These Cars Scream 'the 1990s' to You

Thank you, to my elder Millenials and above, for a truly stellar list of ’90s cars. I was particularly pleased to see my own pick, a Pontiac Grand Prix, make it into the mix. Some of these choices look nice on the outside but are terrible once you’re in them — much like the decade itself. They aren’t the fastest or the flashiest options, but the cars that scream 1990s to you.

Apparently the Ford Explorer Eddie is seared into our collective subconscious because it was the most nominated vehicle by far. But there’s plenty of familiar headlights and grilles awaiting you.

I really wanted to say it was the Viper, but I challenged my assumptions. After giving it some thought, I’m pretty sure the answer is the Ford Explorer. It was the first widely-accepted soft-roader “SUV” that was really just a different-looking minivan. The beginning of the end of The Car and the beginning of the shift toward The Crossover.

This thing. Sure, SUVs existed before this, but I put the SUV craze we still haven’t recovered from mostly on the shoulders of the first-gen Ford Explorer. Bonus points for the Eddie Bauer co-branding , which also kicked off another super 90's fad of marrying clothing lines with cars (L.L. Bean Subaru Outback, Mercury Villager Nautica, etc.).

And

Ever seen that meme with the pixelated DeLorean 80's contrasted against the woodpanelled basement 80's that most people lived through? Likewise, teal is not the true colour of the 90's, it’s hunter green. If you lived through the mid-90's, you remember there was a stint where literally everything was painted dark green. Also, we’d want soap bar styling and an SUV, and I think the only true choice is a second gen Explorer Eddie Bauer

From Give Me Tacos or Give Me Death, Maymar, paradsecar and others.

Not even close: Jellybean Taurus in that turquoise/teal green.

A surprisingly controversial take from RustyBolts and others.

For that 1990's spirit of optimism and coolness, the Nissan 300ZX

From Forkish

How’s about a “different kind of car company?” I bought a 93 SL1 just like the one pictured. It was the best car I will most likely ever own. Nothing fancy but for what it was, it was great. Other than basic maintenance, I never spent a dime in repairs on that car. Not even a rattle. Weirdly, it even handled snow like a champ. PLUS, you got invited to the Spring Hill, TN plant every year for a “homecoming”. Those early Saturns were fantastic.

From JadeRose & others

Everything that was right or wrong with the 1990's is on display with the 1993 Camaro. No corners. Bubbles everywhere. Our strange obsession with hiding roof pillars. The strange idea that it should have a spoiler that you can’t see from the car’s profile (WHY?!?!?). Little to no grill.

On the other hand, it was forward-looking, really well balanced and faster than any Camaro we had seen since the early 70's. It broke through the malaise and made it okay to take risks again, and the refresh dialed back the weird just enough to be cool.

From Sid Bridge & others

It really captures the spirit, optimism, hope, and radness of the decade from all angles. I will probably never be able to afford one with what first gens are going for these days, but maybe someday I’ll snag a drive in one. A guy that frequents the C&C in the mountains west of here has one in this shade of green and it looks amazing.

From Markoff8585

Neon. It is the ninetiest car to ever nineties. When I picture a nineties car it in nearly always Neon-esque with its circles and soapbars look.

and

Yes, Explorer and Taurus are 90's icons, but lets not sleep on the Dodge Neon.

From skeffles, fake-plastic-eye and others

The minivan. Dodge Grand Caravan and Plymouth Voyager. The rise of Honda Odyssey and Toyota Previa & Sienna. The fading GM options.

and

3rd gen Grand Caravan.

Felt like crap to be seen in one because it:

Looked like crap.

Drove like crap.

Blew out the crap transmission on a regular maintenance schedule.

Yet they were somehow everywhere. I place the blame squarely on this thing for the SUV wars and they all disappeared around 2005.

From JimmyZZZZZZZ, Theoretics and others.

Ford Taurus and 5th/6th gen Honda Civic. Those are the only answers.

and

Civic was the first one to pop into my head. Base specs with no power steering up to higher trims, awesome colors, as many doors as you wanted, and helping to define the Japanese automakers as the standard for the industry

From ShadowPryde, Bags, and others

Thinking past the big “halo” cars of the 1990's (300ZX, RX-7 FD, Supra, Viper) I more vividly recall the burgeoning market for weird little captive imports like the Geo Tracker, Mercury Capri, and so many others. For a brief moment, these things were positively everywhere, and often in cheerful colors that we don’t see anymore. For me, these represent the spirit of the 90's more than the hero cars we often prefer to remember. They were fun, attainable, and expressed a milieu of individuality and optimism that we eventually lost shortly after the turn of the new millennium.

From Hankel_Wankel and others

Late-90s but Acura Integra gets my vote.

The car that launched thousands of horrendous tunes, gaudy decal-laden body kits and questionable burnouts in the parking lots of Fast and Furious screenings.

From Sector 7G-Wagen and others

This probably had more to do with me starting to really pay attention to cars when these came out, but I feel like I need to toss some love to the SN95. I feel like these things were everywhere in the mid 90s.

From ItsDeke and others

Japan: Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4. Fully represents the optimism and hubris of the bubble economy. Proved that the Japanese weren’t infallible. The Dodge version that’s a rokabiri in vehicular form. Four-wheel steering. Active aero. 320hp and faster than a Corvette of the same era, but $5K more expensive and no body wanted it.

From dbeach84

Plastic fantastic cladding that adds weight and style(?) but not much else is the epitome of 90's. I offer the Pontiac Gran Prix GTP. Whole lotta show and some go.

From Monsterajr and others

In case you missed it:

• Your Worst Gas Station Stories
• Every Generation of Porsche 911, Ranked
• Terrible Cars That Were a Waste of a Good Engine