Toyota - Celica

Think of the 2001 Toyota Celica as a motorcycle on wheels. It's light on its feet, compact, racy looking, and loves to rev its energetic engine. Heck, you can even equip a Celica with a SIX-speed transmission. We found the Celica almost as entertaining to drive as some of those hyper-horsepower-screaming bikes.

The Celica has all the goods if you're looking for a fun and affordable sports coupe. It's not muscle-bound like a V8-powered Chevrolet Camaro or Ford Mustang, and it's not suave and cool like an Audi TT or Acura CL. Instead, the Celica provides a straightforward driving experience that's heavy on the fun and light on the wallet.

Since the Celica was redesigned for 2000, there are no changes for 2001.

Model Lineup

The Celica GT-S leads the lineup with distinctive styling, nice handling and an impressive 180-horsepower 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine developed with assistance from Yamaha. The GT-S retails for $21,455.

Most buyers will opt for the more affordable 140-horsepower GT, which retails for $16,985.

Naturally, the two models vary in standard features: The GT gets a six-speaker stereo with both cassette and CD, power windows, power mirrors and air conditioning. The GT-S adds two more speakers and amplifier power, fog lamps, drilled aluminum sport pedals, power locks, a leather steering wheel and shift knob, cruise control and alloy wheels with wider tires. The GT-S evaluated here had nearly all the options, including a sunroof, leather seats, a rear spoiler and 16-inch alloy wheels with lower profile speed-rated tires. In place of the GT's five-speed gearbox, the GT-S comes standard with a six-speed gearbox. Either model can be ordered with a four-speed electronically controlled automatic that adds $800 to the GT, $700 to the GT-S.