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Coupe
If you're after a coupe, the likelihood is that you want something with great looks and a drive to match. The Celica scores highly on both counts.
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It was designed as a coupe from the outset, so there's no chance it will be confused with a similar-looking hatchback, such as the Vauxhall Astra and Citroen Xsara. It's every bit as good to drive as it is to look at, too. You sit in a suitably sporting low driving position and, in traffic, its typically light Toyota controls make it easy to get around. Then, on the open road, you can really enjoy the crisp steering, slick gearchange and sharp handling. In many ways, it's the best of both worlds. The trouble is, it's really a car for a couple only. Although there's plenty of space up front, the two seats in the back are incredibly cramped. The Astra coupe, for example, is far more accommodating.
Running Costs
Compared to its contemporary rivals, the Celica looks pretty expensive. A Honda Prelude, Hyundai Coupe or Alfa GTV will cost you less to buy. However, all except the Hyundai suffer problems more frequently, according to a leading warranty company, which adds to the costs of running one. Sadly, when things do go wrong on the Celica, they tend to cost a lot to fix. True, average Celica repair costs are no worse to the GTV's or Prelude's, but they're high, too. Otherwise, the Celica shouldn't be dear to run. The 140bhp engine returns 36.7mpg on the combined cycle, and even the 190bhp gets 33.6mpg. That's much better than the Alfa GTV or Ford Cougar. Most Celicas fall into group 13 insurance, the only exception being the 190bhp, which is group 15. By class standards, that's pretty good – well ahead of the GTV, and on a par with the Ford Cougar and Vauxhall Astra coupe.