Acceleration in the higher rpms...once the rpms are up to 3000 the GTS moves along very well, at 5500 through 7500 rpms the acceleration is fantastic. Handling on mountain roads is just wonderful. I take highway 38 to a mountain town called Big Bear and the Celica moves through the curves with ease and assurity (even my faint of heart wife doesn't keep asking me to slow down). Fuel economy....even though I punch it in the city, I average 24 mpg plus. Comfort....I'm 6' 5", the GTS is a comfortable fit. Styling is outstanding. Transmission and clutch....my six speed took some time to get used to, but now after 6500 miles I feel very comfortable moving through the gears.

Few and fare between. When I am in a hurry to get into first at a red light, I have slipped into reverse rather than first, no lock out. The seat of the bucket seat could use more padding, but then I'm large. The moon roof seems to have a squeek.

Some decades ago I owned a Datsun 240-Z, a '71. Had that car for fifteen years but it finally rusted to death. Since then I have driven many sports cars. This GTS comes closest to my old Z. I paid $21,500 for this GTS with all available extras. I recommend it highly. Anyone who likes to zip around two lane roads will love this Celica GTS.

Similar Products Used:

I looked at the Mustang Cobra which was much faster but didn't seem to corner as well. Cobra's gas milage is horrid. Then I checked projected insurance costs, forget it. I drove the BMW 328ci several times and loved all the bells and whistles but it didn't perform $15,0000 better and again INSURANCE, no way.

So you've read the other 30 or 40 reviews above this line eh? The power is all there. From low end pulling straight to the top, if you can manage proper shifting, it's like riding a well balanced rice rocket. I've been with toyota my entire life, (family members employed 15+ yrs), and have driven every model they have put out, excluding the Cressida, and the Camry Solara. Having recently driven a 1992 MR2, and a 1988 NA Supra, i find the Celica ranking high among the two in terms of grip and steering response. I frequently abuse the car, too fast into corners, too fast through foul weather, too fast past local speed traps, and it's yet to fail me. Despite numerous drag races and burnouts, the tires have yet to show major signs of wear, and this is truly suprising to me. I make a regular 400 mile commute every weekend, and it brings a tear to my eye to sit in traffic. No matter when i depart, or the conditions, i always end up with the traffic you see in ur rear view one second, and then streaking past ur left side the next. I have amassed a good deal of information regarding to it's performance, relative to other sports/non-sports cars, and elicited many shocked facial expressions in the process. The GT's shift points occur as follows: 1st 0-37, 2nd 37-62, 3rd 63-82, 4th 83-110 (despite toyota specifications), 5th 110-top end (as of yet, 128MPH is my top speed for the vehicle, approaching approximately 5700 RPM. The vehicle pulls hard all the way there.) A proper launch can be slightly difficult to attain with the stiff clutch set up of the vehicle. Approximately 3000RPM is enough to break/almost break the grip of the tires, and lock the engine into its powerband. The 1-2 comes very quick, and usually provides a nice squak to draw attention. When red lined and dropped into 3rd at 70MPH, the GT pulls very hard, an excellent gearing location for highway passing situations. Onward from there, 4th runs quickly to 110. 5th gear, overdrive or not, hits hard enough to suprise u with some acceleration from 70MPH+, and contrary to belief, acts as an acceleration gear past 110. As of now, i have raced on several different highways:
1998 Mustang GT
2000 Integra
1998 Corvette
1988 Camaro
2000 V6 2dr Accord
2000 ES 320 (Mercedes... more like keeping up with - unbelievable machines)
As for the Mustang, The driver was rather shocked. The cars share acceleration, favoring the mustang's V8 by approximately half a car length, starting from 70, and ending at 120MPH
The 2000 Integra was an actual street race, encompassing several S-turns over a half mile distance. The Integra had Celica on it's rear bumper the whole way through.
The corvette was more of just screwing around... However, from a rolling start, i was able to lose much less distance than i expected. about 4 carlengths over a 1/8th mile, including a rather large advantage to the vette for starting the race without me.
The Camaro was a victory for the GT, from 55-100, the IROC-Z just couldn't keep up.
The 2dr Accord performed as expected, very quick, with solid power all the way up into the triple digits, appeared to have very solid cornering and suspension at speed.
The Mercedes was just the car in front of me on the highway... I knew i had no chance to keep up, but managed to stay close to 120.
Aside from the tempting of fate on the highways, i frequently take the car to challenging back roads, pushing its limits. It also sees duty as a street light racer. My best an estimated 6.7 (probably wrong, but it was done by a passenger with a stopwatch.) Burnouts are somewhat gratifying, but EXTREMELY rough. the car experiences large amounts of wheel hop on dry pavement. Cornering, once again, is on a level yet to be reached by many cars i have driven. it resembles the front end tack of an L-82 corvette, with the "driving on tracks" feeling, and the rear end is nearly unshakable at speed. Understeer does not typically encroach driving untill braking is involved while turning.

The sychros on 2nd are acting up. Reverse is becoming a small problem to engage. Having asked around and trying, allowing the clutch partial engagement, and allowing the car to roll assist in the engagement of reverse.

The interior is that of a modified show car. It turns heads. I have driven every available model of the Celica. The GT auto, and 5 speed. The GT-S Auto (sport shift) and 6 speed. The GT auto accelerates like the 2000 corolla - shocker there, they share similar power to weight and gearing. The GT 5 speed is my current vehicle. The acceleration is more than adequate, the grip exceptional, and the fuel economy excellent. The GT-S Auto with sport shift is an executive's dream toy. Pleasing to drive in auto mode, simple to engage semi-manual by pulling the shifter to the left by half an inch. The on dash gear indicators are helpful, as is the automatic downshifting to 1st gear at a complete stop. The car has good acceleration to 6200 RPM, where VVTL-I engages and pulls hard enough to force you into the seats. The auto is fast enough to embarass that same IROC-Z Camaro on the freeway. The 6 speed GT-S does not earn its name quite as well. It's acceleration is limited by the driver's skill, and the powerband is too narrow to utilize the tight gearing. You will find yourself sad each time you have to shift out of the powerband, and get slammed forward when u miss the gas pedal once or twice. I have raced a GT-S on the freeway. The car is undeniably fast, however, i managed to stay on the bumper of the GT-S from 90-120MPH, where the driver exited the highway. I have drag raced the Auto- GT-S, in the rain, and suprisingly took it by 3 carlengths. All in all, i prefer the interior of the GT-S, but demand the driveability of the GT. I am currently in the process of obtaining and modifying a 1988 Supra, or a MKI MR2. I intend to infiltrate Autocross in a rather large and suprising way.

6-speed manual

the back and side looks nasty. its a toyota.

a nice engine and its quick. also has 6-speed manual

Similar Products Used:

'97 honda accord

Acceleration. For 140HP, it's very impressive.
Tires and suspension. Wow, incredible when you turn the wheel!!!
And, for sure, the LOOKS is unbeatable. It's the most good looking car under 50K Bucks :) !

Brakes. I can get to 200KM/H with it, but can't stop after it. 4 disc brakes on the the GT-S is surely a good deal !!!
Clutch. I hate it. In town, it starts to fast. In rain, the tires just spin off.. Also, the second gear on the gearbox is just * not well timed *. I miss it very ofter... :(

I'm not very happy about it. I sold my Civic and I should't. I just hate the brake and the clutch fronm the celica. I'm a Honda fanatic, and now I understand why I loved Honda so much. The clutch and the gearbox are just uncomparable... BUT, the motor, with is 140HP, is INCREDIBLE. Wow! I beated Preludes, Civics Si and even Civic SiR with there 160Hp. (I d'ont understand this). Well, really good buy for the price, the looks and motor are very impressive... But, I would recommend civic SIR instead....

Similar Products Used:

Honda Civic Si 1998

- The celica feels extremely nimble and quick, with a responsive engine and handling to match it's aggressive good looks. The engine is amazing and eagerly revs to 8000rpm.
- 180hp is sweet, although a little more modifications and a turbo charger from HKS would make it sound even better.
- When you're truely familiar with the car and the 6-speed gear box, smoking the tires and burning off the line is very easy to accomplish.
- The interior is very well designed and it's very comfortable. The cockpit and the sport pedals provide a unique racy treatment to the overall feeling.
- When the (VVTL-I) kicks in at 6000rpm, that's when the real fun begins. It sounds great up there too, almost like my Yamaha YZF-R1 sportsbike. Well not quite, but pretty close.
- The car comes at a very light weight (2500lbs).
- The brakes are excellent and needs little improvement.
- The car corners flat and stays planted regardless of pavement irregularities.
- A lot of compliments were given, not to mention it turned a lot of heads.

- The reverse gear should be relocated and placed near 6th gear instead.
- At night, the reverse warning beep sounds annoying.

The celica is a genuine performance tool, weighing just 2500lbs and with an amazing engine that makes an impressive 180hp, its worth the value. From reading an article in "Turbo & High-Tech Performance" magazine, I've noticed that the engine responds very well to modifications.
Overall, this car is a blast to drive. Whether I'm going 80 on the freeway or cruising around town, it definitely turned a lot of heads (not to mention it's a chick-magnet).
The design is striking, however, if you'd rather blend in with the crowd you should make another choice.

Similar Products Used:

- Test drived a 2000 Integra GSR. Behind the wheel, it feels like the Celica has more than 10 additional horses over the Integra. The Celica feels stronger in the midrange from 4000-6000, then pulls even harder once the VVTL-I kicks in.
- 2000 Prelude. The prelude feels heavy and sluggish because it weighs over 3,000lbs!! In addition, the Celica is far more attractive over the design of the Prelude and better off at handling the corners.
- Driven a Mitsubishi 3000GT turbo (my Uncle own it). Well not as fast as the turbo charged 3000GT, but the celica looks a lot more aggressive when placed next to one.

-Exterior styling, carbon blue color caught my eye initially
-Way better looking than the Integra
-FAST 2.3.4.5th gears, above 5000 or so RPM
-Interior design feels like you are flying an F-14
-Very comfortable cockpit
-rare ergonomically desiged ashtray
-sticks in turns (like a FWD rice rocket should)... Almost impossible to lose control on a DRY surface
-100-60MPH braking proficiency has kept the Pigs at bay

-Annoying seatbelt light won't turn off unless seatbelt is worn
-Automatic running daylights!?!?!?
-low-end power blip around 3-5 thousand RPM
-Can't burn rubber off line too well
-reverse beep

I really like my GTS. I bought it used (8000miles) and fully loaded with every concievable option for $20000. I bought it because I needed to get a car that wouldn't be a full time job maintain (like my last 3 chevys ... Z28, Tahoe, Blazer). With the exception of the Vette, AVOID Cheverolet like the PLAGUE. Anyways, this car handles better than anything I have ever driven and has a feel like a motorcycle. It could use some more power, but what couldn't. Unlike others, I didn't need to drive an Integra, just had to look at one to make up my mind :-) A Mitsubishi should not be an option to those earning above minimum wage... For those considering a purchase keep in mind that chicks have commented more on my GTS than my '97 Z28 Conv. Bottom line... good value, Jap quality and workmanship, and an F-14 feel and performance >6000RPMs

Similar Products Used:

none... first Jap car ever. I was Chevy born and raised, until they all caught fire or literally fell apart on me. Chevy sucks... I like the reliability of my new rice burner

Without a doubt the new 2000 Celica GTS is a sharp looking speed demon. In my three months of ownership I have been stopped in parking lots all over the U.S., roads and even on the highway. When you see the new Celica it’s a love affair at first sight.

I purchased the vehicle for it’s promising looks and power. What I got was a sharp looking problematical machine. First month of ownership entitled 8 returns to the dealers for minor things such as hatchback not closing, Door seals falling off, Wheel wells slipping out of place, Stereo not working, sunroof not closing, Lately it’s been a few plastic parts falling off and I can’t figure out where they are coming from. Some things where fixed on the first visit to the dealer some where replaced then broke again (stereo). Some took three visits. Lately she feels like an old 60’s metal vehicle with the shocks that sway. Yep she’s swaying with only 7,000 miles we will see what the dealer says this time.

For being Toyota’s top of the line Celica GTS I paid the $24,000 when I bought it I thought it was a bargain now I wish I would have gone with something else. Every time someone stops me on the streets I tell them all the things that have gone wrong. I like to give things the benefit of the doubt but what has made this experience completely the worst is the dealers attitude. I have gone to three Toyota dealers and they have all said it’s a Toyota nothing can go wrong some have even refused to fix the problem sending me to another dealer to get it fixed. I went in to trade in my Celica yesterday and the dealer told me to go to Car max that there is nothing he could do for me. I’m in the process of purchasing a new Vehicle and I’m taking a hefty loss on the Celica. Trade in value $17,000. After tax and title drive off cost of Celica $25,000, I’m loosing ($8,000) I doubt I could ever own a Toyota again. If you have comments pleas e-mail me I would like to know if there are others like me. When I received my trade in quote the agent told me I was the six in three weeks he had quoted for trade in!

Similar Products Used:

The Toyota currently reads 7,000 miles I’ve had it 3 months and took a cross country trip in it. Before my Celica I had a 92 Mustang GT, and a 96 Mustang GT the 92 I had a fuel pump go out and a power locks dye in 4 years (that’s it) the 96 the Convertible top didn’t sit well but dealer fixed it first time in 4 years (that’s it) So rating my new Celica with my two mustangs I’d give the mustangs ***** stars and the Celica ** stars because it just looks so dang sharp.

I bought the Celica because I wanted to build a 4WD turbo car that was lightweight and did not look like a box like the Subaru. This car has 180 horsepower which isn't bad and is lightweight which is good.

Its weak horsepower. The interiors seem somewhat breakable, very easily breakable. Doors felt like cardboard. Little room in the interior. Being 6'1" would be a REAL problem.

For the price this car is great. Decent horsepower and very lightweight. It'll give you a run for your money unless your the guy in the Honda Prelude passing it. I would buy this car again just because I love the aftermarket for it. Its modifying potential is just amazing to me and thats why I love this car so much. The Honda Prelude would always be my number one pick but its just not as trendy as the Celica. All the riceboys, girl racers, anyone just in general will love this new Celica.

Similar Products Used:

Honda Prelude is one that would easily be compared to the Celica. As a magazine article once compared the two, Honda Prelude came up top and still will in my opinion after owning both cars. I however, love the fact that you can switch in 4WD from the older alltrac Celicas and also that its turbo upgradable because of how its relation to such cars as the MR2 and Supra and being Toyota you also have the TRD company to back you up.

Taking the engine above 6000 RPM is amazing, Handling that would compare to a high price sports car.

Low end torque is about the only thing that there is, but isn't a problem because you are supposed to drive this car in the upper echelon of the tac

I paid 22,800 plus tax and title, and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a big bang for the buck. I have driven everything else in the competition and this is the best car that you can get for 20-25,000. Go take a test drive in one and don't be afraid to get on the engine, usually the dealers love it, at least the ones that went with me.

Similar Products Used:

Mazda MX-6 V6, Compared very nicely, but doesn't have the styling or the flash of the celica and really can't compare with the acceleration and handling.

Overall looks, the alloy wheels, spoiler and leather interior are all really nice. The 6-disc changer is great, and what can I say for the premium sound system other than "DAMN". Great handling, and low to mid-end acceleration.

It is a little slow on top end, once you get a both 100 she starts to dog a little bit. Other than that I love it.

The Celica GT is an excellent used car. It gives you that sporty feel while still paying attention to comfort, if you get this car you'll just want to drive all day. There is absolutely no reason why you shouldn't buy this car.

Similar Products Used:

I had a Turbocharged/All-wheel drive 1994 Eagle Talon TSi, it wasn't as nice inside as the Celica, but it made up for it in speed.