Is the Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD all-wheel drive?

Yes, in today's terms. Toyota's 1986 launch release calls it full-time four-wheel drive, with power going to all wheels constantly and a centre differential between the axles. Because all four wheels are always driven, it works like what most drivers now call all-wheel drive.

Was the Celica GT-Four sold in North America?

Yes, in small numbers. Our Find of the Week on a 1988 Toyota Celica notes that North America got an exceptionally rare all-wheel-drive Turbo 4WD All-Trac version of the fourth-generation car. Toyota's own pages list three GT-Four generations, launched in Japan in 1986, 1989 and 1994.

Is a Celica Turbo 4WD good in snow?

Yes, on four matching winter tires. Full-time 4WD helps it pull away and hold a line. Transport Canada says all-season and summer tires begin to lose traction below 7°C, so tires decide how well it stops.

What fuel economy does a Celica Turbo 4WD get?

There's no official Canadian figure. NRCan has never rated a Celica GT-Four: its 1995 to 2005 Celica ratings cover only 1.8 L and 2.2 L versions. For context, NRCan rates the 2026 GR Corolla manual at 9.8 L/100 km combined on premium gasoline.

Can I import a Japanese-market Celica GT-Four into Canada?

Usually, yes. Transport Canada doesn't regulate vehicles older than 15 years under the Motor Vehicle Safety Act at import. Some provinces won't license vehicles with right-hand drive, so check with your province first.

Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD Guide: Winter Performance, Fuel Economy and Ownership Costs

AutoScout24

2026-11-05 · 14 min read

Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD Guide: Winter Performance, Fuel Economy and Ownership Costs

A red Celica with a turbo badge and a "4WD" decal pops up in your search. Can a car from the rally era really handle a Canadian winter?

It can, with caveats. The Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD is the Celica GT-Four, sold in small numbers in North America, and its full-time 4WD drives all four wheels. On four matching winter tires, it's a capable snow car. But Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) has never rated a GT-Four for fuel use, and every GT-Four is more than 25 years old.

Key Takeaways

Toyota put the Celica GT-Four on sale in Japan on Oct. 1, 1986, with full-time 4WD, the 3S-GTE 2.0 L turbo engine and a water-cooled intercooler.
Toyota rates the Japanese-market GT-Four at 185 PS (metric horsepower) for the ST165, 225 PS for the ST185 and 255 PS for the ST205, all from the 2.0 L 3S-GTE turbo engine.
Transport Canada says all-season and summer tires begin to lose traction below 7°C, and recommends winter tires in sets of four.
NRCan has never rated a Celica GT-Four: its ratings start with 1995 models, and its 1995 to 2005 Celicas are all 1.8 L or 2.2 L versions.
Transport Canada doesn't regulate vehicles older than 15 years under the Motor Vehicle Safety Act at import.

AWD System Explained: How the Celica Turbo 4WD Sends Power to All Four Wheels

Toyota's 1986 launch called the GT-Four a high-performance 4WD passenger car, and the drivetrain backs it up. Its full-time four-wheel drive sends power to all four wheels at all times. A centre differential lets the front and rear axles turn at different speeds.

Here's why not all AWD systems are the same.

ST165, ST185 and ST205: Carlos Sainz and the World Rally Championship Era

A turbocharged 2.0 L 3S-GTE four-cylinder powered all three generations.

Toyota's own pages date the Toyota Celica GT-Four like this:

Generation (chassis code)	Toyota release in Japan	Drivetrain detail	Toyota output (Japan)
Fourth (ST165)	Oct. 1, 1986	Centre differential with a locking mechanism	185 PS
Fifth (ST185)	Sept. 6, 1989	Full-time 4WD	225 PS
Sixth (ST205)	Feb. 2, 1994	Centre differential with viscous LSD, torque-sensing rear LSD	255 PS

The rally car program explains the hardware. Toyota says Carlos Sainz won the 1990 World Rally Championship (WRC) drivers' title in an ST165, the first for a Japanese-made car, and that the ST185 earned Toyota its first WRC constructors' title in 1993.

Homologation Hardware: Viscous Coupling and the Centre Differential

Rally rules shaped every generation. Toyota released 5,000 WRC-homologated GT-Four RC models in 1992. Toyota says the sixth-generation car pairs its centre differential with a viscous limited-slip unit and a torque-sensing rear differential, and it announced 2,500 Group A homologation versions of that car in 1994.

Winter Capability: What Full-Time 4WD Does on Snow and Ice

On snow, full-time 4WD is the Celica's best trick. Every wheel is driven. That helps most when you're pulling away from a snowy curb.

Grip to Go, ABS to Stop

Four driven wheels help you accelerate, not stop. Transport Canada's winter tire video shows the extended stopping distance of all-season tires in icy conditions. Check whether the car you're looking at has ABS: Toyota offered sports-type ABS only as an option on the 1994 GT-Four.

Before you trust it on ice, here's why you still need winter tires with AWD.

Cold Starts on a Decades-Old Turbo Engine

Cold starts need a plan, and NRCan's Auto$mart cold-weather factsheet suggests a block heater on a timer, set to come on two hours before you start the engine. The factsheet also says driving for a few minutes is the most efficient way to warm the engine, the drivetrain and the cabin.

See our tips on starting a car in winter.

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Tires and Equipment: Winter Tires for a Celica GT-Four

The tires matter more than the badge. Toyota's 1986 release lists 195/60R14 radial tires for the first Japanese GT-Four.

Why Four Matching Winter Tires Matter Below 7°C

Transport Canada says all-season and summer tires begin to lose elasticity and traction below 7°C. Wide tires are no fix. Transport Canada says wide high-performance tires that aren't designed as winter tires aren't suitable for snow-covered roads. Its winter tire guidance says to install winter tires in sets of four to help maintain control and stability in icy conditions.

Shopping for a set? Look for these:

The mountain snowflake symbol (a peaked mountain with a snowflake) on the sidewall
The same size and model on all four wheels
A size your wheels can take without rubbing

See all-season, all-weather and winter tires explained.

Quebec's Winter Tire Rule

The Quebec government requires winter tires, or studded tires, from Dec. 1 to March 15 on all motor vehicles registered in Quebec, including rental vehicles.

Fuel Economy: Why No Celica GT-Four or All-Trac Has an NRCan Rating

NRCan has never rated a Celica GT-Four. Its ratings start with the 1995 model year, and its 1995 to 2005 Celica listings are all 1.8 L or 2.2 L versions, so no turbo 4WD Celica appears. We won't convert a foreign rating to fill the gap.

The GR Corolla Benchmark

Toyota Canada says the GR Corolla's GR-FOUR system was Toyota's first sports all-wheel-drive system in more than 20 years. NRCan's 2026 Fuel Consumption Guide rates the 2026 GR Corolla with the six-speed manual at 9.8 L/100 km combined, and 10.5 with the eight-speed automatic, both on premium gasoline.

The guide estimates $3,430 a year for the 2026 manual at 20,000 km and a forecast $1.75 a litre for premium (accessed Nov. 2, 2026).

Read our 2026 Toyota GR Corolla review.

Winter Fuel Habits That Still Apply

NRCan's advice works on a 1990 car as well as a new one:

Skip the long idle. Idling for more than 30 seconds has no benefit for the vehicle.
Use the block heater timer. Block heaters cut the time the engine runs rich while it warms up.
Check tire pressure. Tires under-inflated by 56 kPa (8 psi) can raise fuel use by up to 4 per cent.
Expect a winter penalty. Urban fuel use can climb 12 to 28 per cent when the temperature drops from 24°C to 7°C.

Compare an Old Celica With a New AWD Car

Line up specs side by side before you decide.

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Ownership Trade-Offs: Importing, Parts and Insurance for an Old Celica Turbo

Every Celica Turbo 4WD is now a used car, and the youngest Japanese-market GT-Four is decades old. Our guide to buying a used AWD car covers the drivetrain checks.

Weighing a GT-Four against a later rally-bred sedan? See our used Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution vs Subaru WRX STI comparison.

Importing a Japanese-Market GT-Four Under the 15-Year Rule

Transport Canada says vehicles older than 15 years aren't regulated by the Motor Vehicle Safety Act at the time of importation, and it dates a vehicle by its month and year of manufacture. That covers every GT-Four: the seventh-generation Celica that replaced it arrived in September 1999 with front-wheel drive only, so even the newest GT-Four is well past 15 years old.

Transport Canada's guidance on importing older vehicles warns that some provinces won't license vehicles with right-hand drive, so call your provincial licensing office before you buy.

Parts, Recalls and Insurance Quotes

Toyota Gazoo Racing's GR Heritage Parts program reproduces parts for eight models, including the A70 and A80 Supra, and the Celica isn't one of them. Check recalls by VIN: Transport Canada says its recall database covers recalls issued in Canada since 1970. Its recall data lists no recalls for 1988 to 1994 Celica models (checked Nov. 2, 2026).

Insurance needs a real quote. The Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) says make, model, year, value and repair costs all affect your premium, and its 2026 How Cars Measure Up covers only 1998 to 2026 models.

See how car insurance differs from province to province.