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2004 Toyota Celica GT-S Tsunami Edition Road Test

4-9-2004

by Alexandra Straub


Sturdy, Sporty and Speedy

It's 3:10 AM and my alarm just went off. Today, my snooze button did not face the wrath of my wavering, slapping hand but was gently turned off as I hobbled out of bed. Despite the grueling hour, I woke up with a sleepy smile.

A trip to the other side of the country to test out a hot new ride was all the motivation I needed to get out of bed at a horribly early hour. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)
There are very few things that would motivate me to be chipper at such a time. One would be a large sum of money, or the alternative, a trip to the other side of the country to test out a hot new ride. Can you guess which one it was? If you picked the latter of the two, you're right. I love planes and I love flying, but my true passion lies in cars, so when the two combine I'm one happy pilot.

The 2004 Celica GT-S Tsunami Edition was waiting for me after I got off the plane and claimed my luggage. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)
When I arrived in Toronto, claimed my baggage, and appeared at the airport hotel to take the 2004 Toyota Celica for a scenic drive down to a press conference in Niagara Falls, my tiredness from the early rising and the flight immediately faded. There, in the parking lot was a navy blue bombshell waiting for my arrival. But this was not an average Celica. It was the Tsunami Edition, immediately distinguishable because of its new skirt package and rear spoiler, among its other unique attributes. I was fully prepared for the adventure I was about to embark on, in another province, driving another new vehicle.

Attached to the rear decklid of the Spectra Blue Mica coloured Tsunami a block-letter appliqué read "GT-S." Yes, I thought to myself. Why so excited? Because the Tsunami edition comes in two trims: the GT which is equipped with Toyota's Variable Valve

Seeing the block-letter appliqué reading "GT-S" was all it took to get me excited. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)
Technology with Intelligence (VVT-I) producing 140 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 125 lb-ft of torque at 4, 200 rpm, and the much more enticing GT-S which has the Variable Valve Timing and Lift with Intelligence (VVTL-I) technology with 2-stage valve lift and duration, adding an extra level of high-revving performance to the mix. Translation, more power! The GT-S produces 180 horsepower at 7,600 rpm and 130 lb-ft of torque at 6,800 rpm, and faster acceleration (0-100 km/hr in 6.6 seconds). Both engines, however, look the same on paper, being 1.8-litre, 4-cylinder, 16-valve, DOHC units with sequential multi-port fuel injection systems. There were a few more attributes of the GT-S that caused me say "Yes" when I initially laid eyes on it. First, the

The GT-S version of Toyota's 1.8-litre, 4-cylinder, 16-valve, DOHC engine produces 180-hp at 7,600 rpm and 130 lb-ft of torque at 6,800 rpm. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)
Tsunami is equipped with the close-ratio 6-speed manual transmission to optimize fuel consumption during highway driving and to reduce noise. In addition, the 6-speed is the only transmission offered on the Tsunami GT-S (the regular GT-S has an optional automatic equipped with E-shift steering-wheel-mounted buttons, inspired by those used on Formula 1 cars). The next characteristic to 'make waves' with me was the 200-watt Panasonic AM/FM/CD/MP3/WMA audio system that comes with a removable faceplate and remote control. Furthermore, the car comes with such features as keyless entry, cruise control, a power moonroof, all of which make the driving experience more pleasurable.

So, the GT-S boasts with some pretty cool gadgets, but how do they perform? Regarding the 6-speed manual, I found that first gear was a little sticky. Perhaps I felt this way because, as mentioned, it is a high-revving performance machine and with most sports cars, the higher the revs, the smoother the shift. It took a little while to get used to, but all was well in the end. The throws are indeed "close-ratio" adding to the sports car feel. The shifts are smooth and quick. The clutch was not too hard and not too soft, making it compatible to my driving style.

As with most sports cars, the higher the revs the smoother the shift, but I found the first gear of the GT-S a bit sticky. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)
On my way to the press conference I was able to choose from two different routes. I opted for the longer, more scenic drive that would lead me through the province's fruit growing region, as opposed to the direct highway route. I am always up for an adventure! The roads that I ended up cruising along twisted and turned, went up and down, were long and flat and fun. I passed through towns/cities called Vineland, Allanburg, Thorold, and others all with their share of eclectic paved terrain. I received glances and stares from pedestrians watching the novelty vehicle. It was most memorable.

The Tsunami's 4-wheel independent suspension made short work of the twisty back roads. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)
What is memorable about the Tsunami was its 4-wheel independent suspension. When turning the sharp corners I encountered, the steering was precise, stiff, and responsive. Bottom line, it handled great. What wasn't so great was the visibility out the driver's side. Yes, it's a sports coupe, which automatically indicated to me that there could be visibility issues. The passenger side visibility was fine, but when it came to checking my blind spot, that was another story. Let's just say it's not optimal, but still drivable. Visibility out the rear is also a little tricky. The tail end is angled upwards, and the spoiler makes it just that much taller. The high-end made backing up and parallel parking a challenge, but the side and rear view mirrors came to the rescue.

As I mentioned earlier, the GT-S is well endowed. Acceleration is quick at 7.2 seconds to 100 km/h, but just the same it didn't feel like it had quite as much "oomph" as some of its competitors, such as last year's MazdaSpeed Protegé or 20th Anniversary GTI 1.8T. A little research unearthed something I didn't

The GT-S comes equipped with a set of sharp looking 5-spoke aluminum alloy wheels surrounded with 205/50R16 rubber. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)
expect, however, that the 'Speed in only good for 7.4 to 100 km/h, and the GTI 7.5 to 100. Not too far behind the Celica GT-S, but still slower. So why do the turbocharged cars feel quicker? Probably because the Mazda and VW don't have a heck of a lot of grunt before the turbo spools up, and then all of a sudden there's a surge of power all the way up to redline. The GT-S, on the other hand, delivers its power in a more linear fashion, still surging at about 6,000 rpm when the variable valve timing kicks in, but going about its business in a more refined, and as the numbers prove, more effective manner. The Celica Tsunami also has a pretty fly set of tires, rims and brakes. Penetrating the pavement is a set of 5-spoke aluminum alloy wheels surrounded by 205/50R16 rubber, not quite to tuner car specs (17s would be a step toward that) but still looking good just the same. Standard on the GT-S are front ventilated and solid rear disc brakes with ABS and Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD). It stops quickly. Need I say more?

Inside the Tsunami is a "tidal wave" of goodness. Ok, how lame am I? Anyway, I found the front sport-style bucket seats, finished with red or blue (as on my test car) suede inserts, to be tres chic and tres

The sound quality of the car's 200-watt Panasonic audio system is slammin' and the speakers are superb. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)
comfortable for my fanny, especially on the multiple hour drive down to Niagara Falls, and the extended wait I encountered at the Welland Canal while a tanker moseyed on by. In addition, it was nice to listen to my relaxing tunes on the 200-watt Panasonic audio system. Sound quality is slammin' and the speakers are superb. The buttons on the stereo system are quite small, however, similar to the system in the RAV-4 Chili Edition. It took a few moments for me to figure out which buttons did what, but after a little effort it was smooth cruising. I liked the stereo's remote control, and also the fact that the faceplate is removable - taking away any temptation from would-be thieves. The leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob (and bucket seats) are colour-coordinated to the exterior of the car, making it cute (not overkill) and functional. Toyota also adds Tsunami badging to the exterior, as well as the special floor mats and upscale owner's manual "wallet."

What wasn't that functional was the headroom, it is low. I have no complaints about it because I am small and it didn't bother me, but perhaps my 6'4" beau would

Good times were had behind the wheel of Toyota's latest speedy Celica GT-S Tsunami. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)
have comfort issues, and yet again visibility. I also found that the instrument cluster could have been a little spicier. The tachometer, speedometer, and the other gauges were backlit in an orange hue. It's functional, but could have had more pizzazz if it had blue backlighting, for instance. Still, despite still looking fresh compared to most of its competition, this particular version of the Celica (the 6th since the model debuted in the '70s) isn't exactly the latest thing on the market. Blue backlighting or not, the 2004 Celica GT-S Tsunami Edition was a sturdy, sporty and speedy ride to drive. Good times were had.

Specifications (GT-S Tsunami):

Note: Additional larger photos are available in the photo album.