I’d been slowly amassing photos of each of the seven generations of Toyota Celica in Brisbane when I finally completed my collection. With today’s article on the seventh-generation Celica, I thought it was fitting to pose this question to my fellow Curbivores: what’s your favorite generation of Celica?
Is it the original? The Carina-derived first-generation married Toyota dependability with sleek, curvaceous styling, although the fastback was a bit of a Mustang knockoff.
Maybe you prefer the second-generation? It was longer and wider, and did spawn the first Supra (and the first Camry, although that was JDM-only).
The third generation was the last generation with rear-wheel-drive. I love this generation of notchback, and I would even say it’s the best-looking of all the Celica notchbacks. Good luck finding one in Australia, though–the hatchback Celicas were always more popular after the first-generation.
The fourth-generation switched to front-wheel-drive but was regarded by many as being the best-handling Celica yet. This generation also saw the introduction of the turbocharged, four-wheel-drive GT-Four (also known as the All-Trac).
The fifth-generation was a bit softer, dynamically and aesthetically, although the wild GT-Four was still offered.
The sixth-generation felt like more of the same, and this is when Celica sales started to really plummet.
Finally, the Celica line ended with the seventh-generation model. It was smaller, sharper, cheaper and the most fun-to-drive Celica since the old GT-Four models.
So, tell me: what’s your favorite generation of Celica? My pick would be the fourth-generation.
Ever since experiencing a fairly quick then-new 5th-gen as an impressionable 13-yr-old, I’d designated the 5th-gen as the Celica holy grail. But then, I started to get old, and learned to appreciate styling and design for it’s time, instead of just expecting that what’s newest is best. Growing old is good in some ways. It helped me recognize that the Gen 4 Celica is ,to quote Beck, where it’s at.
PS. Pop Up Headlights. dot com.
I like the 1st gen (the facelifted one with the Mustang-like taillights) and the 3rd best.
But the last generation holds a special place in my memory, as it’s the only Celica I’ve been in. Traveled through Belgium and back in one about 15 years ago. Incredibly quick, very nice ride — what a car!
My friend in high school had a base model 4th gen for a little while in the 90’s. A guy in a pickup blew a red light and t boned the rear quarter one night. With the insurance money he bought a cream puff 80’s 325i convertible. The Celica was ok, the BMW was glorious.
In this order:
5th – with tha available overseas and in Japan 3SGE engine, although a BEAMS swap would be tasty. Getting harder and harder to find.
4th – these look great when clean. Very thin on the ground down here
Both of the above in hatchback form
1st – In this case I have baptized them both: the notch is the Celica Camaro and the hatch is the Celica Mustang. Either of them would do work, with a wide angle 4AGE or a vintage Toyota DOHC engine.
I had a gen 1 ST for several years, it never failed me. I would buy another one in a heartbeat. Second choice would be a gen 3 Supra. The others I could take or leave.
I’d say definitely 3rd gen, but that probably comes from an ’85 GT-S lift back being my daily driver. However, I love the look of any and all of the first 4!
Other than the rusties, I did really enjoy my 3rd-gen. Don’t think I’d go later, probably would go earlier.
Second-gen, and I’d love to find a good one today as a fun runabout. Back in the mid-90s my boss at the time had a beaten-down grey ’78 model that several of his friends/employees, including me, borrowed at various times while having their own cars repaired… or repossessed.
It didn’t look like much, but that car was a blast to throw around… and despite a complete lack of regular maintenance it never, ever, ever failed to get any of us where we needed to go.
What a great concept for a CC post, would love to see this for other cars.
I’ve always been partial to the first and sixth generation; the latter likely because it’s what I grew up admiring (although I was always a bigger fan of the equivalent Integra and Prelude). All the others look sharp to me as well (7th has only recently grown on me)- except for the second generation. Really surprised to see that it’s so popular in these comments. I guess it’s unique looking??
’82 Celica Supra, when I rode on one in fall ’83, was like ‘wowowow’!
Velocity series “Wheeler Dealers” restored one recently, and stayed as true to original as possible.
1st gens had mid cycle changes, brought to US for 1976. It was first Motor Trend “Import Car of Year”. Some call it a ‘flat nose’. Used to think the ’76 was a ‘new gen’, instead of refresh.
Owned a third generation (’83) and loved it; had a 4th generation (’87) and mostly hated it.
So hard to pick!!!!! I love the first gen coupes, and the second too, for that matter! I can say that the 5th is my least favourite, except for the GT-4 RC/Sainz edition. The 6th I’m not a huge fan of, except for the GT-4’s again, and the SS-III with the 3S-GE BEAMS engine. That’s a cool combo. I never really connected with the last generation, but I do respect the high-po ones, and I think they’re probably rather under-rated. Sadly the damage to the badge had been done with the 5th and 6th solidly putting them in “hairdresser car” territory.
The 3rd never really took me as a hatch, but I do quite like the coupes, especially the group B cars! And, of course, as an owner of one I love the Supra/XX, but that’s not really what we’re discussing here!
So, to conclude, for me it’s got to be the 4th generation! It’s a first love-thing, I think.that it was the best blend of reliable, sporty, practical, nimble but comfortable. I had a JDM 2.0GT with the 3S-GE, and at the time (mid 90’s teenagers in NZ) when all of my mates were driving cortinas, lasers, escorts etc. it was a bit of a rocket ship. Of course that started an arms war as we all cycled through the newer faster cars…. preludes, familia turbos, VTEC civics and integras, turbo lancers, 180SX, Skylines V8’s etc etc etc…..
But I digress….. so many fond memories of that car, so many firsts, some legal, some not so legal, some rather plain, and some that I couldn’t publish here. I had that car for 3 great years, right at a time of growing from pimply teen to a young adult. It saw me through the end of my school days, and into my first job. First girlfriend, first speeding ticket. Sadly, first crash, but that one was a fairly minor one. First time attaining top speed in a car. First drag races etc. etc. etc.
Great times, great car, ST162 Celica FTW!!!
I had this 90 Celica GT a while back. It was a very solid feeling car and even the steering, the way the doors shut and how smooth the engine sounded was like a newer car. Drove it on a few cross country road trips with no issues.
WAY late to the party here, but my ex-wife when we were together had a 1984 or 85 (Third Gen) Celica GT Notchback that I was not so sure about when we bought it, but turned out to be a blast to drive. It was the last of the RWD Celicas and handled the twisties quite nicely. It’s little 2.4L I-4 was my first experience with a 4 cylinder car and I was quite impressed. It had more than enough power for the little car. (I drove a T-Bird at the time.) – so for a biased opinion, I pick the Third Generation.
That wife’s cousin bought a Fifth Generation Celica in 1992 that was also fun to drive, especially with the 5-speed (the wife’s car was an automatic), but I wasn’t fond of FWD at the time.
Another thing I like about the Third Generation was that back then, the Supra was still a Celica, and quite a looker for a mid-eighties sporty car.
I’m definitely a 3rd gen guy, I’ve always wanted a red-and-black Supra. My first car nearly was a black 84 celica hatch, until the bank decided not to loan me the $ when we found out my insurance was going to cost nearly as much per month, as the loan payments…
I knew several people with Gen2’s, in both hatch and trunk versions. My best friend’s mom had a bright red 80 hatch, and his brother had a green 78/79 notch. (He ended up wrapping it around a tree racing somebody on a twisty road and spending some time in a hospital) A couple neighbors had hatches, a yellow Celica and a black Supra.