Did Toyota Save The Worst Till Last? Toyota Celica VVTi T230

[@Shand1982]

I have a 140 vvti, having also had the 190 GT at the same time (but now no longer own), and have a GT86 too. The Celica is a cracking chassis, and a cracking drivers car actually even if it is FWD, great looks and aged very well, light, nimble, cable throttle (instant response), hydraulic power steering, no electronics other than ABS, you do feel connected to the road. The 140 is easier to driver at fruity A/B road speeds owing to the higher torque at lower revs, sure it doesnt have the top end power of the 190 but on an A/B roads it's absolutely hood fun, you can push it 100% and its bullet proof. As for my (stock) GT86, it's great too, but no low down torque and while RWD is a purist drivers machine I never feel I can push it 100% because in the back of my mind I feel the rear slipping and I dont want to bin it. The Celica, you can get lift-off oversteer which is fun in an 80s hot hatch kinda way but very controllable. I love my Celica (and 86) and never sure why people always hate on the 140. Oh, and it's bullet proof, I'd have to say bolted together far better than the toyobaru. As for the video, great review, thanks!

[@auser6426]

me Too :) I have had a 1zz, now got a 2zz and a GT86, I share your opinion on the Celica vs the GT. The GT is lie a big heavy go-cart, the Celica is like on rail. The Celica do have EBD

[@GarryParker]

A few years back a mate of mine was thinking of trading in his 11 year old Celica 190 for a brand new GT86. He had owned it from new and had looked after it. Toyota only offered him a £1,000 for it as a trade-in on the new car! So I said - "I'll give you a grand for it!" It was the best buy I could have made. It looked cool, was loads of fun to drive, surprisingly practical and extremely reliable. I ran it to 180K+ and it was still on the first clutch. In the high lift zone over 6,200 RPM where it just took off. ...but the best thing about it was the noise. The 190 is *all* about the engine. There aren't many cheap cars where you always wind the windows down when you go under a bridge just to hear it sing! I loved it so much that I eventually got the GT model. In the UK, those where the outgoing special edition models with the 190 engine and the full TRD bodykit with the big spoiler. Mine was one of just a few red ones and was apparently owened by a Toyota exec when it was new. He'd had roof painted black and the aerial deleted. It also had the rear valance fitted, a TRD exhaust and some fantastic 10 spoke Rota wheels in black. It looked incredible. I once parked it next to a red F-Type and I honestly thought the Celica looked better. The amount of attention it got was way more than it should of for a

[@shabba890]

Always wondered why Toyota put the compressor kit on the Corolla not the Celica given both were still in production in 2005.

[@GarryParker]

@shabba890 yeah, and that was about the only thing you could do to that engine. I was on the forums at the time and people spent a fortune trying to tune it with very poor results. Toyota had already got Yamaha to tune it about as far as it could go.

[@shabba890]

@@GarryParker they were definitely bargains, the vvtli Corollas and Celicas, always under the radar compared to Type Rs.

[@arcanevoid9199]

@@shabba890 bonnet clearance, its much tighter on the celica

[@arcanevoid9199]

@@GarryParker it is not tuned as far as it can go, just doesn't respond to poorly designed parts. you wouldnt gain around 40hp with an intake manifold, TB & a tune if it was

[@1sainteve1]

This was my first brand new car. I had it for 11 years and it only cost $179 in repairs over that time (aside from brakes, tires and oil changes). My mountain bike fit in the back and I got my 55 inch TV home from the store, all with the hatch closed. In Canadian winters, it was brilliant. I could leave the steering wheel at an angle and steer it with the throttle - very precise and predictable and it would never 'snap back'. I consider myself lucky to have owned it. I always hoped some young kid bought it from the dealer and took good care of it because that's what it deserved.

[@bugattieb110ss]

Dear God! A 2ZZ Celica is night and day better than the 140 model - what the heck are you talking about? The 2ZZ engine is one of THE best engines from the 2000's - that's why Lotus used them.

[@CarPediaShow]

Exactly! They drive completely different. It has almost 50 more horsepower then this model and revs to almost 8800rpms!

[@honda4185]

​@@CarPediaShow 8350rpm to be more exactly.

[@philthewriter]

Lotus used them because they were available to buy at a price that suited them, along with passing necessary emissions tests for sale in the US. Nothing to do with being the "best" engine. Cost and necessity - same as every other lump they used in any of their cars over the years.

[@CarPediaShow]

@@honda4185 so the lotus is the one that revs higher with its different ecu?

[@CarPediaShow]

@@philthewriter what other engine could they have used that made that much Hp/L besides the Honda b series vtec that would meet emissions globally and rev over 8000rpms?

[@simonhjc]

“I didnt dislike it I just didnt think anything of it”. That sums the celica up perfectly. I was Toyota Australias auctioneer back then and got to drive what ever I liked. So I tried one of these. The engine had 2 “power bands” one like a corolla and the other at yhe too of the rev range. Reminded me of a motor cycle. For me this model was the one a mum would buy after the kids grew up and moved on. She would trade her corolla or camry in and “let her hair down” Great memories Jack. Thanks

[@TassieLorenzo]

The Celica GTS is like a DC5 Integra Type S (RSX Type S) of the era but not as good (same as the T-Sport Corolla compared to the Civic Type R) -- as a Honda fan, that's OK to be similar but not as good, isn't it? 🙂

[@leeh9420]

Good... but forgettable... (=doomed)

[@hobbymanx9200]

I remember when it debuted and my mind was blown by the look of it. I still remember the sensation so I think it would appeal to younger people though I’m not sure of 50+ year old mums. All the young fellas loved it and boomers hated it.

[@TassieLorenzo]

@@hobbymanx9200 At the time I think I was indifferent to the Celica! I really liked the wedgy look of the Integra (RSX) and Accord Euro (TSX) at the time. That wedgy look was the style at the time, where the Celica is much more unique and distinctive.

[@hobbymanx9200]

@@TassieLorenzo fair enough. Yeah I’m a big sucker for wedge-shaped sports cars like so bad.

[@mx3fto]

I bought one of these (190) a couple weeks ago to take my rx8 off the road for the winter and it's such a funny little thing to drive. It's got a very old school feel to everything which I really like. nearly 190.000 miles and still drives great

[@budbud2509]

That is a completely different engine designed by Yamaha called 2ZZ. Its the engine as used in the Lotus Elise and Exige . I've got the supercharged version in an Exige PP rated at 243 bhp , the cup has 260 bhp and it revs to 8,500 rpm . Nice car u have

[@slamcrank]

Oof.. your RX-8 is a much better vehicle than the car that Jack is driving here.

​@@budbud2509 It's not a completely different engine at all. It's a reworked unit based on an existing engine.

​@@slamcrank Said no one.

[@budbud2509]

Well thats not what I have heard via Lotus that use both engines The 2ZZ has a different bore and stroke and revs to 8,500 as I have in my Lotus Exige 240 PP, a total Yamaha design. . The other engine rated at 140 bhp is in a 5 speed gearbox base model Elise , and also in my wifes Toyota Celica that I inherited a many years ago , so I'm very familiar with both engines. 2ZZ bore and stroke = 82 mm × 85 mm 1ZZ bore and stroke = 79 mm × 91.5 mm Both engines are 1,800 cc ""The 1ZZFE (140bhp engine) and the 2ZZGE (190bhp engine) are actually completely different in design and share little or no parts."" ""No, the Toyota 2ZZ engine is not the same as the 140 bhp Celica engine: Engine type The 2ZZ engine is a "square" design that's optimized for high-RPM torque and higher peak power. The 1ZZ engine is optimized for economy and emphasizes torque at lower revolutions per minute. Horsepower The 2ZZ-GE engine can produce up to 189 horsepower at 7,600 rpm. The 140 bhp Celica has a top speed of 127 mph and can go from 0 to 60 mph in 8.7 seconds ""

[@thejudge-kv2jk]

What are you on about? Reputation for killing a whole line? With whom? I absolutely loved mine (140). Decent looking, relatively quick with absolutely unbelievable reliability. I drove mine hard, drove everywhere, went fishing in the middle of nowhere, crashed it, had someone crash into it and it still went. Its the best car, pound for pound, that I've ever owned and the only car I've ever felt sad about when it went. Still see lots on the road....

[@honda4185]

Between the 140hp and 192hp version of it is a really huge amont of experience differenses and happines to drive! You need to get an 192hp version and you will feel and see it's a big difference. Great video 👍

[@chrisreynolds7412]

Yup got my Elise with the VVTi and it's luurverly !

[@infinityeight8705]

I currently own the celica ltd edition GT (gen7 uk). Ive owned it for 13 years and still love it, its great to drive and never gets old - just puts a smile on your face evertime i get in, with the 2zz engine, the handling and the driving position. 150,000 miles before my first real issue of leaking radiator and water pump. Edit, As someone else also commented, the gen 7 GT felt so much better to me than the gen 6 GT i owned previously for 10 years!

[@shawnmungur4875]

@@infinityeight8705 with the exception of the 3rd gen I've owned and driven every Celica and the last gen was quite a cheerful car. I'm really looking forward to restoring my first gen!

[@emgee9775]

All Toyotas are brilliant! I can’t speak of them highly enough for reliability. I’ve had German, British, and US. None of them have touched a Toyota. None of them. I have lost countless days off work, garage trips and thousands of pounds due to repairs with those other cars. This cannot be underestimated. Your time and money are valuable. Toyota all day long.

[@peterbradburn9115]

Mate's had one from new. He loves it. Left it on his drive for two years whilst working abroad, and with a fresh battery it started on the button. I think it looks looks great in the dark blue

[@stevegarside2471]

You forgot to mention the practicality, the boot is huge with a square opening. I once had a washing machine in the one i had.

[@rubbadubdub6543]

I fitted a whole bathroom suite in mine for a tip trip.

[@mikerichards9196]

Ah, the old "washing machine mod"! Probably gave it a bit of lift-off oversteer so you can pretend you're in a rwd car 😂 Looks-wise these are OK, a bit underpowered for a "sporty coupé" though; shame the 190hp engine was a touch fragile - I assume the uprated lotus waterpump could be added prophylactically?

[@hobbymanx9200]

The boot of this car is for dead bodies. Lol

[@stevegarside2471]

Lol ​@@hobbymanx9200

​@@rubbadubdub6543 From a doll's house?

[@RobertLeather]

I had the 192hp engine in a Toyota Corolla T-Sport and I’m afraid it suffered the one Achilles heal the unit had. An issue that would eventually be fixed, by all people, LOTUS!! The oil pump can catastrophically fail at high revs, and I do mean catastrophically. Mine sent metal fragments over the motorway and the engine dumped ALL of its oil within a second. And given I was at 8,500 rpm at the time…. That was bad. Lotus must have heard about the weakness, realised it would be a major issue in the Elise etc. So they upgraded the pump. The acceleration above 6,500 was absolutely addictive… as was the 9,200 rpm limit. Fun while it lasted.

[@idunnoanymore2870]

It was the oil pan, the oil would slosh around when turning the vehicle so it would draw air iso oil to the engine. The solution was relaxing the oil pan with a baffled oil pan, mitigating the oil slosh.😊

[@haydenw8691]

@@idunnoanymore2870 I read somewhere the base 1zz engine got a baffled sump, yet somehow the 2zz did not. Strange decision from Toyota if true.

[@andrew8502]

In Australia we only ever received the vvtli 2zzge version. This engine has charisma and a nice sound (and 40-50+ hp) over the boring 1zzfe engine. The chassis is great, interior is nice enough. I think they didnt sell that well simply because of the looks.

[@davidhayes4814]

It still looks modern though…. and it had decent mechanicals too.

[@floydstewart2956]

Gotta agree with the rest of the comments here. I owned a T-sport with the 190bhp engine a few years back and loved it. The engine is absolutely brilliant. The only criticism I had for the car was the road noise as a result of minimal sound deadening in pursuit of lightness. Otherwise, I was a brilliant car. I know the design is a bit marmite but I love marmite and I loved the celica design. It’ll be a classic in the next 5 years cos there’s so few of them left these days already

[@djplonghead5403]

We always drive our 2000 with the windows down and sunroof open (ac needs recharged). Just such a good car on backroads.

[@johnmarsh2078]

A dear friend of mine had one of these about 10 years old, a 190 in silver. It failed the MOT on rust and knowing i was a good welder he offered it to me for nothing. I spent half an hour on my back under it and politely declined his offer. I'd have still been welding it up five years on instead of watching this. I was almost seduced by the body style the interior and promise of performance/reliability but the screwdriver kept going through everywhere!

[@TassieLorenzo]

Why don't people use undercoating oil and cavity wax on their cars *before* they rust?! I don't get it. It would only be a coupe of hours work at each yearly service once the car is on stands.

[@hobbymanx9200]

@@TassieLorenzo totally agreed. I hate it when people think Celicas are expendable not worth the fix just because they’re affordable. Typically driven by 20 year olds who still are in school or working an entry level job as an apprentice. Well now the entire series of the model deserves more respect. It’s what a middle-aged businessman who owns a decent garage at his home should drive now!

[@HelloMrVelo]

U Live in the UK what do you Think.

[@AlecHowie]

Currently own a mint 05 Celica with 25k on the clock, lovely car a keeper. A joy to own and drive

[@monkeyzx9]

I had one, it was a hoot to drive and reliable as heck. Paid £900 for it and loved it. Used it daily for a 60 mile commute. I did 600 miles in three days in it once with no complaining at all.

[@MP_pov]

I had 2 of these. I liked the way it drove, comfortable, could be chucked into a corner and didn’t feel sketchy, I actually liked the way it looked, and super practical, economical and roomy. I never compared it to predecessors, just for what it was, a sporty coupe ish hatch. It would now be a great interesting first car for someone into cars.

[@goldar4846]

what made it super practical rather than regular practical?

[@tinkertalksguns7289]

I test-drove the GTS (190hp) in 2000 as a possible replacement for my aging Celica All-Trac (GT4 to the rest of the world) and it was brilliant in a completely different way than the AWD drive car. It had a rev-happy lunatic character that was quite appealing with fantastic handling. It was not enough to tempt me out of the ST165 by a narrow margin but I did really enjoy shaving a few years off the salesman's life in the test drive.

[@ryanmccormick2150]

The 190 is the way to go Jack.....its way better than the 140, ive driven both and there's a significant difference between them....cracking stuff as always buddy 👍

[@aalabbasi]

It was a good seller in the US back when it was new. 20 years on, I don't remember the last time I saw one. I did see a Cougar recently and that was a shocker.

[@bmstylee]

I'm guessing they all rotted away from road salt. At least where I am they love to cover the roads in it during the winter. People are amazed my Silverado has no panel rust after 7 years of road salt. Trucks rust out rockers and wheel wells fast regardless of how hard you try.

[@hobbymanx9200]

In its origin, Japan, they’re still around. Not many but you encounter them once a while. They have a series of meets called the “Celica Day” all across the country occasionally. Still got a big following.

[@General_Cheeseburger]

I had one from new in 2001, great car. It was quick enough, not a ball of fire. Alloys needed a factory recall, but that aside it was a great car.

[@celicasaur]

I've had mine for little over 20 years and of course I'm biased: I love it and always have done. Admittedly mine is extremely modified, but I love it more than any of the cars that I've ever owned and it touches emotions that not many cars can manage.

[@37Retro]

I had a 190 Celica and loved it, probably the best all round car I have ever owned. Great engine that loved to rev (not sure about the 140 version), handled well, looked great and accelerated well enough, I preffered it over the Gen 6 I had. I'd love to get a GT but there is one bad thing about these cars and that is they are horrendous for rust. If you want to buy one and check MOT history and see brake pipes corroded, front or rear subframes corroded then I would advise you walk away. The rust is what finally killed mine, I replaced both front and rear subframes because I loved it so much and wanted to keep it, got the brake pipes replaced for general maintenance and took it to be professionally undersealed. When I got the photos back from the underseal guys of the underside I understand why they quoted £3000 to fix it up and repair, shame as it is such a great car but had to let it go.

[@djplonghead5403]

Yup. The rust is killing ours every year. We love to drive it though.

[@alaricbragg7843]

Thank you for this video. This was actually a very popular car in New Zealand and you still see one on the roads every now and then. Now I read up on Celicas both in GT2 and good car books over the years. I also owned a 1986 Celica. Powerful 2.0 car but heavy with terrible understeer. The problem with the next two generation Celicas was that they were the same car in different clothes. I think that this Celica deserves praise. Toyota went back to the Celica's roots and made it fun, light and practical. So what killed it? 1. Toyota didn't make a turbo 4WD version. 2. Sports coupes went out of fashion in the mid-2000s. 3.Toyota's RWD sports sedan Altezza came out at the same time and took this Celica's thunder. But that does not mean this Celica is awful. There's relatively solid build quality! Also consider that the manual version had a six-speed gearbox, while many other new FWD cars still had only five speeds at the time.

[@arcanevoid9199]

the turbo 4wd version barely sold, and the altezza is in a different class. however a 2zz manual celica is faster on a track and in a straight line than an rs200 altezza

[@Iamstillfly]

that is some clean Toyota Celica you have there... whoever had it kept it in great shape..

[@video99couk]

I bought a 1994 Gen 6 Celica GT in 1998. I did consider going to the Gen 7 after a few years, but decided to stick with the Gen 6 because it had more grunt, a bigger boot and was just so good at everything I asked it to do. It was also tiresome that nearly all Gen 7 Celicas were silver, so the looks of the used ones I saw didn't do much for me. I kept the Gen 6. Oh... for how long? Still got it today. Just keep servicing it and keep it washed and polished. The best car in the world, ever.

[@lazarushernandez5827]

The Celica GT-S (180-190HP in the U.S.) was very well liked by the car magazines at the time. They liked its handling, the rev happy VVTi engine, the performance, it was compared often to Acura's Integra GS-R and later RSX-S.

[@101andytoll101]

I've briefly had a Celica of both engines. The 190 really does transform the car and make it way more exciting. The crossover point is quite aggressive and turns a fairly boring car into one that is fun. As you can expect, the noise insulation is none existent but fairly comfortable otherwise.

[@lawncare-4u849]

How's the handling, tyres etc with 50hp more?? It must be mad 🙈😀

[@101andytoll101]

@@lawncare-4u849 It was quite lively when on cam and did torque steer if the road wasn't perfectly flat. Other than that it was the same as the other car.

[@Tacko14]

Gramps talk: I had a friend who was really, really bad at keeping appointments and promises. He got a lot of criticism for that. But he was also very good at getting you through a tough time, by taking your mind off and giving you a good time for a while. That got me thinking: appreciate someone, or something, for the good things. As long as you can live with the not so good things, life is better. This Celica is like that. Is it as good as Celicas used to be, as entertaining? No. First of all it's front wheel drive. A 4x4 might've saved some of the allure, but no can do. Can you judge it by those standards? No. But it might still be good for what it is: a good looking coupe version of a bread and butter hatchback. Back when the basic car was an rwd, you had reason to expect a thrill. It didn't take much effort. Those days are gone. It's just too expensive now. A Scirocco is fun, but the Golf isn't far behind, at a lower price with more practicality. There's not much reason for coupes anymore. I think Toyota felt obliged to make a coupe at a time when they themselves weren't convinced of the idea anymore. I might blame them for giving in to peer pressure, but not for a worldwide trend they didn't instigate.

[@markrchisholm]

I think it's aging so well. Now there are fewer of them they really catch the eye. The 2ZZ is a stunning engine though. I had 2 140s and they were definitely fun... but the 190 is a proper car and the 'lift' never gets boring.

[@adrianwynne4236]

Had a 2004 celiac 140 for 8 years, sold it 5 years ago with 240,000 miles, original clutch, ultra relit& always looked modern & definitely a super reliable car😊

[@lawncare-4u849]

Simple, smooth, classic. Perfect. Faultless. Everything works well together. For a 20year old car it's incredible. Japanese quality and reliability. I cant compare and not driven the older ones, but always liked the look and style of this when they were regular cars over 10 years ago.

[@mikebell2750]

Here in Canada we had the GT (base model) and the GTS (192 hp model). The GTS also included rear disk brakes which made it a bit better of a driver, but they were pretty much the same otherwise. I always had a bit of a soft spot for these, because they were small and nimble. Thanks for the video on this forgotten car…

[@jamesmc1272]

I had a new 140 in 2000, and followed it with a 192 T sport in 2003. I loved the turbo like boost when the cam changed, It was also £100 a month cheaper ( contract hire) than my other choices a Audi TT or VW golf gti. A lot of money in the early 2000 for a youngster.

[@russellhammond4373]

This Celica was well received in Australia as long as you got the high power VVT version. Great review Jack. And thank England for pronouncing the name properly (sorry America you got it wrong).

[@HumdrumAnt]

Brilliant review, I think you hit the nail on the head with all your points about why it ended up dying. I think looking at it today, the low price, the fact that no GT4 existed, the fact that the engine isn’t too tuneable (a locked ECU doesn’t help) means that any modified examples you see are a little tacky with a lot of tacky cosmetic mods, bringing down the opinion of them in general. I love mine, and they’re so easy to work on, sharing a lot of parts with other Toyotas, for example the rear brakes are the same as a Yaris, meaning they’re very cheap to run if you ignore the slightly high tax these days.

[@canucklehead0]

Nice little car, and a great review!! I remember looking at the Celica back in the late 80's it had a revvy little 2.0L and handled well enough but was just too, I hate to say, Front Wheel Drive. I much prefer the older generations with rear wheel drive but for the price you could get into a 3rd gen Supra, which I did!! Thanks Jack!!

[@GunsmithSid]

I liked the looks of the 1st, 3rd, 4th and 5th generation Celicas and owned a 1st and 3rd. Great experience. Sister owned a 4th gen and it was cute and reliable. Now to the engine of the 7th gen… the 2ZZ motor was so much fun! I bought a crappy used 2003 Pontiac Vibe GT as a second car while I upgraded my turbo Forester and didn’t know what I had lucked into! The car itself looked sporty for a hatchback and was incredibly practical and useful - got great gas mileage and after replacing the clutch and putting on performance summer tires it was so wild to rev that engine! While never truly fast - the Jekyll and Hyde character of the unit was so engaging! That everything else worked so well and was in such good shape for a 15 year-old 140,000 mile car that had varnish on the dipstick and cams (I popped the valve cover off when I changed out the original spark plugs). Very fond memories of that little car and it’s engine :)

[@howardlake6178]

To my astonishment, according to a 1980 interview with Rudolf Hruska, the Alfasud was the first car designed to have a 4 wheel drive chassis option, in the initial 1967 design. Probably Toyota gave up on rallying, and catered for the masses, but did so rather well

[@MarcosCodas]

Unfairly hated IMO. Fun little sports car. The VVTL-i version is properly quick. Drives well, too, for a FWD car.

[@simonwoodward438]

I've owned mine for 8 years, great car, love it.

[@richie4830]

I've owned 3 Celica's, a Mk2 and 2 Mk3's, (both bodyshapes, the hatchback and the notchback), absolutely loved them, whilst they were'nt as fast as this last model, they were rear wheel drive and a blast to drive, just gutted I traded the last one in for a Xantia due to the missus being pregnant and wanting a normal family car.

[@shabba890]

The whole T Sport brand was killed off in 2005/6 when the mk1 Yaris and Corolla were replaced with no sporty models and the Celica and MR2 were deleted. That was the end of Toyota for me.

[@jameyrobshaw626]

Here in Portugal these cars are very desirable but as Jack mentioned mostly with the young crowd.

[@Jase_UK]

I had one of these as a company car for 2 years in 2003 after having 2x Mk4 Golf GTI's, a 20v and then a 20v Turbo. Did 40k miles in it and never had a thing go wrong (apart from really scabby alloys which they all suffered with). Really made me realise how much better a driving experience a sports car/coupe is with the lower driving position compared to an hot hatch. For me they had to have the optional droopy rear spoiler to look good.

[@Titot182]

I have to say that my Gen 7 190 VVTLi was one of the most fun vehicles I've driven down the Charlbury to Burford road. Having owned and ridden IL4 motorcycles for a good 20 years, I love the peaky powerband of the 190 engine. It does remind me of my ZXR250C in the sense that you have to rev the nuts off it to keep momentum, but it'll be a nice, balanced FWD cornerspeed king. Enginewise, it was bombproof, however, unlike the K20 or B18 engines, the lift crossover point drops you out of the powerband, so you're left chasing for a bit when you shift up. Whilst it was gutless in terms of torque, I just loved screaming the engine. I had her from 2012 to 2016 and it's nice to see that somebody is still making use of her with 160k miles on it. The best thing about it was the fact that I could shove 2 enduro mountain bikes in the boot with all wheels off, whilst still having a custom sub and amp (in the spare wheel well). Arguably one of the best 2 seater estates I've had the pleasure of driving. I'd happily have another 190 in my garage and do the same mods (30mm eibach drop and master brake cylinder brace) and 17" wheels. I will disagree with you with dismissing the 2ZZGE. I had the opportunity to do laps around Silverstone on a Lotus Exige and was very impressed with the foundations of that powerplant. Stick a blower on it and it releases it. I know 7even motorsports did high lift cams for the 190 as well as supercharger kits, but personally, I think that for the road, modest chassis mods (I know people had good success with wilwood calipers) with decent 17" wheels and tyres would unlock the potential of the car. Sure, my Hyundai Kona EV will burn it off the lights, and yeah, my X5 will be more economical than it, but smiles per gallon on eurotrips with my old man in 2013, can't beat that feeling going around the Eifel mountains in the wet in the SillyCar.

[@donovan_racing]

I’ve raced a gen 7 for many years. It’s a very underrated chassis, especially with a decent set up, although no where near as cool as the Celicas of the past!

[@chrisparr7476]

Australia only got this model with the 140kw (190hp) variable valve lift engine. I didn’t know they produced lesser versions.

[@martinfletcher8275]

didn't make 'em any uglier though...

[@CarPediaShow]

You gotta drive the 2ZZ you wasted your time with this one. This is like comparing a regular base Integra vs a VTEC GSR/Type R. They drive completely different. Just look at how great the Elise is with that motor. Also they got a 6 speed with much closer ratios, wider tires on taller 16in wheels and rear disc instead of drums. In America we got the trd package with stiffer shocks, springs, thicker anti roll bars, short shift kit, front air dam and rear spoiler and an exhaust with new cold are intake with 14 more hp and they made almost 200hp! I know alot of people got mad that the Celica lost the turbo awd version but this model was lower in price and went head to head with the vtec Integra gsr/type r

More accurately, look how good the Elise made this engine come across. Drum brakes on a T230? That must be either incorrect or a USA only thing because even the lowest of the low T230s got rear discs in the UK and Europe. P.s. the TRD package was offered in just about every market, not just the USA 😂

[@adebrade172]

I remember reading car mags of the day, they never really raved about it, previous model had real presence.

[@jorgem.alonso5409]

Mine lasted 410.000 no problems! Rotated 3 times in an accident and saved my life

[@gryphon123456]

I was cross shopping between this in the 190hp version and the RSX-S. I distinctly remember how light and nimble this felt and was just a joy to drive but went with the Acura because of the looks. I think I would have been equally satisfied w the Celica. Unsung hero’s these.

[@michaelarchangel1163]

A mate had one of these in same colour, before his wife {he married very late in life} took his car and his house. Jack, I'd like to see you test a Corolla T-Sport, the one with the forged rods and pistons. A diferent pal used to own one of those but has a bland hybrid car now.

[@napraznicul]

REASON for fail of that model: In the automotive landscape of year 2000 was NO OTHER small affordable coupe SLOWER than 190bhp version of celica. That car was even slower than 150bhp version of golf GTI 1.8t, not to mention fiat coupe 20vt, nissan 200sx, opel calibra turbo, honda type r, dodge neon srt, mitsubishi eclipse turbo, lotus elan, renault clio. We were racing each weekend in the night and everybody use to trash those celica 190bhp using less power 😂. The 140bhp version nobody bought here, maybe was more popular in uk, but was deadly slow for a performance coupe/hatchback.

[@arcanevoid9199]

the 190hp version will do 0-60 in 6.5 seconds with a manual, its not slow at all. very common for it to be gtis from the same era

[@Carrick_conumdrum]

I'd a 2.0L GT 6th Gen Celica and absolutely loved it, drove one of these with a few thoughts to get one. Loved the handling, but I could not get past the looks of it. I think it's a pretty polarising car that way. I personally just did not like the stylling, the ones with the factory fitted bodykit / wing and skirts looked a little better, but not enough for me to take the plunge and commit to the purchase. Shame, as it was a nice handling car and a nice place to sit as well.

[@frostwise87]

When I was growing up my dad’s mate had a celica gt4 and I thought it looked absolutely amazing. When this model came out I thought very little

[@Buck3366]

I think you need a T Sport 190 now Jack to compare . Seems several are saying they are worlds apart .

A friend of mine had one back in 2006 (I had a 620ti at the time). Very nice, great little chassis on it but performance wise felt a little limp low down and to get the best out of it he frequently had to ring its neck, which he did happily! It had an absolute beating from him and to be fair it just took it. Though I suppose that was the point of a rev happy car! Did a lot of hair raising miles in that car with him, those lanes to Alton Towers made for a scary ride😂

[@mdkaramazov]

You absolutely have to drive a 7th Gen with the 2zz-ge, as it is a complely different car, with a gem of an engine that matches the chassis performance. In Australia you could get the base cloth seat model - 1070kg - with the 2zz 190 engine. This car is pretty quick - remember it was designed to compete with the Honda DC2. An absolute treat spinning this motor out to 8400rpm.

[@williamtalbot4132]

A lot of fast sports cars disappeared at the end of the 90s as the cost of insurance was driving people away, everyone was buying shoguns and people carriers. Unless you went for the holi specials, the previous model was really boring, tried one and couldn't believe how it felt like a corrola to sit in.

[@bmstylee]

I used to manage a pizza shop when I was 20 and I had a delivery driver who had one. It is what I learned to drive manual on and drive it well. 20 year old me though it was a cool car. Especially when I was driving a 2wd Ranger that was slower than molasses in a Cleveland winter and calling it agricultural is a nice way of describing how it was to drive. I still miss that truck. It just ended up rotting away from road salt.

[@Vampirebear13]

Another GREAT video Jack !!! I really liked this generation of the Celica & would love to have a GTS with a manual transmission as my daily driver now. I missed out on a black GTS manual with black leather interior 20 plus years ago because I just couldn't afford to price but I was completely hooked after the test drive & it's the only car to ever effect me that way besides the Porsche 911. Wicked fast, great MPG & very comfortable. Sadly, here in the states, if you can find 1 of these Celica's, it's usually the 140hp with an auto trans & it's been beat to death.

[@JJ-wi2uw]

In Australia, these came with a (optional) weird, front spoiler that was located at the bottom of the front windscreen and before the bonnet.

[@dtrain1634]

On the day mine gets written off - thanks 🙏:( Very good handling car VERY GOOD 👍 NOT FAST but FAST through B roads, roundabouts and everything twisty! Toyota no longer make the 1/4 panels or door skins - if you get hit thats it - write off :( I loved mine- it had a rebuilt engine, full exhaust, full trim suspension and weighed 1067kg! The chassis is superb 👌

[@justaddafan]

The big dissapointment to this generation Celica and the contemporary MR2 is that they didn't continue the styling language of the cars before. That fluid, organic form of the 90s cars is still beautiful. If they'd have combined the early 90s cars' styling with the chassis and engineering of the early 2000s they'd have had very compelling products. At 6'1" I was unable to sit up in the car. The cabin was very small. And this is coming from someone with an Mx-5 and Lotus Elise.

[@stefanandersson5604]

Thanks for the video, i think this was the best looking Celicca with its low bonnet and sportier lines!

[@petercraig9197]

My brother in law had one of these as a company car with the bank. He had a wife and 3 young children. Compared to the previous generation Celica that was his previous car this had a lot less room inside for people and less boot space. My sister was always complaining how uncomfortable it was to ride in.

[@philzvids3577]

I never owned one of these but often thought about buying one. I did own the MR2 MK3 roadster which had the same engine as the Celica that you test in this video. That car was good fun. A lot of MR2 MK3 owners fit the Celica 190BHP engine into their cars which is reckoned to make the MR2 really quick. Toyotas are pretty good cars on the whole.

[@michelleshaw337]

In 2002, I was looking for a new car. Having previously owned Celicas, I put this on my list to test. This was a fast looking Corolla. You can’t pay me enough to do this one. Prior Celicas were competent cars that put a “sporty edge” on a mid-level sedan platform. This thing was aimed at the “boy racer” crowd, and had none of the refinement that made its predecessors a joy to drive. The 2002 heir to the Celica was the Honda Accord Coupe. It captured the spirit of what older Celicas had been far more than the car that bore the name “Celica”.

[@michelod.i.y.5202]

Great video as usual, I really love my 2001 190 vvtli never let me down

[@Klutch58Customs]

I have a 6 gen SS3 with the Beams motor and super strut suspension tucked away, my missus has a 7 gen GT VVTLi . Both are great cars but feel different. Personaly it's the old one I prefer in looks and dynamics. It was the MR2 replacement where Toyota dropped the ball in my opinion.

[@christianchristiansen99]

Nice review. If only it’d been a ‘94.. Cheers! Scotty

[@JohnAdrenochrome]

Jack I think you underplay the difference between the 140 BHP version and the 190 BHP T-Sport. The 2ZZ-GE in the 190BHP version is a very different unit, the bore and stroke is completely different for a start, and it is topped with a Yamaha developed cylinder head. The 190 BHP unit revs much quicker (and obviously much higher, 8500rpm in UK spec). The lift kicks in at 6200rpm and is quite a brutal change-over, screaming like a "Poundland" Lexus LFA. The 2ZZ-GE is an under-rated motor I think, the T-Sport is quicker than an EP3 or FN2 in a straight-line. It had among the highest BHP per litre for an N/A motor when it was launched in 1999. The engine weighs only 115Kg (compared to 182 Kg for a Honda K20 unit). This is chiefly why Lotus chose the 2ZZ-GE for the Elise.

[@FenderUsa]

IIRC the 2zz model also had independent rear suspension, whereas this 1zz came with a torsion beam

[@Deanyfromtheburgh]

torsion beam on a celica? never

[@TassieLorenzo]

@@Deanyfromtheburgh Does it matter? It's a front wheel drive car, the rear wheels are not that important (usually you are trying to deliberately reduce rear grip to reduce understeer: refer other beam axle cars like Clio RS, Megane RS, Fiesta ST). The early RWD Celicas were a live rear axle too, weren't they?

[@Deanyfromtheburgh]

Does it matter that you're wrong? To you, obviously not.

[@andrewpreston4127]

Engine.... "... doesn't add much to the experience..". Steering... "... a bit light...". Smacks head... it's a Toyota....

[@fabslyrics]

i happen to own one for more than 15 years, its a great car fun and dependable i covered more than 250 000 km across europe france switzerland and italy , it was lots of fun

[@carlwilliams3488]

My dad had an early one of these, imported from Europe when that was a thing. I borrowed it for while when he retired and he didn't really need it, it was pretty decent, not fast but quick enough to be fun, it was impeccably reliable and my in laws bought it from him as it was low miles and in great condition. I nearly bought it from them after my dad passed but the day before I was due to collect it some gang robbed the exhaust from it (for the cat) and it just wasn't worth it as it was worth nothing (being a total base spec with cloth seats, no bodykit or wing) apart from emotional attachment. Shame they didn't put in the supercharged version of the 2zz as fitted to the Corolla, as it got rid of the lack of low end grunt the iL version was criticised for but still had the rev happy nature.

[@benc8386]

Great video! Nice cars these. Personally I always liked the styling. Rumours that Toyota are going to make a new Celica but I wouldn't get your hopes up. It will probably just be a grotesque 3 tonne electric pram like all new cars these days!

[@ajay-xjs]

I bought a 12 year old one for 1500 quid and had a blast in it, handled really well on back roads.

[@cameltorun]

I used to have one of those. 52 number plate 140hp just in navy blue. Great little car. Between 32-35mpg on average wasn’t bad. I bought it at auction back in 2013 for under £600 because of many scratches and unfortunately one of injectors gone bad and wasn’t worth repairs. So I sold to nice chap from Pakistan for £800 six months later.

[@julianbrown1331]

I was invited along to one of the release events for the Celica and in every “test” it proved very able and comfortable (better than prior Toyota events where there was an enforced 50mph speed limit). There was just an immense fly in the ointment, at the time I owned an Integra Type-R and by comparison the Celica felt utterly lacklustre. Then along comes the Civic Type-R and while that lacked the clinical edge of the Integra and felt a bit cheap it was still way ahead of the Celica. Anyone who wanted a quick Japanese runabout was going to buy a Civic, if you’re brave the RX8, if you didn’t like Japanese cars there was the utterly brilliant Clio Sport. The big problem for the Celica was simply it was out classed and out spec’d at every turn. The improvements and upgrades always a little too late. For anyone who just likes a pleasant to drive car the looks are a bit off putting and the market was utterly full of capable cars. Toyota completely misjudged their target market on this one, no wonder they killed it off…

[@richfixescars]

You do have to look under them, they can rust really badly. Was the GT86 the successor?

[@joeseeking3572]

I thought these were stunning when they came out after I saw one in midnight blue. From the review sounds like I would have enjoyed driving it. But the styling cut both ways. I didn't see myself as the college age guy anymore; I had a degree and a professional job - not 30 but not 22 either. this just didn't read right, and I ended up with an Integra GS-R (which actually had 10 less hp at 170 because our GT-S version got 180). Right choice wrong choice, I don't know - but you did get an Acura badge and an 8000 rpm redline ;)

[@jackt1400]

i almost totally forgotten this celica existed.

[@sharonec5419]

My sister had one of them and loved it. She only gave it up because she needed something more practical.

[@andrewthompsonuk1]

A friend was really into his cars and fast driving brought a VVT version of that car. He did not like it at all. The power was almost impossible to access on the road and when the power did cut in the handling was not really up to the performance. I agree with your advice, go for the non VVT one, in all a better balanced car

[@Ang3lUki]

I really don't think Toyota killed the Celica thanks to this car's quality, or lack thereof. I think they simply didn't think the market wanted a budget FWD coupe anymore.

[@TheAnunnaki-NYC]

I had a 1994 GT US spec with the Camry engine. It was slow but it was fun and looked way better than the 7th gen. The 6th gen had the best taillights and rear end design was timeless. Baby Supra at least the ST205 (GT-Four) was.

[@theblackhand6485]

Hey friend you just showed only two models before the 1999 model. Not good. Bad. Real bad. You should at least showed us the Celica of the seventies! That was such a amazing looking car!! The Camaro of the last generation looks like it.

[@RikRik-x6z]

When it first came out I thought "a great looking car but where's the boot spoiler?" That boot shape just cried out for a spoiler.

[@AlternativeElvis]

We’ve got loads of them where I live in NZ. I think a lot of them were bought as grey imports by the generation that remembered the older cars but had either financial or family commitments that got in the way of owning one and then when they finally got one of these they maintained them impeccably. Only problem is they’re probably mostly autos.

[@arcanevoid9199]

we actually don't funnily enough, there is under 1000 left in the country and its going down monthly

[@bearclaw5115]

These were great cars while the oil pump lasted! With the TRD exhaust the 2ZZ was one of the best sounding 4 cyl engines I've ever heard. You could say this car was RSX'ed, which is what I ended up buying. The RSX had a torquey-er motor but I think the Celica handled better being lighter.

[@louiekiwi]

They really shine on loose metal roads. In New Zealand we drove it with confidence going sideways through every corner for tens and 20 km stretches. AWD models I'm talking about, the others I don't know.

[@roberttaylor7462]

Have two and they are just very good - do nearly everything well including being able to get a fridge in the boot and 40mpg+ - the pre-2003 cars have oil use issues and there are still kids out there ruining them by not checking their oil. The Celica line was dropped because at that time Toyota did not want to build performance cars anymore.

[@arcanevoid9199]

it wasnt that they didnt want it, its that no one was buying them anymore

[@nicholascarter2640]

4 seats, hatch back, comfortable, pretty, bombproof mechanicals, go cart handling, cheap insurance, simple maintenance, what? “The engine lacks charisma”, buy one now

[@philhawley1219]

If it hasn't rotted like a turd. That's why you never see these once lovely cars any more.

[@sayrerowan734]

As someone who spent a lot of time in Celicas back in the day, i always do a double take when i hear the British pronunciation of the name.

[@mercoid]

My sister had a new 1981 Celica. Silver w/ dk grey interior. Nice car! Surprisingly robust build quality and materials.

[@geoffclarke8934]

I drove one of these many years ago and was impressed with the nippy performance, nimble and engaging handling and slick gear change. A shame they didn't make a genuinely hot version with a turbo as the chassis could certainly handle more power. Never a fan of the looks though compared to the previous Celica which was a very handsome car.