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.
The Second Generation of the Year 1980 in Lift Back versión
Me too. It was an aspirational car in Uruguay, even though the only drivetrain was a 1.6 5 speed costing about 20k at the time
Calefon, uruguayo o argentino?
I bought a first-generation Celica GT in ’74, my second new car out of nine owned to that date. It was burnt orange with white vinyl interior; in retrospect I would have preferred the white-on-black one available that week at a different dealer. Never had a speck of mechanical trouble in four years of ownership. I chose it for its equipment — tach, five-speed, reasonable seats and sporting character I had enjoyed in the previous car, a used Fiat 124 Spyder. Not in the same league, in my estimation, but a fun car nevertheless.
I toyed with the idea of adding a Nardi wheel, but never got around to it. I like the fourth-generation Celica in your opening photo . . .
It is a minor grousing point – and I could probably find the answers if I were to spend a while looking it up – but it would be kind of valuable if there was a time frame – [what was the first year and the last year] for each generation. That is the only thing that I would add to the article.
Gen. 1: Dec. 1970-1977
Gen. 2: 1978-1981
Gen. 3: 1982-1985
Gen. 4: 1986-1989
Gen. 5: 1990-1993
Gen. 6: 1994-1999
Gen. 7: 2000-2006 (2006 being Japan only, I believe)
2nd gen in black. The first gen looked kind of chubby and felt underpowered.
The second generation by far. In particular, a 1978 GT Liftback with the 20R engine and 5-speed manual gearbox.
This is because I grew up in one. My father bought one of the first ones at the end of ’78 and I came home from the hospital in it. The car looked just like the one in the photo.
Put me down for the first-gen… best mate from high school bought one used as the successor to his ’65 Mustang, and we had a lot of fun with it. Not so much hooning as in the Mustang, though!
Here’s my rank
6th gen
1st gen
4th gen
3rd gen
7th gen
5th gen
2nd gen
The first gen fastback may have looked like a Mustang fastback, but the notchback looked like a first gen Cougar. Always liked both iterations of that Celica, but they are derivitave and at the end of the day I’d much rather have the cars that inspired them. I’d place them first, in isolation.
I like the 6th generation, unlike many others seemingly. The 5th gen is way too soft and cute for my tastes, and the 4th isn’t far behind(though it’s saved from a technical standpoint)but the 6th stands out aggressively for a car very much in the jellybean mold, and I think it made for one of the best looking rally cars ever.
Easy choice for me. I even put my money where my mouth is:
3rd and 6th generation Celicas are my faves. Toyota stretched that gen of Celica also to make the 2nd version of the Supra, which remains one of my favorite ‘Yotas.
I think I remember reading (maybe on AteUpWithMotor) that both the 2nd & 3rd Gen Celica’s were stretched to create the Supra’s. But here is what makes it cool…
While we are currently conditioned to expect chassis-stretching only for purposes of Chinese-market legroom stretch jobs, Toyota lengthened the wheelbase to make room for MOAR MOTOR. Boss AF.
If forced to choose only one, I’d have to pick the 2nd generation, though 1st through 4th are all pretty good.
The first generation body was pretty clearly meant to remind one of an American muscle car, writ small. Various styling cues support this: the bumpers could be a direct steal from a ’69 Charger, for instance. Ironically, the new Challenger seems to have swiped the Celica’s S-shaped body-side character line . . .
1st for sure. Just out of high school, and loved the style. Second generation next. Was a company car at a place I worked. Car was so smooth, you had to put your hand on the hood to tell if it was ideling! And the 7th gen. Loved the lines and angles. My least liked was the 5th gen. May have been a performer, but had all the style of a jelly Bean.
The stylists must have been bored.
My favorite is the sixth. I had a cousin who owned a 1996 Celica. It ran terribly, had the automatic/naturally aspirated combo, and was filthy inside, but it sure was fun to ride in it. The only time I got to ride in it, though, was when I was 9 in 2006. He wrecked it in 2007 due to a rogue Pontiac G6.
Third-generation hatchback, but only with the ’84-’85 front end with fully-hidden headlights.
Yeah, that’s the third generation I like best – it looks a lot cleaner and is actually a prelude to its replacement.
No pun intended! 🙂
I never noticed that until now, though. It’s like it was setting the scene for the subsequent generation. And it’s not too often that a facelift improves the styling of a car, as typically the designer’s vision is diluted, but that is one very fetching facelift!
That or a first gen liftback. One of the biggest mistakes I’ve made in my car-buying career was NOT buying a Lime Green ’74 GT Coupe. Dealer didn’t have any other colors available, and I just couldn’t live with it (so I thought). So I bought a… wait for it… loaded Vega GT Hatchback. (smacks head).
The first one is probably my favorite of all, followed by the last RWD one (1982-86), the first front drive ones in 1986, and the ‘spaceship’ that replaced that in 1990 (a magazine I read summed that one up as “ET, your car is ready”). But I love the purity of design in the original model.
I have a soft spot for the 3rd gen too (especially the notchback) because some of my early car memories are of seeing those “curbside”, owned by shopkeepers in the little town where we lived.
However – my favourite Celica has to be a 4th gen GT-Four, sideways, Carlos Sainz at the wheel.
Fifth gen!
You know, it occurs to me (at least here in the US), the body style is highly dependent on the subjective appearance people seem to prefer. I’m probably an outlier in that I seem to like the coupe body style nearly across the board (except generation four). Personally, I thought generation two looked really clean as a coupe, yet the hatchback was ugly. Did Europe and Australia drop the booted coupe after it went FWD? I know Japan did (although they had a similar 4th gen Corona coupe and 6th gen Curren with different front ends). I wasn’t especially fond of the hatchback 6th gen, but loved the coupe’s lines enough to buy one. Surprisingly enough, the back seat was a lot roomier in that one because of the extended roofline and more upright seating position.
I think European markets only got the T160 hatchback.
Yeah, the 6th generation was hatchback-only in Australia although I seem to vaguely recall some gray import convertible versions, unless I’m mistaken.
Can’t remember ever seeing 4th or 5th generation notchbacks. I guess even coupe buyers in Australia like to be practical…
Australia got the 4th generation Fwd coupe bit only in lower spec ST trim. This meant less equipment, narrow angle 3SFE engine with less power and rear drum brakes. The lift back was also available in this grade as well as the higher grade SX.
For the 5th generation we got the coupe and liftback in identical SX trim. Unfortunately the imbeciles at Toyota Oz specified the boat anchor 5SFE donk instead of the upgraded 3SGE that other markets received. At least we got the GT4 (All Track) which we had missed out with the 4th generation.
For the 6th generation, similar pattern to the 5th. Very limited number of GT4 this time as they were very expensive. I think the Gt4 in this generation was the only officially sold Toyota to have super strut suspension.
Fourth.
My favorite is the 2nd, either body style, followed by the 4th (preferably the hatchback), and then maybe the 3rd generation.
Kind of reminds me of those Star Trek movies, where the even numbered ones were better than the odd numbered ones.
I have only driven/ridden in a 2nd generation coupe, it was a pleasant car, but put me more in mind of a small Monte Carlo instead of a small Mustang. Then again, the example I drove had an automatic transmission, that may have re-inforced the mini Monte Carlo feel.
My personal rankings would be
4th
1st
7th
3rd
2nd
6th
5th
The second generation has to have the hidden head lamps however. I really like the 4th generation as long as its not a base car. The funky alloys and pop up headlights are really sharp looking.
2nd generation didn’t have hidden headlights, those arrived as a mid-cycle refresh of the 3rd generation model.
The mid-cycle refresh on the 2nd generation brought quad rectangular headlamps to replace the quad round ones (and the rectangular lights were previewed on the Supra almost a year earlier). This is one of the few times the rectangular lights improved the appearance, as the round ones didn’t really fit the opening which had to protrude upward from the surrounding lamps and grille.
I am not choosy, and will happily accept a 1st, 2nd or early 3rd (hidden headlights) Celica. After that, I start to lose interest.
The first generation (coupe and lift back)
The fourth generation (lift back only)
First gen is my favourite but with the twincam motor the Corona/Carina could also be had with
The 1.6 (2T-G) or 2.0 (18R-G)?
2.0 not officially sold here but a mate of mine had one pity it was automatic.
The CALTY Celicas are #1 in my book, followed by the first gen cars and the tird gen ones. Anything FWD is a solid “Meh” to me.
1st: 3rd Generation SUPRA 6-cyl (1982-85). Great car!
2nd: 1st Generation (thru 1977). Good car. Compared well to competition. And for me as a kid in the 70s, it was the first Japanese car that I liked. Gen 1 stood out. Gen 2 did not.
3rd: 2nd generation. Better car. But not as good as it should or could have been. That had to wait for Gen 3.
4th: 3rd generation 4-cylinder models. See note for 3rd gen.
My favorites are the second generation for the sleek Calty Design styling, and the 4th gen for the All-Trac, and partial return to the second gen looks. I’ll throw an honorable mention to Gen 3 for the GT-S, the performance version of the 4 cylinder car that was lighter and more agile than the Supra.
1st Gen.
The 1st generation of most sports cars are the most pure and closest to the purpose.
The subsequent generations become bloated due to Marketing’s desire to widen the appeal. Examples are the 240Z, Camero, Mustang, Scirocco, and Viper to name a few.
So true and the main reason I find the 1st Generation the best of them all.
Plus it’s a genuine hardtop.
I find the last few Mustangs a continuation of the Bloatstangs of 71-73, rather than a continuation of the original.
Any connection to that has been eradicated by weight, size and mission creep.
Gen4.
It existed in both 2 and 3 door versions and both reminded me of an old favorite of mine, the Panhard BT 24, especially in the side view in the greenhouse and above the beltline, also the rear 3/4 view.
More than coincidence I think…..and just shows how far ahead of their time Panhard were ;).
Beat me to it! I thought this from when the 4th gen appeared.
And “by the same token” the gen 4 was ahead of its time in style also. I bought one of the first in ’86 and recall that nobody could figure out what it was much less believe that it was a Toyota.
But yeah I think the Toyota stylists must have had some pics of the Panhard on the wall for inspiration. 🙂
I so love the Panhard BT 24 / CT 24. Never noticed the Celica resemblance before, but it’s there. The Panhard looks much better though.
Hard to choose just one.
First generation but only the fastback or
Third generation just like Tonyola’s above, 84-85 in GT-S form with wide fenders and hidden lights or
Fourth generation in GT-S form but only ’86-’87 before the refresh. I’m picky.
The rest don’t excite me. The only one we ever owned was when my Dad had a beige 1979 coupe in the mid-late 80’s, which I like better now than I did then but still… It got stolen from my brother’s High School where he drove it to while my parents were on vacation and was later found stripped and burned outside of Palm Springs…
Stripped and burned… Yikes! Amazing how cars nowadays have enough anti-theft protection to essentially avoid that sort of a thing without a tow truck. My Mom, of all people, had a 1969 Road Runner that was constantly being broken into while she worked overnights. She got sick of it, and moved on to Honda motorcycles!
Well, for sentimental reasons I’d pick first gen, because my brother’s first new car was a 1976 Celica GT lift back. He loved that car, and I thought it was awesome too. It provided 10 years of faithful service and over 150K miles.
I also always really liked the ultra-wedgy gen 3 design, though I would have preferred a Supra of the same vintage.
As noted by several posters, the 2nd gen was notable as the first US market Toyota designed in the US (at the CALTY design center). That said, I prefer the 1st and 3rd generation, and would probably pass on the rest (except maybe the All Trac).
More here on the CALTY Celica:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Celica#Second_generation_.28A40.2C_A50.3B_1977.E2.80.931981.29
I love the skyward pointed headlights of the 3rd gen. Very 928-ish.
But the one I’d like to own would be 6th gen in hatchback. I like the jellybean shape. 5th gen was actually too jellybeanish for me. I heard it referred to as ‘bun on a platter’ styling.
That was only one year, ’83 I believe. In ’84 they had more conventional flip up headlights.
My favorite celica is the 1974 in orange!!!!
I think the best-looking of the bunch is the non-U.S. late A20 (first-generation) Liftback, followed by the T160 (fourth-generation) GT-S; the T160’s styling still looks pretty fresh if it’s not beaten all to hell. I like the A60 (third generation), but it really looks much better in Supra/XX form, which has superb proportions and better detailing that make the plain Celica look a little unfinished.
I’ve never warmed to the jellybean T180 — I see where they were going, but I’m not a fan and would much rather have had a Carina ED or Corona EXiV on the same platform — and I haaaaate the CALTY Liftback, which is bulbous mess. (Again, the longer-nose XX/Supra salvages the proportions somewhat, but still, no.) The late A40 notchback, with the smaller rectangular dual headlights, is okay, although not especially sporting.
The T205 (sixth-generation) is probably most to my taste as a car, although I think I would prefer the hotter normally aspirated 3S-GE engine to the 5S-FE, which wasn’t that powerful or that pleasant considering how expensive the Celica GT had gotten in the U.S.
Are you my long lost adopted sibling? Because I am right there with you regarding the ED/EXiV twins.
I would like to say my 1995 GT coupe with the 5S-FE looked bad on paper, but in the real world, was a sneaky sleeper. Outside of a DSM turbo or Honda with VTEC, it was very capable of dispatching other sporty coupes of the era. Motor Trend, when new, recorded a heavier ’94 GT lift back at 8.1 seconds to 60- that torque really could launch my 2500 lb. coupe very quickly. The basic 3S-GE did produce more power, but I don’t think overall it would have made much difference. The later BEAMS 3S-GE is a different story; no arguing with 200 PS.
I had to look up a few of those terms, but I 100% agree, and learned in the process!
The proportions of the A60 work better in notchback form IMO. That may be my affinity for formal roof Cougars talking, of course.
Honestly, I really have never had a favorite Toyota anything, but if I had to choose on the Celica, it would be the first generation.
Why?
Can you spell “pillarless hardtop”? I knew you could!
Funny, when the Celica first came out, I didn’t know how to pronounce the name. A buddy in the air force at the time whose family owned Toyotas called it “Suh-leek-ah”.
That’s how we pronounced it up here in the great white north!
First gen for me, they were almost as common as Datsun 510s in my high school parking lot back in the ’70s. Didn’t really interest me at the time but my brother had a ’72 or ’73. I remember doing the timing chain in our driveway at -20 or so…
So funny you mention this! I said “Cress-ee-da and Sell-eek-a” to a coworker in NYC and he was so puzzled. He thought it sounded like I was saying two girl’s names.
I thought, hey, maybe I’ve been mispronouncing them all these years. It’s happened with words in the past. But nope, a check of Aussie TV commercials confirms we pronounced them this way.
Funny, Aussies also pronounce Nissan, Mitsubishi and Hyundai differently too: “Niss-an”, “Mit-sue-bish-ee”, “Hai-unn-day”.
I stumbled across a Canadian Celica commercial and was surprised to see they pronounce it like we do. So it makes me wonder, how do different nationalities pronounce these names?
Make mine a first or second gen with the 18R-G twin cam and 5 speed.
I bought a new fourth-gen ’87 Celica GT, much like the one in this photo and in your elegant first picture. Bought it with aero-looking custom alloys.
Drove it daily for eleven years and just loved it. As soon as this generation came out I fell for its styling. Cleanly sculptured. The blacked-out C-pillar makes the top look like it’s just sailing. Didn’t like the GT-S, thought the spoiler spoiled the looks.
Ran great, just a water pump late in its time with me. (Not counting the oil change I screwed up – when the oil filter let go at speed the engine’s top end needed a rebuild. Totally my fault.) Finally sold it when I married and my 6’3″ stepson needed a proper back seat. (Her car was an Alfa GTV-6.)
My Celica made commuting much more fun, and I spent many twisty drives enjoying its handling and power. The hatchback made it a useful car too.
First-gen Celicas looked great, then they got too blocky. Fifth-gen was too bulbous. Fourth-gen was just right.
The eighties were a golden age for sports coupes. Too bad they’re nearly all gone.
We had a Gen3 and a Gen4. The Gen3 was the first NEW car we ever bought. It was a relative stripper – the low line ST, vinyl seats, no AC. It was a great car, but we had to trade it in on a Gen4 when we moved to Washington DC – one summer there with no AC was enough!
This is a tough one for me, as there seemed to be many, genuine high-points with this nameplate.
I had previously professed my love for the gen-3 cars here at CC in a post from earlier this year (https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/cc-outtake/cc-outtake-1985-toyota-celica-supra-simply-superb/), but it’s really hard to choose a favorite.
I liked the original Celica in both notchback and liftback forms. The 2nd-gen notchback remains such a great-looking car. The 4th-gen cars came out when I was in middle school, and they still look good to me today. The only one that didn’t do anything for me at all are the 5th-gen cars, that (no offense to anyone who likes them) looked like the earlier models left out in the sun to melt.
To me, the Celica’s track record for being consistently good-looking throughout most of its production run was somewhat unrivaled.
Third generation hatchback was just right, with the post-facelift hidden headlights (instead of the ones that just leaned back).
My favorites are the S2, particularly the Supra and the Sunchaser (great name – Sunchaser), and the S3, particularly the GTS. I almost bought Celica GTS convertible once, but couldn’t convince my wife that it was a good way to spend our meager funds at the time.
Showing my age, I know, but … first generation all the way. I loved the notchback, but lusted after the hatch.
“… although the hatchback was a bit of a Mustang knock-off.” You say that like it’s a BAD thing.
I’ve said this elsewhere, but the midpoint between the Mustang and the A20 Celica Liftback was almost certainly the first Mitsubishi (Colt) Galant GTO, although the GTO wasn’t a hatchback:
http://www.mitsubishi-motors.com/en/innovation/history/year/1970/70_1.html
(I’m not saying the Liftback WASN’T influence by the Mustang, but this obvious rival released at about the same time as the first Celica hardtop was almost certainly a significant factor.)
Truly, I like ’em all. I wouldn’t kick any of them out of my garage.
I’m partial to the 3rd gen, in convertible guise.
I dated the driver of one, very briefly in my college days. A real piece of work…both of them!
Fourth generation fastback. As has been noted above, a lot of cribbing from the Panhard 4CT for sure. For mine, the result is actually sweeter than the French original. An unusual, clean, and pretty car.
Mind you, my thoughts are almost certainly affected by the sheer unexpected brilliance of the car itself, in it’s time. A beautiful Toyota, 7,500rpm engine, superb handling – where the blazes did that come from?!
I’d be most curious to drive one today to see if it’s anything like as good as my 25 year-old memory of driving one insists it is.
Great photo, btw, William.
1st gen hatch or 2nd gen notchboxk. I know that the 1st gen watch was a Mustang copy, but considering what the mustang was at this point, I think it pulled it off way better. And something about the second gen regular coupes really does is it for me, especially with the earlier front end. After that, I never really liked the Celica that much in terms of looks (I’ve never driven one) and actually prefer the later Preludes to those.
Definitely 1 then 2. Maybe 7.
Second generation, especially the Supra.
3rd
2nd
1st
7th
With the exception of the 7th gen cars, the post-RWD models just don’t do it for me.
When I was in 3rd grade, a friend of my Dad’s bought a brand-new, first-year model in a funky light yellow, if I recall correctly. I walked past it on my way to/from elementary school. Even to my young eyes, it looked pretty cool. The guy lived a couple houses away from a fellow who drove a Renault Caravelle. My walks to school were a lot like Paul’s strolls around Eugene, but with less moss.
My vote is for 2nd, 3rd and 1st generation hatchbacks while you can keep all the rest.
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.