TOYOTA CELICA GENERATIONS: A COMPREHENSIVE HISTORY

The automaker may not have known it at the time, but when Toyota first released the Celica in 1971, it would begin a legacy of Toyota performance on both the street and the track. The Celica has evolved much in its 34 years of production. It started as an answer to the popular American muscle cars of the time, but offered much better economy. Toyotas famed sports car has seen it all, from the rear-wheel drive of the first few iterations to powerful all-wheel-drive, turbocharged performance models that made waves on the circuits of the World Rally Cross. The Celica also played a key role in getting another legendary icon of Toyota performance off the ground - the Toyota Supra. Below is a guide to all Toyota Celica generations; which one is the best? That will always be up for debate.

First Generation: 1971–1977

Toyotas Answer To American Pony Cars

The muscle car craze in the United States had peaked in 1970. Seeing the potential in that market, Toyota released the Celica for the 1971 model year. The Celica was marketed as a competitor for some of the most popular names in American muscle at that time, like the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro, and the Dodge Challenger. The Celica may not have had a monstrous V8, but it did have a muscular look and rear-wheel drive. This first-generation Celica shared a platform with the Toyota Carina, which came in both coupe and sedan body styles. The first Celica that was offered in the United States was the Celica ST, and it was powered by a 1.9-liter 8R engine with a four-speed manual transmission. However, the 1972 through 1974 models came with a 2.0-liter 18 RC engine.

For 1973, an automatic transmission was offered for the first time for those that didn't want to shift gears. Finally, from 1975 through 1977, the engine was bumped up again in size to a 2.2 liter and was designated as the 20R. The switch from the 1.9L to the 2.0L and 2.2L did lose some horsepower, though, a small amount of torque was gained, along with a much more reliable engine. Some real changes came in 1974 when the GT trim Celica was added to the American Celica offering. The top-line GT model came with a five-speed manual transmission, special rocker panel graphics, and GT-specific wheels that had more style and chrome trim rings. Within the first generation, the Celica saw quite a few significant changes, ranging from engine availability to slight cosmetic differences.

* The 2.0-liter was used starting from 1972–1974 in the ST

** The 2.2-liter was used from 1975–1977

Second Generation: 1978–1981

Second Generation Brings New Looks And The Humble Beginnings Of The Supra

A second-generation Celica was released for the 1978 model year, donning a new look but having the same 2.2-liter 20R carried over from the first-generation car. Both manual and automatic transmissions were offered. The Celica was also still offered in both coupe and liftback body styles. In 1979, the Celica Supra was made available. This upgraded Celica offered more luxury appointments, and most importantly, a larger engine. The Celica Supra was powered by a 2.6-liter inline six-cylinder, which made 110 horsepower, easily outpowering the standard 2.2-liter 20R-powered Celicas. This proved to be a popular option amongst Celica customers, ensuring a future for the Supra as a standalone model moving forward. The Celica Supra did receive a bump in displacement to 2.8 liters, making 116 horsepower by the end of the second generation.

* The 2.8-liter Inline-six was used beginning in 1981, Power figures varied by market with some versions rated higher.

** The 2.4-liter Four-cylinder was used beginning in 1980

Third Generation: 1982–1985

The Final Rear-wheel-drive Celica

The mega popular third generation is very recognizable with its more angular and sporty design. Like the two generations before it, the third-generation Celica was still available in notchback coupe or the liftback body styles. New regulation front crash bumpers were steel pieces that had integrated shock absorbers to meet compliance. The front bumper was covered in body-colored plastic while the rear bumper was tucked behind a black urethane cover. A rack and pinion steering sytem was new for 1982, as was the optional variable boost power assist for the steering. Front ventilated disc brakes were also new with the third generation. The suspension had been tweaked and tuned for better ride and handling characteristics as well. As far as trim levels go, there were two options for the United States market: the ST and the GT. Both trims shared the same 2.4-liter 22R four-cylinder mated with a five-speed manual transmission or an optional four-speed automatic transmission. The six-cylinder was still reserved for the Celica Supra.

For 1982, Toyota released the "S" upgrade for the Celica GT with a five-speed manual transmission. This upgrade to the Celica GT offered a tighter suspension, larger front and rear sway bars, bigger tires mounted on wider rolling stock, and eight-way power adjustable seats. Notably, the Celica GT-S shared flared wheel openings historically reserved for the six-cylinder-powered Celica Supra. In 1983, the GT-S had become its own trim level, not just an add-on for the GT models.

Fourth Generation: 1986–1989

Turbo And All-wheel Drive

The fourth generation brought lots of big changes for the Celica. The biggest of these would be the change from rear-wheel drive to front-wheel drive. Since this was the first year for the Celica in front-wheel drive, a new engine and transmission were needed. No longer was the Supra an upgrade for the Celica - it had become its own model completely. The top-of-the-line Celica GT-S received a new dual overhead camshaft (DOHC) 2.0-liter four-cylinder that produced 136 horsepower. The base Celicas were powered by a single overhead cam version that only produced 97 horsepower.

The fourth-generation Celica also brought forth the Celica All Trac Turbo in 1988. This was the ultimate in Celica performance for 1988, ushering in a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and an all-wheel drivetrain making 0–60 miles per hour in just 7.3 seconds. The All Trac Turbo could achieve the quarter mile in 15.6 seconds, as tested by Car and Driver, and could reach a top speed of 135 miles per hour. The addition of All Trac's exclusive AWD set up made it a formidable competitor in World Rally Cross events, securing many victories during its racing career. Even with the drastic change in driveline, the performance of the Celica All Trac Turbo was a good distraction that offered great performance for those who were opposed to the new front-wheel-drive setup.

Fifth Generation: 1990–1993

A Slippery New Look And The Pinnacle Of Celica Performance

The fifth-generation Celica brought some serious style changes, utilizing more curves than hard angles, which had consumed the Celicas aesthetics up until this generation. The fifth-generation Celica also received a slight bump in horsepower. The GT got a 2.2-liter four-cylinder that made 130 horsepower, while the base model ST came with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder that produced 103 ponies.

The GT and GT-S models used the 2.2-liter four-cylinder, rated at 130 hp for the GT and 135 hp for the GT-S. Of course, the most potent Celica at that time, being the All Trac Turbo model, was still available in this new generation. The All Trac was still utilizing the turbocharged 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder, but it, too, got a horsepower increase and was now making 200 horsepower and 200 lb-ft of torque. This would be the high point of power output for Toyota Celica models in United States.

Sixth Generation: 1994–1999

Big Looks, Smaller Power - Gone Was The Turbo

This is arguably the best-looking Celica yet, with the most notable physical change being the lack of pop-up headlights. The Celica went to fixed circular headlights as trends dictated in the early nineties, ditching the hideaway headlights that had been a part of the Toyota Celica's profile for over twenty years. The Celica GT retained its 2.2-liter four-cylinder, still producing around 135 horsepower. The base model received a new 1.8-liter four-cylinder capable of 105 horsepower. Not a big change in power, but power output was trending in the right direction for the base-model Celica. Another change for the Celica starting in 1994 was the omission of the All Trac turbocharged model. This caused a significant decrease in the performance capabilities for the Celica. Car and Driver tested the GT with its 2.2-liter and clocked 0-60 mph in an underwhelming 8.3 seconds with a top speed of 131 miles per hour.

Seventh Generation: 2000–2005

The End Of The Road For The Toyota Celica

The final call for the Toyota Celica was 2005. The fifth generation had a five-year run with its latest platform and was offered as GT and GT-S only in the United States. The GT came with the 1ZZ-FE 1.8-liter four-cylinder. Using intelligent variable valve timing (VVT-i), the 1ZZ-FE was rated at 140 horsepower in the GT model. The GT was available with a choice of either five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmissions.

The GT-S utilized the 2ZZ-FE with VVT-i, which was rated at 180 horsepower, giving it a significant boost in power output thanks to a secondary stage of intake valve lift within the VVT-i system. Transmission choices were a four-speed automatic with steering wheel-mounted shift buttons, or a six-speed manual transmission. Car and Driver tested a 2000 Celica GT-S with a recorded 0–60 time of 6.6 seconds, making it the quickest Celica yet. However, top speed was still lacking. Toyota offered a TRD "Action Package" for the Celica GT-S.

The TRD modifications included a Sportivo performance suspension, an aggressive body kit that featured side skirts, a wider, more aggressive front bumper, and taller rear spoiler, larger sway bars front and rear. TRD also added a performance cat-back exhaust and high flow air filter in the stock box, for an apparent 14 horsepower gain over stock. The tested top speed for this modified GT-S or Celica GT-S TRD, was governed to 129 miles per hour.

The Toyota Celicas Swan Song

Sadly Not On A High Note

In 2004, Toyota announced the end of the line for not only the Celica, but Toyota's smaller two-seat, rear engine, rear-wheel drive sports car, the Toyota MR2. Sales of the last-gen Celica had made a drastic nosedive from selling 52.406 units in 2000, to 8,710 only four years later. In 2005, sales flatlined, with a barely measurable 3,113 units sold, making the last year for the legacy sports car quite dismal.

Sources:ToyotaToyota News RoomHemmingsToyota Specs

2025-11-07T03:39:48Z