The Celica was almost as cool as the Supra since it was a compact yet powerful little sedan. The World Rally Cross featured the Celica, one model year included pop-up headlights, and a GT-Four version produced 252 horsepower.

Despite its inherent coolness, Toyota discontinued the Celica in 2004 due to a global shift away from sports cars, increasingly strict emissions regulations, and poor marketing. Car & Driver reported a Best Car writer attended the Rally Japan event and approached former CEO Akio Toyoda about a new Celica.

Toyoda reportedly declined to answer, but the Executive Vice President, Yuki Nakajima, didn’t hesitate to say, “We will make the Celica.”

He may not have meant to spill the beans

Shortly after he confirmed the Celica was back on the design table, he supposedly told the Best Car reporter, “I’m not sure if it’s okay to say this in a public forum.” Though, Toyota may have dropped a hint in its anime, Grip.

An episode aired with a whiteboard in the background that read, “Celica Mk8,” for the eighth generation of Celica. Tsuneji Sato, the current President, made comments last year about wanting to see the Celica return.

Nakajima didn’t divulge any more information, though. So no one knows whether or not it’ll be an EV, a hybrid, or a gas-powered car. No one knows exactly when the car will be released, either. Car & Driver guesses 2027.

Everyone’s excited about a new Celica

With EVs slowly replacing beloved gas-powered models, Car & Driver readers were excited to see how Toyota would go about bringing the Celica back.

“Who would have thought that Toyota would be the automaker making the stronger efforts in passion project? I am excited to see what the Celica will be,” wrote a reader.

One reader was skeptical, as the “announcement” seemed to be timed accordingly.

“Are we really calling the last Celica a sports car? This pretty much coincides with the revival of the Honda Prelude and I think that’s deliberate. It will be a Prius coupe. Mark my words,” they wrote.

Others were curious as to how it would fit in with the current lineup, especially since Toyota still produces the GR86.

“I do believe a new Celica is great news however I struggle to find where it would fit in Toyota’s lineup. The GR86 already fills the niche of the old Celica in terms of size and its price point,” read a popular comment.