Toyota Celica or Hyundai Coupe?

[ashm]

So the girlfriend is looking for a new car, and accordingly we're reviewing some suitably girly options. Looks like probably one of the above, circa 2003ish.
She wants a hardtop coupe, not too awkward to get in & out of, decent boot, fairly economical & reliable. She doesn't like my other suggestions including Gtv, Fiat Coupe, Honda Prelude or Eclat/Excel. Obviously I think she needs an Evora, but apparently between paying for a wedding and saving for a house deposit that's not an option!

She actually really likes the Gen 6 Celica, but I get the impression most of these are a bit rusty nowadays. On the other hand, one of our friends has the GT and loves it.
I reckon the Celica is probably the better car, but we'd get a lower mileage Coupe for a given budget, the insurance is cheaper and she prefers the styling of the Coupe or the older Celica over the later one.

Anyone able to offer an opinion?

Ad

[steve matthews]

WALK AWAY

[ashm]

WALK AWAY

[hatters]

A friend at work had a Hyundai coupe, the later shaped one, it was silver and a nice looking car, it went well too but (you knew this was coming didn't you).The same month as the Warranty ran out when it was just 2 years old the differential decided to give up .Hyundai would not cover it with a post warranty claim and I think it cost him somewhere near £2,000.00 to have it replaced.
You would have thought under the circumstances that Hyundai would have helped him out a bit and offered some sort of percentage of the cost BUT NO it wasn't to be

[abmunro]

Toyota Celica!!!

I've had an AE86 Corrola Gt - Great car

Mk1 MR2 - Excellent car

Super reliability

Tony

[phunk]

My flat mate has a 2003 Hyundai Coupe (He's selling it actually )

He loves it, nothing has ever gone wrong with it in the last 2 years that he has owned it.

The interior is a lot better than I thought too!

[ailwyn]

I've had both the 140 and 190 Celicas (and also an older Hyundai Coupe), I'd go for the 190 Celica every time.

[Gary1958]

Celica all the way.

The Koreans eat dogs - enough said

[theelanman]

rx7........just to giggle everytime she says wankel........sorry Vankel

[hatters]

Have you ever considered one of these ?
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3230977.htm
Perhaps without the body kit, I think its a tad OTT, but they are supposed to be reliable cars

[JonT]

MR2 Turbo. Hard top (rather than T-bar) was an option. Sensible boot (similar to the Elan), but with better storage in the cabin and a small amount of space in the frunk too. Rev3 onwards is the one to go for. I used to get ~27mpg on a suburban commute, ~33mpg at sensible speeds on the motorway (oh, and 8 mpg on track ). Saw an indicated 160mph at Woodbridge airfield with a few hundred rpm to spare and it was still pulling

[GeoffSmith]

WALK AWAY

... and buy an Evora.

[inkitin]

Look no further than the Toyota Celica T-Sport.

Then you can tell everybody it's practically the same engine as the Exige !!

[ashm]

Well in the end we got a Storm Blue Celica T-Sport VVTL-i 190. Very comfortable and actually quite thoroughly equipped, with climate control, leather interior, electric sunroof, ABS, traction control and everything else on the options list. She likes it.
This one's knocking on for 100k on the clock, but it seems in far, far better condition than the others we saw with much lower mileage (and higher prices) - leather and paintwork still in great condition, no wheel rot or rust anywhere, one windscreen chip that's had the autoglass treatment. Drives and handles very tight and smooth, quite a bit of road and wind noise from the back end though, the spoiler doesn't help there.
It's an odd engine, low on torque but quite relaxed and civilised until the valve lift kicks in at 6200, then it rockets to nearly 9k, with corresponding noise. Should keep the girlfriend entertained for a while
Adam