Yesterday, on a suspicion, in a drive in my friend's 2000 GT-S, I asked him to punch it from 5 mph in 1st until 60 mph, and I'd say the car accelerated lazily until about 6000, then the VVTL-i 2ZZ-GE switched onto its more agressive cams and DAMN the car really picked up! I think I now understand why the Celica accelerates initially so slow...
OK, Initial D fans, remember Wataru's ride with Takumi? He was quite aggravated that Takumi said that the 'genuine racing motor' was slower. Well, every time he hit about 6,250 RPM, the car would suddenly jerk on a burst of power, but then Takumi would upshift carefully at no more than 7,000 RPM (remember, this was almost right after the 4-AG died due to him overrevving)... Wataru couldn't figure it out. Then, suddenly he realized that the engine was a high-rev unit that he believe could rev to 10,000 RPM (It actually can go to 11
), and that early in the rev band the motor just starts to pick up at 6,000 RPM...
Well, it's the same basic principle. The 2ZZ-GE, the old S2000 motor (don't know its code) and the latest non-turbo (RENESIS) 13B all share one thing in common: They all have to be revved very high to produce any power. See, let's pretend an L48 could fit under a Celica's hood and only made 180 hp (not too far off... the old L-48 in Dad's Roadmaster made 210). If you squared the cars off at 5 mph and floored it, the 2ZZ would pick up slowly, meanwhile the L48 would take off in a cloud of smoke but it would have to shift at a 5,000 RPM redline. Now, as the L48 is shifting, the 2ZZ is just getting into the power range and accelerating quickly. As the L48 tops out in second and grabs for third, the 2ZZ hits it's, what, 8,500 RPM rev limit and grabs for second, they're both doing about 50. As the L48 hits 60 MPH at around 4,500 RPM and is getting close to upshifting into 4th, the Celica is still doing less than 45 MPH and is playing catch-up. As the car hits around 7,000 RPM, it finally hits 60. Considering the diesel-like torque band of the L48, and that both cars are being power-shifted, the L48 GT-S would hit 60 in about 6.3, while the 2ZZ took a whole 7.5 seconds, since it was well off of its power band in 1st gear, took so long to wind up that the L48 easily pulled away at the start.
The moral: Horsepower is great for going fast, but you need torque to get fast quickly
I dont personally own a Toyota or Honda so I cant give an answer base from real life experience, but could only give an answer from my surrounding. 
my GT-S is that slow? 