Just the mention of the Celica name piques the interest of Toyota fans everywhere. After about three decades of sales, the fun and sporty coupe was retired in 2006. Now, the only place you’ll find a Toyota Celica is on a used auto sales lot. But rumors are flowing that Toyota might be bringing back the 2025 Toyota Celica for 2025 or 2026. Let’s take a look at the latest information and some history.
History of the Toyota Celica
The Toyota Celica was an extraordinary little car. It was the closest thing Japan had to a pony car when it debuted in the 1970s. It was available with a range of engines and quickly became a sales leader. By the late 70s, Japan was eyeing the lucrative American market to sell the two-door coupe. The Celica was also a leader in trendy design cues. In 1981, it was revamped with sharp lines and semi-retractable headlights. It even had a digital instrument panel.
Toyota continued to innovate with the Celica, and the next generation looked very different from the previous one when it launched in 1985. It switched to FWD and featured fully retractable headlights. The newly improved handling and balanced chassis seemed to justify the increased price.
For the next few decades, the Toyota Celica continued to refine an already solid formula, adding more horsepower and sharper handling. By the time it was retired in 2006, the Celica was a bonafide sports coupe with razor-sharp handling and quick throttle response.
Is the Celica Really Coming Back?
It’s been nearly 20 years since the Celica was last available as a new car. Reports of a new Celica in the works have circulated for some time. The rumor likely originated in Japan’s Best Car magazine, which ran a story implying that the Celica and the MR2 would return. The article included professionally rendered images of both vehicles as they might appear in 2026. The report adds information about the Celica featuring a 2.0-liter turbo engine.
Japan’s Best Car even revealed that the Celica comeback could be expected at a 2025 Toyota Auto Salon event. The story caught fire, and other publications like Forbes ran with it and relayed the same information. Currently, information about the Celica comeback is still circulating.
Celica Comeback Rife With AI Misinformation
Unfortunately, there’s quite a lot of AI misinformation accompanying the Celica rumors. Various AI renderings have popped up on video sites and social media, further muddying the waters. Some of the images you’ll see of the “new Celica” are, in fact, generated by AI text-to-art programs. None of them are officially from Toyota or an actual indication of what the new Celica could look like.
So far, the nearest thing to official pictures is still the shots displayed by Japan’s Best Car magazine. Assuming the magazine has some official sources from Toyota, these are closer to what the Celica might look like if it returns. At this point, it’s not at all clear if the Toyota Celica is really coming back for 2025 or any other year. For now, you’ll have to search used auto sales lots for the Celica.
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