If you ask most people what their favorite car is, you will most likely get an answer that correlates with an important time of life for them.
Perhaps their father was a mechanic and taught them how to work on old muscle cars. Maybe their favorite vehicle was the one in which they got their license. It could even be a current vehicle that they think looks cool.
Whatever the case may be, most of us focus on an individual vehicle rather than a broad period in automotive history.
So, what if we ask for someone’s favorite decade? What would most people say is the best decade for vehicles?
As you might expect, there were decades where vehicles were generally better than other decades.
Vehicles change with society and culture. They can be a great indicator of what was going on at a certain point in history. The philosophies of the day, financial constraints, and public demand all dictate what kind of vehicles are produced at what time in history, and because of that, there are massive fluctuations in all aspects of vehicle manufacturing.
Here is our list of the best decades for vehicles back to the 1950’s:
1960’s:
The general consensus for nearly everybody who knows anything about vehicles is that the 1960’s is the golden era of the modern vehicle.
Most automakers were unbridled in terms of production constraints, financially strong enough to do just about anything they wanted, and produced vehicles with character that were truly different from their competition.
Many foreign automakers like Volkswagen, Toyota, Honda, and Nissan – or Datsun – were either just entering the U.S. market or were about to do so. Even though they did not have a huge impact on the automotive scene yet, their presence was merely setting the stage for their domination in the coming decades.
American automakers were running the show and producing some serious vehicles. It was the golden age of American muscle and a time when excess was clearly evident in the everyday vehicles that people drove.
Even foreign automakers that weren’t set on importing to the United States were making some great models. Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Ferrari, and Porsche were among the best.
Pros:
- Many culturally-important vehicles were born
- Speed and horsepower were the name of the game
- Many of the most revered and collectible vehicles today are from the 60’s
Cons:
- Fuel efficiency was of little interest to automakers
- Safety features and technology didn’t match excess performance
- Production quality in some vehicles was shoddy
Notable Vehicles: AC/Shelby Cobra, Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, Chevrolet El Camino, Chevrolet Camaro, Datsun 510, Dodge Charger, Ferrari 250 GTO, Ford GT40, Ford Mustang, Jaguar E-Type, Jeep Wagoneer, Lamborghini Miura, Maserati Ghibli, Mercury Cougar, Oldsmobile 442, Plymouth Barracuda, Pontiac GTO, Porsche 911, Studebaker Avanti, Toyota 2000GT, Triumph Spitfire, VW Van, VW Bug
2000’s:
If the 1960’s aren’t selected as the golden age of vehicles, the 2000’s probably would be.
This decade features a unique combination of modern technology, safety features, performance, and characterful vehicle design that is unrivaled by both decades that bookend it.
Though the end of the decade featured a sizeable financial downturn, the best of the very tail-end of the 1990’s spilled over into the 2000’s to celebrate the coming – and inconsequential passing – of Y2K.
Many technologies that have been staples of the modern vehicle had become standard by this time, and manufacturers were getting much more out of their vehicles than they had in the 1990’s. Performance made leaps and bounds forward, safety had evolved to make vehicles safer than they ever had been before, and technology features that had never been thought possible before were becoming mainstream.
Possibly one of the best 2000’s traits is that vehicle design still possessed flair and wasn’t as constrained by as many regulations and manufacturer goals as the next decade would be.
Pros:
- Good combination of technology, safety, styling, and performance in many vehicles
- Some of the best vehicles from the tail-end of the 1990’s spilled over into the early 2000’s
- A wide variety of vehicles catered to many different buyers
Cons:
- The best technology and safety features had to wait until the next decade
- Financial constraints took a toll on the industry in the late 2000’s
- Several automaker mergers resulted in decreasing vehicle quality
Notable Vehicles: Ariel Atom, Aston Martin DB9, BMW M3 (E46), BMW M5 (E39/E60), Bugatti Veyron, Chevrolet Corvette (C6), Dodge Challenger, Dodge Charger, Ferrari 360, Ferrari F430, Honda S2000, Hummer H2, Lamborghini Gallardo, Lamborghini Murcielago, Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, Nissan GT-R, Pagani Zonda, Pontiac Aztek, Pontiac GTO, Porsche Carrera GT, Volkswagen Phaeton
1990’s:
Spoiler alert… If the 1980’s was one of the worst car decades in the last 70 years, the 1990’s would logically feel some ill-effects from the fallout. Oppositely, because the 1990’s also directly preceded the 2000’s, some vehicles that came later in the decade helped the 2000’s out quite a bit and helped propel the 1990’s to this spot on our list.
Some of the best engines ever made and the most iconic, famed, and revered Japanese sports came out of the 1990’s. Not only that, but muscle cars truly started to gain back their muscle, technology rose from the ashes of an era where emissions squeezed the life out of performance, and increased safety started being a bigger part of the automotive landscape.
The Fast and the Furious franchise released its first movie in 2001, which essentially created the tuner culture that arose from its popularity. But, none of that would have been possible without the Japanese cars to do it. Out of this rose iconic cars like the Mk IV Toyota Supra, Nissan Skyline GT-R, and Mazda RX-7, all of which and more were born in the 1990’s.
The Gran Turismo video game series for the original Playstation also came out in 1997, allowing not-yet-drivers to experience a simulation racing game for the first time. And, even though Japanese vehicles were definitely the highlight of the 1990’s, that didn’t mean that other manufacturers weren’t also coming up with some pretty fantastic vehicles themselves.
Chevrolet brought out the C4 Corvette ZR-1, a legitimate performance version of an iconic American sports car that had stagnated for years.
McLaren created the F1, a supercar that set unprecedented performance numbers and records for its time. Jaguar also had to get in on the mix and created the XJ 220, a supercar that lacked a V12 engine but is still considered by some to be one of the most beautiful and best supercars of all time.
Not to be outdone, Ferrari came out with the F50, Toyota’s Camry started its domination of sedan sales where the Ford Taurus left off, and the Ford Explorer because the patriarch of the modern SUV.
Even though many of the most famous 1990’s vehicles came out during the second half of the decade, it was a decade of progress, optimism, and character.
Pros:
- Huge elevation in vehicle technology and design from the beginning to the end of the decade
- Many standardized safety features we have today were mandated in the 1990s
- Many consider the 1990’s to be even better than the next decade of vehicles.
Cons:
- The beginning of the decade was lacking compared to the end of the decade
- Overall performance still lags behind many of the best 2000s vehicles
- Many of the most iconic vehicles in the 1990’s don’t/won’t have the heightened collector status as some other decades
Notable Vehicles: BMW M3 (E36), Dodge Viper, Ferrari F355, Ferrari F50, Ford Escort RS Cosworth, GMC Typhoon, Acura/Honda NSX, Jaguar XJ 220, Lamborghini Diablo, Lancia Delta HF Integrale Evoluzione II, Mazda MX-5 Miata, Mazda RX-7, McLaren F1, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, Nissan Skyline GT-R (R32/R33/R34), Plymouth Prowler, Porsche 911 GT2, Subaru Impreza 22B, Toyota Supra (Mk IV)
Be sure to come back next week for part II.
