Toyota Celica Reviews

Ewan Kennedy reviews the fifth, sixth and seventh generation Toyota Celica between 1990 and 2006 as a used buy.

...and what to watch for when you are buying it.Toyota Celica was king of its market segment in Australia for many years, later suffered from a lack of buyer interest in coupes that was such a feature of the early years of the 21st century. So much so that, after struggling on for quite a while, the Celica was quietly slipped from the new-car market in March 2006.All that has changed, with the introduction of the Toyota 86 and its near-identical twin the Subaru BRZ, looking like re-igniting the coupe market. The last of the Celica range, introduced to Australia in November 2000, is hotter than the models that preceded it, most of which were cafe cruisers rather than genuine bruisers. On the other hand the post-2000 model is almost too sporty for those who do like to potter along, it has to be driven at least moderately hard or it can feel like a bit of a dog at times.Celica is well-built and carries the traditional Toyota reliability. Under the skin it’s a relatively simple design sharing many of its components with more mundane cars. But on the surface it has the sort of looks trendy buyers of all ages just love.Two Celica body types are offered: a three-door hatchback (Toyota calls it a liftback) and a two-door coupe. The liftback has dominated in recent years as the practical nature of the vehicle appeals to those who use a Celica as their sole means of transport.Rear seat room is more suited to small children than to teenagers or adults. Get the kids to try the back seat during your road test. And make sure they also check it for outwards visibility. Claustrophobia may bring on argumentative boredom, as well as car sickness.Handling in the older models is good and the Celica will generally please all but the hardest drivers in the way it performs. The 2000 Celica is much sharper on the road, with quick turn in and good feedback through the steering. It achieves this with little loss in ride comfort compared with the previous generation cars.The turbocharged rally-based Toyota Celica GT-Four is also a hot performer, and is far more expensive than the rest of the range. It was sold from 1990 to 1992, then again in a limited production run in 1994 as the GT-Four Group A Rallye, a full-on sports machine. It appeals very much to the serious driver.In the standard Celica the engine was a 2.2-litre unit until the size dropped to 1.8 litres with the year 2000 model, the latter carrying a lot of high-tech features to lift its power to considerably more than the older engine.The downside of the 1.8-litre is that you don’t get a great deal of power or torque at lower engine speeds so you have to work at keeping it on the boil. Which is fine for the keen driver but those simply looking for a visually attractive car may find it all a bit much after a while.The Celica GT-Four turbo engine is a complex 2.0-litre unit with plenty of torque at most revs. It’s at its happiest when worked hard and turbo lag can be frustrating at times. Transmission options are five-speed manual and four-speed automatic in the standard models. The hot GT-Four comes only as a five-speed manual.Celica repairs are relatively easy if you know your way around a car. There are Toyota dealers in just about any area of significance within Australia, but not many in the remote bush will carry parts for Celicas. Parts are generally reasonably priced.However, service and repairs on the GT-Four should be left to professionals as it’s a very specialised machine. Insurance on the standard Toyota Celica is relatively low (for a sports coupe, that is) but the GT-Four will cost big dollars to insure because of its turbo engine and sporting nature.Check that the engine starts promptly, idles smoothly, accelerates without hesitation and doesn't smoke from the exhaust tailpipe. The latter is likely to be at its worst when you accelerate hard after the engine has been idling for a while.Automatic transmissions which are slow to go into Drive or Reverse from Neutral or Park may be worn out. Also feel for harsh changes and for changes which probably weren’t necessary.If the gearchange in a manual car is sloppy or too tight there could be problems. During the test drive do a couple of fast downchanges from third to second and feel for baulking and listen for crunching. Both indicate an overhaul is due, though it may only be a clutch adjustment problem.Make sure the brakes operate without too much effort and pull the car up cleanly without one wheel locking before the others. If ABS is fitted you should feel for a pulsing through the brake pedal on very hard applications.Feel for a car which wanders to one side during your test drive. It may have been incorrectly repaired after a crash, or it could have front wheel alignment problems.Rust isn’t usually a hassle, but check in the lower edges of the doors and the hatch/bootlid, the lower-rear corners of the mudguards, the door sills, the floor of the boot and around the fuel filler cover.A Toyota Celica GT-Four which has been raced or rallied could have expensive troubles just waiting to be off-loaded on an unsuspecting new owner. Look for a roll cage, racing harnesses, navigation aids, a strengthened body shell and wide wheels and tyres.Beware the coupe with multiple accessories screwed to it. It may have been thrashed by a driver intent on showing off.

It has always been held that racing improves the breed and there was a time when it clearly did, but it’s harder to make that connection today. Trying to make a connection between the current marketing driven Supercar V8 racing and today’s Commodore or Falcon is difficult if not impossible.It isn’t as hard to connect our daily drivers to the rally cars that compete in the bush and have led to some awesome road cars such as the Subaru WRX.Before REX the benefits of rallying could easily be seen in cars like the four-wheel drive Toyota Celica GT-Four Group A Rallye, an in-your-face rally-bred road rocket Toyota built for the World Rally Championship.Five thousand GT-4 Group A Rallye Celicas were made and 150 found their way to Australia late in 1991.MODEL WATCHThe Celica was generally regarded as a “hairdressers” sports car, one that had more show than go, but the GT-Four Group A Rallye couldn’t be described thus. It was an extrovert that gave out all of the visual signs that said it was a car not to be messed with.The guards were pumped out and contained some pretty heavy-duty rubber, there was a new nose with larger openings to aid airflow through the radiator and intercooler, and a new bonnet with the vents letting the air from the intercooler exit uninterrupted. A rear wing mounted on the rear hatch spelt performance-plus to those gasping for air in its wake.At the heart of the GT-Four Group A was a 2.0-litre twin cam four-cylinder engine with four valves per cylinder and fed by a turbocharger breathing through a liquid-air intercooler.Engine cooling played a major part in Toyota’s thinking when it came to the GT-4 Group A. The air intakes in the bumper were large, much larger than the stock GT-4, as were the air outlets in the bonnet.Another measure taken to ensure the engine stayed out of the red zone was the auto switch off feature on the air-conditioning system when engine cooling became the priority.The need for speed meant the GT-4 Group A was only available with a five-speed manual gearbox, there was no auto option.The gearshift lever had a reduced throw and the ’box was beefed up with stronger synchromesh rings.Included in the drive train was a viscous coupling for a centre diff and a worm-geared Torsen diff for the rear final drive.With 153 kW on tap at 6000 revs, and 275 Nm at 3200 revs, the GT-4 Group A Rallye had plenty of punch although its high level of traction made it testing to get off the line with any urgency.As a result it took some time to get going, requiring almost nine seconds to reach 100 km/h, and taking 16 seconds to account for the standing 400-metre sprint.Underneath the Celica GT-4 Group A Rallye employed struts, coil springs and anti-roll bars at both ends. With nicely weighted power-assisted rack and pinion steering giving good road feel the sporty Celica had good overall handling whether the road was a series of twists and turns or flowed.Brakes were discs all round with the added safety of ABS anti-skid electronics.Inside the three-door hatch there was seating for two adults up front, and only occasional seating in the rear. Those consigned to the rear were in for a cramped ride indeed.Not surprisingly for a car which sat atop the model range the Celica GT-4 Group A Rallye came with a long list of features, which included air-conditioning, power windows and mirrors, central locking, four-speaker sound, CD player, and alloy wheels.IN THE SHOPYou need to be very careful about condition, remember these cars were bred for rallying and some will have found their way off the blacktop and into the forest. If you suspect a car has been used in competition walk away.Look for scrapes and scuffs on the bodywork, chipped and faded paint, and gravel rash. They’re all signs of rally use.Also check for any modifications made by previous owners in pursuit of more performance. They could include engine modifications or suspension upgrades, but all should be checked out for the quality of workmanship when fitted.Even if a car hasn’t been used in competition there is every likelihood that it has been driven enthusiastically so check for a service record to ensure the oil has been regularly changed and it’s had new filters as recommended.Remove the oil dipstick and inspect the oil, which shouldn’t be cloudy or dark, and lift the oil filler looking for sludge inside the engine.When driving make sure the gears engage smoothly and without any reluctance going up or down the ’box. Listen also for drive line clunking or whining.Toyota interior trim stands up quite well so there shouldn’t be any damaged interior trim fittings or seats.A car that has been in daily use will have racked up in excess of 200,000 km, but many will have been pampered and driven mostly for pleasure on weekends. Look for one of those.IN A CRASHThere were no airbags offered in the GT-4 Group A Rallye Celica, it was all about primary safety with permanent all-wheel drive, an agile and responsive chassis, four-wheel disc brakes and ABS to avoid a crash.OWNERS SAYFormer Rally driver Roger Moll was fortunate to find a mint condition 1991 Celica GT-Four Group A that had done just 70,000 km and spent much of its early life locked away in a shed. It’s standard apart from a boost controller, but still has the factory set fuel-cut. Moll says it’s no Subaru WRX, but it goes quite well. It has good midrange power, but is sluggish off the line. He says it understeers and needs an active centre diff to improve it.LOOK FOR• Tough sporty styling• great handling on and off road• Good overall performance• good resale as a collector car• reliable engine and gearbox• safety of all-wheel driveTHE BOTTOM LINEGreat dynamics and remarkable drivability made for a rewarding driving experience.RATING70/100

It’s always been hard to pigeonhole Toyota’s Celica. Is it a sports car? Is it a stylish cruiser? What has made it hard is that Toyota doesn’t seem sure either, and keeps changing it to suit the moment.Take the all-new fifth generation Celica SX Toyota released in 1989. The previous model had quite a hard edge that appealed to sports car enthusiasts, but the new model was soft and slinky, presumably aimed at a trendier buyer.Gone was the sharp twin cam sports engine that got everyone excited, replaced with a softer unit lifted from the Camry. Nice and reliable, but none too sporty.Toyota execs argued long and loud that the softer Celica was what its customers wanted. It would be a roaring success, they said at the time, and they were right.There were more buyers for a smooth coupe that looked good cruising the fashionable streets round town than there were for a rip-roaring sports coupe that could eat up a lonely country road.MODEL WATCHToyota’s marketing director at the time of the launch, Bob Miller, said the new Celica represented the start of a new era for the company, one in which the company would produce cars that were “good value for money”.The 1990s would be a decade of “cost-effective” motoring, Miller said. Helps explain the bland Camrys, Avalons, and other models Toyota has produced over the last 10 years or so.The new Celica was conceived as a car with broad appeal. It was unashamedly aimed at women in the 25-39 age range.At the time the Celica’s styling was regarded as leading edge, stretching the boundaries of acceptability. It was reckoned to be ugly from some angles, awkward from others, one that you would either love or hate. Looking back, given what’s happened in styling in the 15 years since it was launched, it’s hard to understand the criticism.Perhaps it was that the styling was a little to advanced for tastes of the time, because it’s smooth rounded shape stands up quite well even today. A clean well kept Celica still looks sharp rolling down the road now.Toyota offered two body styles, a Coupe and a Liftback. The Liftback was longer, higher, but narrower than its predecessor, the Coupe was even longer again. It was also significantly stiffer.The engine was a major talking point at the time of the launch. Instead of the lively GE twin cam engine, which used a belt to drive the second camshaft, the new 2.2-litre FE engine employed a system of scissor gears to operate the second cam and was rather lethargic by comparison.While the old GE engine was missed, the new one did put out more power and torque than the old 2.0-litre FE engine it was effectively replacing. When compared to the old FE unit power was up 12.5 per cent to 97 kW at 5400 revs, and torque jumped by 13.5 per cent to 194 Nm at 4400 revs.There was a choice of five-speed manual and a new four-speed auto. The manual boasted a heavier clutch, while the auto had shorter ratios and a more efficient torque converter.Underneath the swoopy skin lay revised springs, shock absorbers, and geometry. Brakes were discs all round, with larger diameter discs and 22 per cent more pad area for better braking effectiveness.Alloy wheels were standard, and fitted with 185/65R x 14 85H tyres.The Celica’s interior was more ergonomically laid out, with many of the major controls moved to within easier reach of the driver. There were also a host of standard features, including a tilt steering wheel, power windows and mirrors, central locking, tinted windows, remote boot and fuel filler release, seat height adjustment, full instrumentation, and four speaker sound.There was a minor facelift in 1991, which brought more aggressive front styling, three kilowatts more power, new alloy wheels, and a CD player.IN THE SHOPWith the Celica SX now moving into the last stages of its useful life it pays to shop around in search of a car in good condition that has been well maintained.A well maintained Celica, even with 200,000 km under its tyres, will have plenty of life left in it. Toyota engineering and build quality mean the Celica will stand the test of time and distance so don’t be afraid of high mileage when you see it.Check for a service record that can be verified, and make sure the cam belt has been serviced according to Toyota’s schedule. Cars at the higher end of the mileage scale will be coming up for a second belt change so be prepared for the expenditure that goes along with that.Engines are generally robust, but dip the oil, look for oil leaks, and remove the oil filler cap and peer inside for any sludge that might be there.The gearboxes generally give little trouble. The manual can have problems with fifth gear, so listen for gear noise while test driving, and the autos can have rear bearing problems at high mileage. Be prepared to service the auto once the odometer ticks over the 200,000 km mark.Toyota body and trim last quite well in Australian conditions, although you can expect to find some paint fade if it hasn’t been regularly waxed and polished, and some fading of the exterior plastic parts.LOOK FOR• reliable mechanical package even with high mileage• soggy performance from softer twin cam engine• smart stylish Coupe that has held its looks• convenience of Liftback• well equipped with plenty of standard featuresTHE BOTTOM LINERenowned Toyota reliability in a stylish Coupe, or Liftback, that still looks good today. Soggy performance was a disappointment and meant it was labelled a ‘hairdresser’s’ car.RATING70/100

Toyota’s new Celica sports car has changed more in appearance than under the skin, and more in price than in substance.Its front-end styling cues are reminiscent of Porsche with four fixed headlamps replacing the two pop-up head- lights in the previous model.And while there is no conventional grille, air is directed into the radiator through a low-slung opening. The rear styling features a high bootlid with a duck-tail effect.The neat instrument panel is seen through a leather- wrapped steering wheel with a standard airbag, smaller at 45 litres than the full-size 65-litre bag in most cars.  Ventilation controls include dials for the temperature and fan with buttons for the rest. Everything is within easy reach of the driver.The driver and front passenger are accommodated in supportive seats, but the two rear seats are for children only.  Legroom, which has grown 73mm in the rear, is not the problem; it's the lack of head-room, despite the scooped- out seats.Celica's 50mm wider body allows increases in front (45mm) and rear (50mm) tracks with small gains to the front and rear shoulder room.  Celica's 2.2 litre engine, carried over from the previous model, generates maximum power of 100kW at 5400rpm and peak torque of 196Nm at 4400rpm.Judged along the Celica's engine is willing and offers good response, but it is lacking when judged against its rivals.  This engine does not have what it takes to do the job properly, especially on the torque curve.You really have to flog it to get the sort of performance you'd expect for $50,000 - the list price of the optioned- up test car before on-road-costs.Toyota has tried to paper over the gaps in the engine's power delivery by changing the gear ratios to give slightly better performance in the low and mid rev ranges.  But, even so, you need to keep the engine racing between 3500rpm and 5500rpm to feel you are getting somewhere.Such high-rev driving tends to chew up the juice, but you can do much better if you are content to cruise along gently. It is in this high-rev range that the engine noise becomes coarse, but wind noise and tyre roar do not intrude into the cabin.Front and rear independent strut suspension are mounted on sub-frames with increases in rigidity for the suspension towers and front strut brace.The front suspension also gains from an increase in spring rates, negative camber, caster angle and trial, and anti-dive and anti-lift while the rear gets small increases in spring rates and negative camber and a decrease in anti-lift.Unlike some European markets and Japan, Australia misses out on the "super strut" suspension which adds a amber control arm to the front suspension.But, in Australia, only the $80,000 turbo-charged four- wheel-drive Celica GT-Four Group A cars will have the super strut suspension - and there's only 55 of those cars coming here.  At $42,800 for starters, it's hard to describe the Celica ZR as a great value-for-money car.This is despite the equipment list which includes the airbag, front fog lamps, five-spoke alloy wheels, power windows, remote central locking, CD player, leather- wrapped steering wheel and gear knob, sports seats, rear spoiler, and security system.As with the test car, the price nudges $50,000 when you add air-conditioning, anti-lock brakes with cruise control, and a sunroof. There's also more to pay if you want an automatic transmission.Bottom line: The new Celica is a good car without being outstanding in any area, and is certainly not exciting or involving to drive. It lacks the sort of power and torque you would expect in a sports car costing more than $40,000.Toyota CelicaPrice: $42,800Engine: In-line 16-valve double overhead-camshaft 2.2-litre electronically fuel-injected four-cylinder.Carried over from previous model, but has been re-tuned to give slightly better performance in low and mid-rev ranges.Power: 100kW/5400rpm. Torque: 196Nm/4400rpm.Slightly lower gearing does not overcome the lack of power and particularly torque in the Celica.Transmission: Five-speed manual.Slick gear changes and light clutch.Seating: Four.Rear seats are for children only because of limited headroom.