Don’t call it comeback! But, please do bring it back.
The Toyota Celica has been dead in America since the 2005 model year, but it looks like it’s time for a comeback! MotorTrend is now calling the expected car a 2028 Toyota Celica, and Car and Driver is expecting it no earlier than the 2028 model year. Toyota hasn’t officially announced a launch date, but at this point the return looks like more than just internet rumor.
Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda started publicly stirring the pot back in 2023, telling Toyota Times that the Celica was a car he would like to have again. Things took a serious turn at Rally Japan in November 2024, with Toyota Vice President Yuki Nakajima telling an interviewer, “We’re doing the Celica!” Toyota Times documented the exchange, making the closest thing to an official confirmation we’re going to get until some kind of official announcement.
Reporting from Autocar suggest the eighth-generation car is referred to as the Celica Sport. They expect it to use a front-mounted turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder combined with some form of hybrid system and, fingers crossed, all-wheel drive.
But, there are still plenty of unknowns. Toyota hasn’t teased the production car, announced drivetrain, pricing, or a transmission for that matter. But we’re well beyond enthusiast wishful thinking. It’s clear Toyota executives are talking about the Celica, the engine appears to exist, AWD and hybrid development are being reported by multiple outlets, and Toyota is suddenly spending a lot of time reminding everyone about the Celica’s rally history.
The Celica sure looks like it’s coming back. Now we have to hope Toyota builds the one we want.
