Toyota Celica Review | Classic Car Review Australia | Pro's & Con's

• Car Reviews,
• Jan 17, 2020

Let us start today by examining the extremely stunning country which most of us would be aware of, located in East Asia and known for numerous things and reasons. Yes, it is Japan from where we will begin and lead up to the main entity of our discussion. If you ask a random group of a dozen people, let’s say, that what is Japan famous for, you will surely get a dozen different answers. Some think that the iconic Mount Fuji is what makes Japan stand out, while others will argue that the evil Yakuza and the mythical warriors known as the Samurai makes the Japanese famous.

 

Japanese customs and traditions are centuries old, preserved until now, and it comes as a bit of a surprise when you look at how advanced they have come as well. Their industries and manufacturing companies are known to be in the top revenue-generating, competing with giants from other superpower Countries. The Toyota Motor Corporation is Japan’s largest listed company in Japan, based on market capitalization, and was the tenth-largest company in the World by revenue only last year. Let us see what makes Toyota cars superior and what the Toyota Celica means to the hearts of the Australian people.

 

The love of Toyota:

There is no doubt about the fact that Toyota is one of the most loved and cherished brands in Australia and very close to the hearts of the people here. The love story started back in the early 1950s when a few commercial vehicles were imported from Toyota Corporation, Japan for a project or two. Later, some Toyota LandCruisers were imported that changed the game here altogether.

 

By the year 1962, Toyota Corporation had formally started importing passenger and commercial vehicles to Australia. It was not long after when the first Toyota car was assembled in, and in a few years the iconic Crown, Corolla, and Corona were to be seen on the streets of Melbourne. Today, more than 100,000 Toyota vehicles are produced in Australia and others imported from Japan as well.

 

The Toyota Motor Corporation is itself a giant in its own self, with the record of producing the highest number of vehicles than any other company, surpassing General Motors and the German Volkswagen Group. They have managed to manufacture some of the most iconic cars in the last half-century or so, Toyota Celica being one of them, which we will be reviewing today.

 

About The Classic Beauty Toyota Celica:

The production of this heavenly car (Celica is derived from a Latin word which means celestial or other Worldly) is spread over seven generations and is a great automobile which started in the year 1970 and continued up to nearly four decades. The production of Toyota Celica was terminated in 2006, which the company explained was due to ‘slump in sales’.

 

Nevertheless, the car is still in demand in Australia for its rugged shape and economical price. Spanning seven generations, the Celica has been powered by a four-cylinder engine, even though the engine itself has been varying. This car also has the privilege to be part of the experiment to change the layout of the car from rear-wheel drive to front-wheel drive, which was very successful. Even here in Australia, you will find people owning a Toyota Celica 1977 model, taken care of like a baby and excellent condition, just waiting to be taken out on the street.

 

Much was its success that variants of the Celica were sold off as separate models, the Toyota Celica Supra being one of them. We will be examining the seventh generation of the Toyota Celica, whose production started in 1999 and ended in 2006. The first Australian Celica introduced were the base model ST 162 coupe, and the higher performing Toyota Celica SX liftback. Then came the Celica ST204 offered in ZR standard which was the base model and the SX-R, which loosely followed the prior SX type.

 

Toyota Celica Specifications:

The Toyota Celica seventh generation comes in multiple variants, namely the 1.8 VVTL-I T-Sports Edition and the 1.8 VVT-i 16V simple edition. Both the variants have the option for automatic or manual transmission, with horsepower ranging from a handsome 143 to 192 hp, as you move towards the Sports edition. It might not be a proper sports car, but it sure is made to look like one. With its attractive and typical Toyota Celica body kit and the standard dimensions, most people come to love this machine. The car has a top speed of 225 km/h and achieves the 0-100 km/h feat in just over 7.4 seconds.

 

Here is a list of things which every standard Celica comes loaded with:

 ✓ ABS

 ✓ Alloy wheels

 ✓ Driver and passengers’ airbag

 ✓ Electric mirrors

 ✓ Folding rear seats

 ✓ Fog lights

 ✓ Heated mirrors

 ✓ Adjustable driver’s seat

 ✓ Side airbags

 ✓ Steering wheel rake adjustment

 

Pros of Toyota Celica:

 ✓ Toyota Celica should be lauded for its practicality and is good-sized for a coupé. The rear seats can be folded, which provides an extra space which is ample for your luggage.

 

 ✓ Even though not a proper sports car, the car’s interior gives a sporty feel partly because of the low-slung position in which the driver’s seat is designed, and due to the well-placed controls, that give an overall good user experience. The seats are another plus, giving good support to the driver, while on longer trips.

 

 ✓ The car has a pretty good economy on-road and does not require frequent trips to the mechanic for service. The base model is cheaper on fuel due to which the car is very popular among college-going students. You will find Toyota Celica parts in most places so would never be stranded anywhere due to that reason, at least.

 

Cons of Toyota Celica:

 ✓ Talking about safety, the Toyota Celica lets you down somewhat in that category. There are no side-curtain airbags, while the traction control is as basic as it can get.

 

 ✓ Another thing you will find that the Celica lacks is a sort of special storage. Yes, there are a couple of cupbearers in the front and a cubby bin as well, but apart from that, there is nothing else to stow away your little things.

 

 ✓ Even though the front seats are quite comfortable and roomy, the rear seats are not meant to seat adults. The legroom is restricted and may be suitable for a couple of kids, but anyone older would have to be cramped in the back, which may be a drawback for some.

 

 ✓ We mentioned that the Celica is now available in front-wheel-drive and it proved to be successful as well, but it loses it points in dynamism somewhat. The steering loses its sensitivity a bit and you feel like it should have been more communicative to your hands.

 

 ✓ If you are thinking of buying a new Toyota Celica or a more recent model, that might be a problem. The car was discontinued more than a decade ago and you will only find most have a few thousand miles on them.

 

conclusion:

If you are looking for a sporty and economical car that does not require much maintenance or thinking of buying a graduation gift for someone, this car may be best suited for you. But if you think that you are buying yourself a complete sports car and thinking yourself lucky in spending the amount you spent on a Toyota Celica price, think again!