Car Reviews: 2004 Toyota Celica

A Long Running Sports Coupe, but How Does it Rate?

Although luxury sedans and SUVs all have their time and place, sometimes a person just wants to drive a car which is fun and entertaining. When that time comes, it seems that a large, top heavy nine passenger car or a sluggish family sedan simply won't do the job. In days past, when it
came to driving fun, many turned to two door sports coupes such as the Acura Integra, Volkswagen Corrado, Toyota MR2, and the such. However, it seems that the market for such vehicles has greatly declined. While many of the aforementioned sports coupes have faded from the market as a whole, a select few still remain, and those that do are manufactured to a new quality standard and must be prepared for the brutal competition and comparison that goes on with the few remaining vehicles on the market. Although the 2003 Toyota Celica may be one of the few left standing, that does not mean that it is the single best choice for buyers.



Perhaps one of the strongest things that the Celica has going for it is the exterior appearance. The car really looks like nothing else on the market. The body lines are simply superb, and the small, low-profile hood scoops and aggressive front end make a stand out impression without making the vehicle look like a joke. Although the square tail lights may sound strange in conception, they work great with the overall design concept of the vehicle. Although the Celica does sit a bit too high to look truly intimidating, the outward of the appearance is far better than previous generations, and potential buyers can rest assured that the car will make an impression wherever it is parked. The Celica manages to stride the line of looking sporty without looking ridiculous and childish at the same time.

Although this may sound like an exaggeration, the interior of the Celica still looks amazing, even four years after the car was made. There's just something about the way in which Toyota set everything up that seems to make it work so well for the driver. From the comfortable leather
seats (on the GT-S version) to the short shift and sporty steering wheel, everything about the interior of the Celica simply seems to be geared towards a fun driving experience. The entire interior comes together to make a great car and a really enjoyable driving experience. Even eight years after it was made, the interior of the Celica still has the potential to impress, and impress it does, and likely still will for years to come. Although their may not be a whole lot of interior space, it is unlikely that many were considering the Celica as a family car anyway.

While the 2004 Celica definitely looks great, both from the outside and the inside, perhaps the only area to suffer is the actual performance aspects of the vehicle. Of course, the Celica does have it's finer points, and this one of the best handling vehicles that one can get for such a good price. The car hugs tight corners and highway lanes equally well, and the low, wider stance of the car definitely inspires confident driving on a number of levels. However, the one thing about the Celica which may not inspire a lot of confidence is it's acceleration and overall power. Although the sports oriented GT-S model, equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission and roughly 180 horse power manages to be a rocket when needed, the engine still needs to be taken to the redline to get any power out of the car. As is common on many vehicles, the automatic transmission robs the vehicle of any possible power, and the Celica especially falls victim to this trap. Although the standard engine in the GS model makes 140 horse power, it feels to be around 100 with the automatic transmission. For those who want to get some performance from their vehicle, make sure to find a model with a manual transmission. Thankfully, the manual transmission is simply a joy to drive. The stock short throw shifter and snappy clutch make going through the gears an incredibly enjoyable experience, and one that few cars in such a price range can hope to offer.

Although the Celica may have it's flaws, as done any vehicle, there can be no arguing that it is a sharp looking car, and one that definitely has the potential for some performance fun. Although those looking for acceleration that is anywhere near reasonable are going to want to go with one of the models equipped with a manual transmission. Even with the problems accelerating, the Celica is one of the best driving vehicles in it's class, and the long running reliability of Toyota, not to mention the great gas mileage make sure that the Celica is a sure winner.