Toyota Ist

Toyota Ist: which version to buy

If you are choosing a Toyota Ist rather than learning what it is, the short answer is this. For the lightest, most power-per-kilo petrol hatch in this data, take the first-generation 1.5 AT at 110 hp (kerb 1020 kg). For the strongest engine in the whole catalogue, take the second-generation 1.8 AT at 132 hp and 174 Nm — it weighs the same 1150 kg as the second-generation 1.5 CVT at 109 hp.

If you are choosing a Toyota Ist rather than learning what it is, the short answer is this. For the lightest, most power-per-kilo petrol hatch in this data, take the first-generation 1.5 AT at 110 hp (kerb 1020 kg). For the strongest engine in the whole catalogue, take the second-generation 1.8 AT at 132 hp and 174 Nm — it weighs the same 1150 kg as the second-generation 1.5 CVT at 109 hp. For all-wheel drive, every AWD Ist here is a 1.5-litre automatic or CVT at 105 hp; you pay 60–90 kg of kerb mass versus the matching FWD 1.5. The 1.3-litre cars are the lightest Ists (1000–1010 kg) but the weakest (87–88 hp). 0–100, top speed, and fuel consumption are not measured on every version below, so this guide is built on power, torque, mass, clearance, tank, and drivetrain only.

Toyota Ist generations: what actually changed

Treat the line as two generations. The first generation ran from 2002-05-01 to 2007-06-30 as a Mini 5-doors with a restyling from 2005-05-01 to 2007-06-30. The second generation ran from 2007-07-01 to 2016-04-30, still Mini 5-doors. Three versions sit in each of those three data blocks; restyling is not a third generation.

1 generation (2002-05-01 – 2005-04-30), Mini 5-doors, 3 versions. All three use Gasoline, 4 Inline cylinders, 4 valves per cylinder, No boost, Front, transverse layout, Distributed injection (multi-point), Automatic with 4 gears, a 45 L tank, Independent, spring front, Semi-independent, spring rear, Ventilated disc fronts. The 1.3 AT is 88 hp (64 kW) at 6000 rpm, 121 Nm at 4400 rpm, 1298 cc, compression 10.5, bore/stroke 75 × 73.5, fuel 92, FWD, kerb 1000 kg, gross not measured, clearance 175 mm, Drum rears. The 1.5 AT at 105 hp (77 kW) at 6000 rpm is AWD: 138 Nm at 4200 rpm, 1496 cc, 10.5, 75 × 84.7, 92, kerb 1110 kg, clearance 175 mm, Drum rears. The 1.5 AT at 110 hp (80 kW) at 6000 rpm is FWD: 141 Nm at 4200 rpm, 1496 cc, same 10.5 and 75 × 84.7, 92, kerb 1020 kg, clearance 155 mm, Disc rears.

1 generation, restyling (2005-05-01 – 2007-06-30), Mini 5-doors, 3 versions. Same body and the same Automatic 4-speed / 92 / 45 L / Independent, spring front pattern. The 1.3 AT drops 1 hp to 87 hp (64 kW) at 6000 rpm, still 121 Nm at 4400 rpm and 1298 cc; kerb rises 10 kg to 1010 kg; clearance stays 175 mm; rear brakes are not measured. The AWD 1.5 AT at 105 hp keeps 138 Nm, 1496 cc, and 175 mm, but kerb falls 10 kg to 1100 kg and the rear suspension is Dependent, spring (not Semi-independent, spring). The FWD 1.5 AT is now 109 hp (80 kW) at 6000 rpm, 141 Nm at 4200 rpm, compression 11 (was 10.5), bore/stroke 75 × 85 (was 75 × 84.7), kerb 1030 kg (+10 kg vs the 110 hp car), clearance still 155 mm, Disc rears.

2 generation (2007-07-01 – 2016-04-30), Mini 5-doors, 3 versions. Fuel becomes 95. Clearance is 165 mm on all three. Gross mass is finally listed. Front brakes are Disc (not Ventilated disc). Rear brakes are Drum on all three. Front suspension Independent, spring; rear Semi-independent, spring. The FWD 1.5 CVT is 109 hp (80 kW) at 6000 rpm, 141 Nm at 4200 rpm, 1496 cc, Variable gearbox, kerb 1150 kg, gross 1425 kg; engine layout is not measured. The AWD 1.5 CVT is 105 hp (77 kW), power rpm not measured, 141 Nm at 4200 rpm, 1497 cc (1 cc more), Front, transverse, kerb 1210 kg, gross 1485 kg. The 1.8 AT is the only 1.8: 132 hp (97 kW) at 6000 rpm, 174 Nm at 4400 rpm, 1794 cc, compression 10, 79 × 91.5, Automatic with 4 gears, FWD, kerb 1150 kg, gross 1425 kg — same masses as the FWD 1.5 CVT.

Toyota Ist specs: engine, horsepower, gearbox, drive

Power per litre (hp ÷ litres from the cc figures): 1.8 AT 73.6 hp/L; first-gen FWD 1.5 AT 110 hp 73.5 hp/L; restyle/second-gen FWD 1.5 at 109 hp 72.9 hp/L; AWD 1.5 AT 105 hp on 1496 cc 70.2 hp/L; AWD 1.5 CVT on 1497 cc 70.1 hp/L; first-gen 1.3 AT 88 hp 67.8 hp/L; restyle 1.3 AT 87 hp 67.0 hp/L. The 1.8 and the 110 hp 1.5 are essentially tied for specific output; the 1.3s sit about 6 hp/L below the 1.5 FWD cars.

Toyota Ist performance, mpg, and what is not measured

0–100 km/h is not measured on every Ist in this data. Top speed is not measured on every version. City, highway, and combined consumption are not measured on every version. CO2 is not measured. Eco class is not measured. Engine oil capacity, oil type, and engine mounts are not measured. Wheel sizes are not measured. Do not infer mpg or acceleration from horsepower; those figures are absent.

What you can rank: torque and mass. Peak torque is 121 Nm on both 1.3s, 138 Nm on both AWD 1.5 AT cars, 141 Nm on every other 1.5 (including both CVTs), and 174 Nm on the 1.8 AT — 33 Nm more than the 141 Nm 1.5s, which is 23% more torque. Peak torque rpm is 4400 on the 1.3s and the 1.8 AT, 4200 on every 1.5.

Kerb mass per horsepower (kg/hp): 1.8 AT 1150/132 = 8.71; first-gen FWD 1.5 AT 110 hp 1020/110 = 9.27; restyle FWD 1.5 AT 109 hp 1030/109 = 9.45; first-gen AWD 1.5 AT 1110/105 = 10.57; restyle AWD 1.5 AT 1100/105 = 10.48; second-gen FWD 1.5 CVT 1150/109 = 10.55; first-gen 1.3 AT 1000/88 = 11.36; second-gen AWD 1.5 CVT 1210/105 = 11.52; restyle 1.3 AT 1010/87 = 11.61. On this ratio the 1.8 AT is the best Ist here; the two 1.3s and the heaviest AWD CVT are the worst.

Toyota Ist dimensions, weight in kg, ground clearance, tank

Tank size does not help you choose: it is 45 L on all nine versions.

Weight. Lightest: first-generation 1.3 AT 1000 kg. Then first-generation FWD 1.5 AT 1020 kg, restyle FWD 1.5 AT 1030 kg, restyle 1.3 AT 1010 kg, restyle AWD 1.5 AT 1100 kg, first-generation AWD 1.5 AT 1110 kg. Second generation is heavier: FWD 1.5 CVT and 1.8 AT both 1150 kg; AWD 1.5 CVT 1210 kg — 210 kg more than the original 1.3. Gross mass is not measured on all six first-generation cars. On the second generation, FWD 1.5 CVT and 1.8 AT share 1425 kg gross; AWD 1.5 CVT is 1485 kg (+60 kg, matching the +60 kg kerb gap). Payload on those three (gross minus kerb) is 275 kg for both FWD cars and 275 kg for the AWD CVT as well (1485 − 1210).

Ground clearance. First-generation FWD 1.5 AT cars (110 hp and 109 hp) sit at 155 mm. First-generation 1.3 AT and both AWD 1.5 AT cars sit at 175 mm — 20 mm more. Every second-generation car is 165 mm: 10 mm more than the low 1.5 FWD, 10 mm less than the 175 mm cars.

Wheels. Wheel sizes are not measured on every version, so tyre/wheel choice cannot be compared from this data.

AWD cost in mass versus the same-period FWD 1.5: first generation +90 kg (1110 − 1020); restyle +70 kg (1100 − 1030); second generation +60 kg (1210 − 1150). AWD never comes with the 1.3 or the 1.8 in this catalogue.

Which Toyota Ist version to buy, and why

Buy the second-generation 1.8 AT if you want the most engine on the same kerb as a 1.5. Versus the FWD 1.5 CVT it is the same 1150 kg kerb, same 1425 kg gross, same 165 mm, same 45 L tank, same FWD, same Mini 5-doors years 2007-07-01 to 2016-04-30. You gain 23 hp (132 vs 109) and 33 Nm (174 vs 141) and swap Variable for Automatic with 4 gears. Versus the first-generation 110 hp 1.5 AT you gain 22 hp and 33 Nm but add 130 kg (1150 − 1020) and lose 10 mm of the 155 mm stance for 165 mm. Fuel is 95, not 92.

Buy the first-generation 1.5 AT at 110 hp if you want the best kg-per-hp 1.5 and the only 110 hp Ist. 9.27 kg/hp beats every 1.5 and both 1.3s; only the 1.8 AT is better (8.71). Versus its AWD twin you save 90 kg and pick up 5 hp and 3 Nm, but you sit 20 mm lower (155 vs 175) and you are FWD. Versus the restyle FWD 1.5 AT at 109 hp you have 1 hp more, 10 kg less, the same 155 mm and 141 Nm; compression is 10.5 not 11, stroke 84.7 not 85. If you specifically want a 2005–2007 Toyota Ist, that restyle 109 hp car is the FWD 1.5 of that window.

Buy an AWD 1.5 only if you need AWD. All three AWD cars are 105 hp. The lightest AWD is the restyle 1.5 AT at 1100 kg (Dependent, spring rear). The first-generation AWD 1.5 AT is 1110 kg with Semi-independent, spring rear. The second-generation 1.5 CVT AWD is heaviest at 1210 kg, with 141 Nm (3 Nm more than the AT AWDs’ 138 Nm), 1497 cc, Variable gearbox, 95 fuel, and 165 mm clearance. Power rpm on that CVT is not measured. You never get AWD with 109, 110, or 132 hp in this data.

Buy a 1.3 AT only if kerb mass is the priority. First-generation 1.3 AT at 88 hp is the lightest Ist (1000 kg) with 175 mm clearance. The restyle 1.3 AT at 87 hp is 1010 kg, same 175 mm, rear brakes not measured. Versus the 110 hp 1.5 AT you save 20 kg but give up 22 hp and 20 Nm and sit 20 mm higher. Specific output is the lowest in the table.

2002 / 2003 / 2004 vs 2005 / 2006 vs 2007 / 2008 / 2010. Cars from 2002-05-01 through 2005-04-30 are the first block: 88 / 105 / 110 hp, Automatic 4, 92. Cars from 2005-05-01 through 2007-06-30 are the restyle: 87 / 105 / 109 hp; the FWD 1.5 loses 1 hp and gains 10 kg; the 1.3 loses 1 hp and gains 10 kg; AWD loses 10 kg. From 2007-07-01 you only get CVT 1.5s or the 1.8 AT, 95 fuel, 165 mm, listed gross weight, Disc fronts instead of Ventilated disc. There is no 1.3 and no 110 hp car after 2005-04-30.

What the “extra” 1.8 buys versus the extra AWD, in arithmetic. Second-generation 1.8 AT versus FWD 1.5 CVT: +23 hp, +33 Nm, 0 kg, same 275 kg payload. Second-generation AWD 1.5 CVT versus FWD 1.5 CVT: −4 hp, 0 Nm (both 141), +60 kg. If the goal is stronger on-paper engine at unchanged mass, the 1.8 AT is the version that does that. If the goal is AWD, none of the 1.8s or 1.3s apply.

Reliability and problems. This dataset does not measure reliability, problems, oil capacity, oil type, or sale prices. Those searches cannot be answered with numbers from this source. What the source does support: every engine is Gasoline, 4 Inline, No boost, Distributed injection (multi-point); every gearbox is Automatic with 4 gears or Variable; every tank is 45 L; performance and economy figures remain not measured.