to Japanese auction grades explains how to read the sheet, and the Japanese import checklist covers the paperwork. If the car has been modified, our guide to importing a modified car explains what the MOT and the insurer will want to see.
Testing: an MOT, not an IVA
Production ended in 1999, so every Starlet GT Turbo and Glanza V is well over 10 years old. GOV.UK exempts cars of that age from vehicle approval, so none needs an IVA test. The speedometer does not have to be converted to mph either, as that rule applies to cars under 10 years old.
None of them is over 40 yet, so every one still needs an MOT. The usual job before the test is a rear fog light, fitted in the right position if the car does not have one.
Import tax by age
A car from Japan normally pays 10% import duty and 20% import VAT, worked out on the price plus the shipping, with the VAT charged on top of the duty. A car over 30 years old can instead pay 5% VAT and no duty.
Working from 12 October 2026, every EP82 is over 30. The Glanza V went on sale in 1996, so only the earliest cars, built before 12 October 1996, are over the line. The rest cross it year by year, and the build date of the car itself is what counts.
Age is only the starting point. HMRC treats the reduced rate as being for collectors' pieces of historical interest, and GOV.UK's guidance expects the car to be in its original state. A big turbo, an engine swap or a reworked body can mean the car is refused. Our guide to the historic vehicle 5% VAT rules sets out HMRC's conditions in full.
Modified EP82? Send us the details before you buy. We will tell you whether the changes are likely to affect the 5% rate and price the job both ways.
If you are moving to the UK, have lived abroad for at least 12 months and have owned the car for at least 6, Transfer of Residence can bring it in with no VAT or duty.
Road tax
Cars first registered before 1 March 2001 are taxed on engine size, and that date includes first registration in Japan. With an engine well under 1549cc, a Starlet or Glanza falls in the lower band, which GOV.UK sets at £230 a year. Our guide to road tax for imported cars explains how the bands work. If you drive in London or a charging Clean Air Zone, check the emissions position too, as our guide to ULEZ and imported cars explains.
Shipping, and whether the sums work
From Japan, RoRo is the usual route and costs less than a container. The car has to run and drive, and it should be empty. If you bought at auction, the auction agent usually arranges the trip to the port. A non-runner goes in a container.
As a guide, built from a year of real jobs, shipping from Japan starts from £3,575, shipping only. Door to door, the journey is usually about 5 to 8 weeks. The documents are the Japanese export certificate, the purchase invoice or auction paperwork, and your passport.
That shipping cost is the same whether the car is cheap or not, so on a small hatchback it can be a big share of the total. Add the tax, the fog light, the MOT and registration before you decide on a budget. Our cost of importing from Japan guide works through a full example, and the import tax calculator will run your own numbers.
Getting it road legal
Every Starlet and Glanza is right-hand drive, so the list of changes is short. Japanese cars are no longer checked for headlight compliance, which keeps the work down. We do the work and the MOT on our own site in Castle Donington, and our dealer-level DVLA account lets us register the car within 10 working days. For the full route, see our guide to importing a car from Japan, and for cover, insuring a Japanese import.
Questions people ask
Does an imported Starlet GT Turbo or Glanza V need an IVA test?
No. Every one is over 10 years old, so it is exempt from vehicle approval. It takes an MOT after a rear fog light is fitted if one is missing.
Which ones qualify for 5% import VAT?
Working from 12 October 2026, every EP82 Starlet and any EP91 Glanza built before 12 October 1996 is over 30 years old. HMRC also expects the car to be in its original state, so a heavily modified car may not qualify.
What engine do they use?
Both use the 4E-FTE, a turbocharged 1.3 litre four-cylinder engine driving the front wheels.
How much is road tax on a Starlet or Glanza?
Cars first registered before 1 March 2001 are taxed on engine size. With an engine under 1549cc, they pay the lower band, which GOV.UK sets at £230 a year.
Is it worth importing a cheap car from Japan?
It can be, but the shipping, tax, MOT and registration cost much the same whatever the car is worth. Work out the whole cost before you buy, so you know what the car will stand you in.
Found a Starlet or Glanza you like? Send us the auction lot or the seller's details on the quote form and we will price the whole job.
