Great handling, good looks, and some aftermarket parts!!!
Pros:
handling, reliable, sporty, gas mileage
Cons:
power
The Bottom Line:
I recommend this car to anyone wanting a sporty import. It has great handling, gas-mileage, and looks.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
I bought this car in April of 2000 and it already had over 90k miles on it. After seeing the car at the car lot and taking it for a spin, I knew this was the car for me. It's the GT model with the 2.2lt engine and a 5-spd tranny. I had heard good things about the reliability of Toyota, and I can now vouch for that. The car now has a little over 129k miles on it, and the only problem I've encountered was that the thermostat got stuck open which was not too major to repair. Other than that, it's just been the routine maintenance, changed the spark plugs, changed the air filter, and of course the oil every 3,000 miles. It's recommended that the timing belt be replaced every 60,000 miles, so I had that done around 120k.
One thing that could use improvement and hopefully will in the near future is the power, or lack thereof. I had heard that the Celicas from 94-99 are a bit notorious for a lack of aftermarket go-fast-goodies, but I have finally found some. I'm sure the engine still has a lot of life left in it, but the plans soon are to rebuild it to ensure no problems with the addition of a turbo kit made for that 2.2 liter engine.
The handling on the car really surprised me. It seems to stick to the road very well. Now I know I shouldn't have done this, but I have taken turns on exit ramps from the highway that have the yellow warning speed limit signs at 30 mph at between 55-60 mph. Even at almost double the speed, the car still seems to grip rather nicely, just at about 60+ mph, I can really feel it starting to lose traction.
The interior of the car has a rather sporty feel to it. I definitely like the interior in the Celica much more than that of a Civic or Integra. The Celica's feels as though the driver is taken in and is one with the car with the way the center console sits up higher than Hondas and the sides to the seats just seem to hold the driver in place (especially under hard cornering).
The sound system is surprisingly very nice. My Celica has the 6 speaker sound system. What it did lack though was a cd player, which was added not long after aquiring the car. The trunk space is very adequate. I have put two 10 inch subs in a bandpass box in the trunk, and there is still enough room to haul stuff around.
The body's styling is great. I've had people ask me what year it was, and they get surprised to find out it's a '94. The paint still has a great shine to it, just have to do the occasional waxing.
Overall, the 1994 Celica is a great car. It gets great gas mileage, even the way I drive it sometimes. It has been an extremely reliable daily driver. I would recommend this car to anyone that wants a sporty ride at an affordable price.