The 1990s were a pivotal time for the automotive industry, as technology and design were rapidly changing. The way automakers designed cars and trucks was uniformly different than it was just a decade before. The SUV boom was happening, and 1990s cars were becoming more aerodynamic and versatile in terms of styling. GM was experiencing a resurgence and Toyota was reaching new heights in terms of popularity with their 1990s cars. Ford also experimented with new designs during this era, including the oval-shaped Taurus and the SN95 Mustang.
When you look back at many 1990s cars, the automotive advances that came out of this decade were astonishing. Cars were becoming more advanced, fuel-efficient, and closely resembling the vehicles we have today. You might take 1990s cars for granted, but this was an important piece of automotive history. There will never be an automotive era like the 1990s again, and there will never be cars like there were in this decade. We looked back at 20 1990s cars that were far ahead of their time in terms of design and technology.
20: GM EV1
The EV1 makes it onto our list. Before Tesla and before Toyota was the green car maker, there was the GM EV1. The expensive two-seater spawned a revolution and lots of controversies. When GM decided to return all leases and destroy the remaining EV1 models, there was a public outcry. The car had developed a loyal following of enthusiasts like the Teslas we see today (via Car & Driver).
The styling of the EV1 was similar to the Saturn line that GM was selling at the time. The GM EV1 was the first practical and mass-produced electric car. It wasn’t too futuristic that drivers would shun it and was comfortable enough to make a daily commute pleasant. From a performance standpoint, the EV1 wouldn’t win as many races as a Tesla can. The cargo space was also very limited, but the rest of the car was way ahead of its time.