Toyota Belta: which version to buy and why
The Toyota Belta ran as a single sedan generation from 2005-11-01 to 2012-06-30 with seven named versions. There is no later generation to “wait for,” so the choice is which of those seven fits the job: 1.0 CVT, 1.3 CVT, 1.3 AT (87 hp, AWD), 1.3 MT, 1.3 AT (86 hp, FWD), 1.5 AT, and 1.5 MT. Ground clearance is 150 mm and the tank is 42 L on every version.
The Toyota Belta ran as a single sedan generation from 2005-11-01 to 2012-06-30 with seven named versions. There is no later generation to “wait for,” so the choice is which of those seven fits the job: 1.0 CVT, 1.3 CVT, 1.3 AT (87 hp, AWD), 1.3 MT, 1.3 AT (86 hp, FWD), 1.5 AT, and 1.5 MT. Ground clearance is 150 mm and the tank is 42 L on every version. Fuel is 95 Gasoline, boost is No, front brakes are Ventilated disc, rear brakes are Drum, front suspension is Independent, spring, rear is Semi-independent, torsion. Differences that matter sit in engine size, horsepower, torque, gearbox, and drive.
Specs that actually separate the seven versions
| Version | hp (kW @ rpm) | Nm @ rpm | cc | Fuel | Cylinders / layout | Boost | Gearbox | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 CVT | 71 (52 @ 6000) | 94 @ 3600 | 996 | Gasoline | 3 Inline, 4 valves/cyl | No | Variable | FWD |
| 1.3 CVT | 87 (64 @ 6000) | 116 @ 4000 | 1296 | Gasoline | 4 Inline, 4 valves/cyl | No | Variable | FWD |
| 1.3 AT (87 hp) | 87 (64 @ 6000) | 116 @ 4000 | 1296 | Gasoline | 4 Inline, 4 valves/cyl | No | Automatic 4 | AWD |
| 1.3 MT | 86 (63 @ 6000) | 124 @ 4400 | 1299 | Gasoline | 4 Inline, 4 valves/cyl | No | Manual 5 | FWD |
| 1.3 AT (86 hp) | 86 (63 @ 6000) | 124 @ 4400 | 1299 | Gasoline | 4 Inline, 4 valves/cyl | No | Automatic 4 | FWD |
| 1.5 AT | 106 (78 @ 6000) | 145 @ 4200 | 1497 | Gasoline | 4 Inline, 4 valves/cyl | No | Automatic 4 | FWD |
| 1.5 MT | 106 (78 @ 6000) | 145 @ 4200 | 1497 | Gasoline | 4 Inline, 4 valves/cyl | No | Manual 5 | FWD |
Engine position is Front, transverse on 1.3 CVT, 1.3 MT, 1.3 AT (86 hp), 1.5 AT, and 1.5 MT. It is not measured on 1.0 CVT and on 1.3 AT (87 hp).
Engine: litres, horsepower per litre, and what the step up buys
1.0 CVT is the only three-cylinder: 996 cc, 71 hp, 94 Nm. Specific output is 71.3 hp per litre (71 ÷ 0.996). Compression is 10; bore × stroke is 69 × 66.7. Peak torque arrives earliest in the range, at 3600 rpm.
Stepping to 1.3 CVT adds 300 cc, 16 hp, and 22 Nm (87 hp and 116 Nm from 1296 cc). That is 67.1 hp per litre (87 ÷ 1.296) — less dense than the 1.0, but 22.5% more power (16 ÷ 71) and 23.4% more torque (22 ÷ 94). Both versions use Variable and FWD. Compression and bore × stroke on 1.3 CVT are not measured.
There are two different 1.3-litre engines, not one engine with two names.
- 1296 cc / 87 hp / 116 Nm @ 4000: 1.3 CVT and 1.3 AT (87 hp). Compression on the AWD 1.3 AT is 11; bore × stroke 72 × 79.6.
- 1299 cc / 86 hp / 124 Nm @ 4400: 1.3 MT and 1.3 AT (86 hp). Compression 10.5; bore × stroke 75 × 73.5.
The 1299 cc pair is 3 cc larger, 1 hp lower, and 8 Nm stronger (124 vs 116, +6.9%). Torque peaks 400 rpm later (4400 vs 4000). If the question is “which 1.3 for pull,” the 86 hp engine has the higher newton-metres. If the question is “which 1.3 for peak horsepower,” the 87 hp engine wins by 1 hp.
1.5 AT and 1.5 MT share 1497 cc, 106 hp, 145 Nm @ 4200, compression 10.5, bore × stroke 75 × 84.7. Versus the 86 hp 1.3 that is +201 cc, +20 hp (+23.3%), +21 Nm (+16.9%). Versus 1.0 CVT it is +501 cc, +35 hp (+49.3%), +51 Nm (+54.3%). Specific output is 70.8 hp per litre (106 ÷ 1.497) — close to the 1.0’s 71.3, well above the 1.3 engines’ ~66–67 hp/L. Peak power is still 6000 rpm on every version; the 1.5 does not need a higher redline to make its extra 106 hp.
All seven run Gasoline 95 and Boost No. There is no diesel, no turbo, and no hybrid in this data. “More power” here means a larger naturally aspirated Gasoline engine, not a different fuel or forced induction.
Gearbox and drive: Variable, Automatic 4, Manual 5, and the one AWD
Gearbox is the second real fork.
- Variable: 1.0 CVT, 1.3 CVT (both FWD). Gear count is not measured.
- Automatic 4: 1.3 AT (87 hp, AWD), 1.3 AT (86 hp, FWD), 1.5 AT (FWD).
- Manual 5: 1.3 MT, 1.5 MT (both FWD).
Same engine, different box: 1.3 MT and 1.3 AT (86 hp) are 1299 cc / 86 hp / 124 Nm, FWD. The split is Manual 5 versus Automatic 4. Same pattern at 1.5: 1.5 MT versus 1.5 AT, both 106 hp / 145 Nm / FWD.
Same peak power, different box and drive: 1.3 CVT and 1.3 AT (87 hp) both make 87 hp and 116 Nm from 1296 cc. 1.3 CVT is Variable + FWD. 1.3 AT (87 hp) is Automatic 4 + AWD. That AWD 1.3 AT is the only all-wheel-drive Belta in the data. Every other version is FWD.
If the extra cost of AWD is the question: it does not buy more horsepower than 1.3 CVT (both 87 hp). It buys Automatic 4 and AWD instead of Variable and FWD. Ground clearance stays 150 mm; AWD is not a lift.
Performance and mpg: what is measured, what is not
0–100 km/h is 13 seconds on 1.0 CVT, 1.3 CVT, 1.3 AT (87 hp), and 1.3 MT. It is not measured on 1.3 AT (86 hp), 1.5 AT, and 1.5 MT.
That 13-second figure is the same for 71 hp and 87 hp and for 86 hp Manual. The data do not show a faster sprint for the 16 hp step from 1.0 CVT to 1.3 CVT, nor for AWD versus FWD. Do not invent a 1.5 time: it is not measured.
Top speed is 175 km/h on 1.3 CVT only. It is not measured on 1.0 CVT, both 1.3 AT versions, 1.3 MT, 1.5 AT, and 1.5 MT. City, highway, and combined consumption are not measured on any version. CO2 and eco class are not measured on any version. There is no mpg ranking to pick a “most economical” Belta from these numbers; tank size is 42 L across the board, so range cannot be ranked either.
Dimensions, weight, and kg per horsepower
Kerb weight is 1040 kg and gross weight is 1315 kg on 1.3 CVT only. Payload on that version is 275 kg (1315 − 1040). Weight per horsepower on 1.3 CVT is 12.0 kg/hp (1040 ÷ 87). Kerb and gross are not measured on the other six versions, so you cannot rank 1.0 CVT or the 1.5s by kg/hp from this data.
Ground clearance is 150 mm on all seven. Wheel sizes are not measured on any version. Chassis layout (Independent, spring front; Semi-independent, torsion rear; Ventilated disc / Drum) does not change with engine or gearbox. Buying a larger engine does not buy a different suspension or brake type in these figures.
Which version to choose
Buy 1.0 CVT if the job is the smallest Gasoline engine and Variable + FWD. You get 71 hp, 94 Nm, 996 cc, 3 Inline, compression 10. You do not get a measured top speed, kerb weight, or mpg. 0–100 is still 13 s — the same measured sprint as several larger versions.
Buy 1.3 CVT if you want the only version with a measured top speed (175 km/h) and the only measured kerb/gross pair (1040 / 1315 kg). Power is 87 hp, 16 hp above 1.0 CVT, still Variable and FWD, still 13 s to 100. This is the data-rich FWD 1.3.
Buy 1.3 AT (87 hp) if AWD is the reason to buy a Belta. It is the only AWD row: Automatic 4, 87 hp, 116 Nm, 1296 cc, compression 11. Versus 1.3 CVT you do not gain horsepower; you change Variable/FWD for Automatic 4/AWD. 0–100 is still 13 s. Kerb weight, top speed, and mpg are not measured.
Buy 1.3 MT if you want Manual 5 and the stronger 1.3 torque: 124 Nm vs 116 Nm on the 87 hp 1.3s (+8 Nm). Power is 86 hp from 1299 cc, FWD, 0–100 still 13 s. Same engine as the FWD automatic below.
Buy 1.3 AT (86 hp) if you want that 1299 cc / 86 hp / 124 Nm engine with Automatic 4 and FWD, without AWD. Do not confuse it with 1.3 AT (87 hp): 1 hp less, 8 Nm more, 3 cc more, FWD instead of AWD, compression 10.5 instead of 11. 0–100 is not measured (unlike the 87 hp 1.3 AT).
Buy 1.5 AT if Automatic 4 + FWD and the most power among automatics: 106 hp, 145 Nm, 1497 cc. That is 20 hp and 21 Nm above the 86 hp 1.3, 19 hp and 29 Nm above the 87 hp 1.3. 0–100, top speed, weight, and mpg are not measured.
Buy 1.5 MT if the same 106 hp / 145 Nm engine with Manual 5 instead of Automatic 4. Versus 1.3 MT you gain 20 hp and 21 Nm and keep five manual gears and FWD. Versus 1.0 CVT you gain 35 hp and 51 Nm and leave Variable for Manual 5. Sprint, top speed, weight, and mpg are not measured.
Do not buy on generation. There is one generation, one sedan body, one production window (2005-11-01–2012-06-30). Nothing in the data shows a restyle as a separate generation or a later chassis with different clearance or tank.
Do not buy on mpg or “problems / reliability” numbers. Consumption, CO2, eco class, and reliability scores are not measured here. Wheel size is not measured. If those decide the purchase, this dataset cannot rank the seven.
Short arithmetic recap: the power spread is 35 hp (71 to 106). The torque spread is 51 Nm (94 to 145). The only AWD is 1.3 AT (87 hp). The only measured 175 km/h and 1040 kg kerb sit on 1.3 CVT. Four versions share a measured 13 s to 100; three do not have that figure. Names stay as in the database: 1.0 CVT, 1.3 CVT, 1.3 AT, 1.3 MT, 1.3 AT, 1.5 AT, 1.5 MT — with the two 1.3 AT rows kept apart by 87 hp AWD versus 86 hp FWD.