Is The 2025 Toyota Celica Real?
When looking over Toyota's vehicle offerings, one finds a wide array of four-wheeled rides suitable for all drivers. The tenured car manufacturer currently has it all, from compact cars to SUVs to trucks, with such models as the Corolla, Highlander, and RAV4 leading the pack as some of its most well-known models. The brand's historical catalog also features specific Toyota vehicles you can't get in the United States, in addition to those that were once commonplace on the road but have since gone the way of the dinosaur.
Among the several Toyota models that have been retired throughout the brand's lifetime is the Toyota Celica, which hit the market back in 1971. This two-door coupe enjoyed a lengthy run, lasting until 2006, when it was discontinued. Throughout its many years of release, each Celica generation fluctuated in terms of speed, it spawned variations like the ST and GTS, and even went by different names, like SSI and VVT-I, depending on the market. At the time of writing, it is rapidly approaching 20 years since the Celica bid drivers farewell, but rumor has it that the Celica could be on its way back to Toyota showrooms everywhere.
Here's where these notions have spawned from and how truthful they actually are.
What has come to light about the Celica's comeback
Rumblings of the return of the Toyota Celica have persisted for some time. The idea can be traced back to Japan's Best Car magazine, which ran a story stating that the Celica as well as the Toyota MR2 are coming back. The publication provided professionally rendered images of the two cars — the revamped Celica seen below — which are said to be on their way down the production pipeline for the 2026 model year. The report touts the Celica as featuring a brand new two-liter turbo engine under the hood, and the overall look and feel of a luxury ride.
Best Car even shared that, according to its sources, Celica enthusiasts can anticipate a prototype to make an appearance at the 2025 Toyota Auto Salon event set to take place between January 10 and 12. Not long after Best Car published its Celica article, websites such as Forbes picked up on it and simply relayed what it had to say on the topic. Meanwhile, other folks online have taken things a step further. Some have claimed to have more photos of the returning coupe, showing it off at all angles and listing off some of its key features.
AI misinformation surrounds the return of the Celica
In the months since the Best Car report about the possible Celica revival gained traction, the subject has been covered extensively. Unfortunately, in highlighting the car's apparent return, many have made the situation all the more confusing. Text and video-based sources alike have muddied the waters with further photographs of the new Celica that are anything but. They have flooded the Internet with artificial intelligence creations masquerading as legitimate concept shots and renderings.
Likely using an AI text-to-art generator, the image above is an entirely digital AI creation. It's not an official Toyota shot, nor is it any indication of what the new Celica could look like. At the time of publication, the closest things available to official pictures of the seemingly soon-to-be-revived model are the renderings from Best Car. Still, considering how advanced AI image generators have become, it's no surprise that deceptive Celica images like this one have captured the imagination of many.
At this point, it's uncertain whether the Toyota Celica is coming back. Multiple reputable sources have discussed the idea, but don't be fooled. Not all sources claiming to have pictures of the new model are legitimate. For now, be wary of those not from trusted sources and that appear too good to be true.