Driving Impressions

Central to the Celica GT-S driving experience is a high-strung, high-tech engine that loves to rev. With its high (11.5:1) compression ratio and more aggressive valve timing, the GT-S engine develops 180 horsepower at 7600 rpm and 133 foot-pounds of torque at 6600 rpm. It is one of only a handful of production engines in the world that produce 100 horsepower per liter of displacement without supercharging and turbocharging. Throttle response is adequate through about 6000 rpm, and then, as if someone threw a switch, Toyota's VVTL-i kicks in and the Celica squirts forward with real urgency. The GT-S should manage 0-60 mph runs in the upper seven-second range. But far more satisfying is tackling a twisty back road, and working the shifter to keep the engine spinning balls-out. The red area on the tach starts at 7800 rpm, but that leaves another 500-600 rpm before the rev limiter interrupts the fun. And the engine keeps pulling strong, without flattening out, the whole way there. The only downside is that the GT-S engine gets loud, just when it's hitting the sweet stretch in its power band. There's an abundance of intake and valve noise, made more noticeable because the engine feels so smooth. The GT-S shifter works very well by front-drive standards: smooth, accurate, and direct. The E-shift automatic is equally impressive. Its controls work intuitively. Pressing one of the buttons on the front of the steering wheel shifts the transmission one gear up, while pressing a button on the back notches it down one gear. The electronics do very little thinking for the driver. E-Shift holds the gear you select, even with the engine bouncing off the rev limiter. It works as well as similar systems on some of the most expensive cars in the world. The Celica's seats are comfortable and grippy, and the pedals, in both placement and operation, work well. Enthusiast drivers will appreciate the perfectly placed dead pedal, as it allows them to brace themselves with their left leg during energetic drives. One of the best things about the Celica GT-S is that it corners nicely, and relatively flat, without a harsh, small-coupe ride. The optional16-inch tires are sticky. Steering is quick and accurate, and the feel through the wheel transmits clear information about how much grip the front tires have left. The chassis tightens its path through a curve when its driver lifts of the gas. Only the harshest, most abrupt maneuvers seem to unsettle its rear end. Overall, Toyota gets high marks for chassis tuning. Celica also deserves high marks for build quality. There were no creaks or rattles in the unit-body or trim panels. In all, we found the GT-S to be a well-balanced sport coupe. With the exception of its peaky engine, no particular component stands out, yet it all blends together very nicely. The same theme applies to the base GT, which we've sampled as well. Its tires aren't as grippy, and its four-cylinder engine is not as smooth. Yet it delivers just as much torque through three-quarters of its rev range, and unless you constantly push the tach into the red zone, you might never notice the difference.

Final Word

Introduced in model-year 2000, the current Celica is the seventh generation of a line of sport coupes that began in 1971. It is lighter and faster than the previous-generation Celica, an impressive feat among today's overweight vehicles. Sharing parts with other Toyota products has held down the Celica's price, which shows smart manufacturing. Bottom line is that there's a solid sporty coupe beneath the Celica's new-wave skin. Potential buyers attracted by the edgy styling will find more than enough substance to go with this car's racy looks.