2002 TOYOTA Celica 1.8L VVT-i Turbo 6MT FWD (192 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Toyota updated the seventh generation of the Celica in 2002 when it performed a few visual upgrades for the already appealing coupe.

Most sports cars from that era were either unreliable or had to make some concessions for family reasons. There were a few exceptions from that, and the Celica was one of them. It didn’t just look sharp, but the automaker didn’t make a compromise just to attract more customers. Toyota tried to offer a coupe focused on the driver. The only thing that was lacking in that generation, when compared to its predecessors, was the all-wheel drive system.

From the outside, the Celica showed a restyled front fascia, which received a new bumper and a slim air intake. In addition, the hood was modified to fit the new upgrades while the headlights got new lenses. Moreover, on the sides, the front fenders, the door panels, and the rear quarter panels sported an ascending sculptured line that visually connected the front wheel-wells to the rear ones. Finally, at the back, the taillights received a smoked look, and the blinkers didn’t sport amber lenses anymore but red.

Inside, there was the same interior, with a three-spoke steering wheel and an instrument cluster where analog dials and an LCD shared the same area. Yet, the carmaker claimed that there were some improvements that made the car more focused on the driver. It still featured four seats, with a 50/50 split-folding rear bench where only children could sit.

Under the hood, Toyota made good use of its two 1.8-liter powerplants offered in lower or higher power output. Both versions were mated with a six-speed manual gearbox. For specific markets, the carmaker included a four-speed automatic to the options list.