After seven generations of success, a cultural icon rode off into the sunset following the 2005 model year. Now, nearly 20 years later, the Toyota Celica nameplate is returning to the market in a modernized form. The upcoming iconic sports car is set to hit the road for the 2027 model year, with prototypes expected to make their first public appearance in 2025.
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A new Toyota Celica was confirmed at Rally Japan
Rally Japan is a racing event for rally cars, as the name implies, and is often attended by executives from numerous automakers. This year, several high-level Toyota executives attended including Chairman Aiko Toyoda himself. According to BestCar, during a fan event, someone asked if a new Celica was in the works. While Toyoda didn’t have an answer, Yuki Nakajima, Toyota’s Executive Vice President of Products, set the automotive world ablaze with four words:
“We’re making the Celica.”
You can’t get a much better confirmation than that. At the same event, BestCar inquired about the next Toyota GR86’s engine, and Nakajima revealed that Toyota is developing a few engines of its own, one of which is capable of producing 400 horsepower when turbocharged. He also confirmed that Subaru will continue development of its horizontally opposed engine, and Mazda will work on its signature rotary engine.
2004 Toyota Celica
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In its last model year, the Toyota Celica was powered by a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine that produced up to 180 horsepower and 130 lb-ft of torque, depending on your trim of choice. The base 2005 Toyota Celica GT would have cost you just under $20,000, while the top-spec GT-S would run you $23,575 MSRP.
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The Toyota Celica confirmation has enthusiasts speculating
There’s no doubt the upcoming 2027 Toyota Celica will take the form of a sports car, becoming the third in Toyota’s lineup alongside the GR86 and Supra. While it’s clear what kind of car the Celica will be, enthusiasts have been speculating about what engine the sports car will carry.
Some have speculated that Toyota might partner up with another automaker for their powertrain. That’s not a bad take by any means considering Toyota teamed up with BMW and Subaru to make the Supra and GR86 respectively. The Japanese automaker has been working with Mazda more closely in recent years, too, so some speculation on joint ventures is warranted.
John Beltz Snyder
Personally, I don’t see Toyota teaming up to produce an all-new Celica sports car. The iconic nameplate is a cultural legend after all. Instead, I figure one of Toyota’s new 1.5- and 2.0-liter engines will power the upcoming sports car, perhaps both, with higher trims getting the more powerful of the two.
Unfortunately, Toyota isn’t doing too well on the sports car engine front at the moment. Both Toyota and Subaru are facing a lawsuit that claims the automakers sold engines that were prone to failure. Hopefully, the Celica won’t face the same issue come 2027.
Related: Toyota and Subaru sued over engine issues in GR86 and BRZ
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Final thoughts
Huzzah! A new Celica is coming soon to dealer lots near you (hopefully)! One of my favorite cars growing up was, in fact, the Toyota Celica, and while they were already discontinued by the time I started driving, I’ve always been a fan. Now to get my wife on board by 2027…
On another note, no one from Toyota made any mention of a hybrid, or even an all-electric, Toyota Celica. While Toyota hasn’t been too enthusiastic about EVs in the (recent) past, the automaker has been adding more PHEV models to its lineup in recent years. Do I think the new Celica should be a hybrid? Not at all. Could it end up that way? There’s always a chance, especially with emissions regulations being what they are today.
