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Unfortunate Car Realities Drivers Dealt With In The 1990s

Cameron Eittreim October 11, 2021

Chevrolet Celebrity Eurosport
Photo Credit: Car Domain

7: Euro Effects

The “Euro” trend also hit the automotive industry on all cylinders in the 1990s with cars like the Chevy Celebrity Euro. The trend for making these cars appear sportier was another sales attempt by domestic automakers. Euro styling never fully caught on, although there were a few rare cars with it (via Autoblog).

BMW M3
Photo Credit: Euro Driver

The Dodge Spirit also attempted this with the R/T model. The Euro treatment is a unique aspect of ’90s car design, but forgettable to say the least. No one wants a car that looks as dated as a Euro model. It is that quintessential 1990s treatment of the past that we know and remember.

Photo Credit: Car Domain

6: Wagons

Wagons were the last of the bygone era for many drivers. The wagons of the ’90s were peculiar-looking cars. But the wagons were nothing in the way of unique. The Ford Escort wagon is one that comes to mind. The cheap little wagon didn’t do much to boost confidence in the station wagon as a whole (via Driving Line).

Photo Credit: Car Domain

There was also the Buick Roadmaster, which was the last V8-powered wagon at the time. Then there were unique models such as the Audi Quattro. Whether you were into family transport or rally racing, the wagon was a unique option. The Buick Roadmaster is just the most well known of the 1990s wagons, there were quite a few worth noting.

Photo Credit: Hot Rod

5: Souped-Up Pickup Trucks

The 1990s birthed the riced-out racing truck trend. There were a few models that come to mind right off the top of his head. First and foremost was the Chevrolet 454 SS pickup. The 454 SS was the precursor to the Impala SS, which arrived in 1995. There were also the Dodge Dakota Shelby and the Ford F-150 Lightning (via Classic Truck).

Photo Credit: Mecum Auctions

The Ford Lightning was the most popular of all these truck models. The Dodge Ram SS/T was also a rare sport truck. The unique racing stripes and paint job separated the Ram from the other trucks on the market. The rise of the street racing-inspired truck infused a whole new generation of buyers into the pickup truck segment.

Photo Credit: GM

4: Cheap Interior Quality

It’s no secret that 90s cars had a subpar interior quality. The main problem with car interiors in the 1990s was cheap plastics. Cracking was a huge problem, which is why dashboard covers were such a normal thing. Aside from that, the enormous amount of plastic used in the seating was also questionable (via Motor Trend).

Photo Credit: Car Domain

Do you remember the valve seating from the early ’80s Chrysler cars? The materials also made their way into the 1990s. You’d often find seat rips and more when the car was still fairly new. These types of issues caused drivers to lodge complaints with automakers. Now the interior materials used in vehicles are much different.

Photo Credit: Pastore Automotive

3: Eccentric Decals

Remember the Ford Ranger Splash? Its over-the-top decals from the factory were the norm in the 1990s. The eccentric decals are synonymous with the late ’80s and early ’90s. Whether it was the Chevy Baretta with the pace car decals or a Ford Festiva with stripes down the side (via Indy Auto Blog).

Photo Credit: Car Domain

These decals are synonymous with the ’90s automotive designs. The unfortunate part is the decals didn’t do anything to boost performance. When the turn of the new millennium came, there were no decals used on automotive designs anymore. Still, the decals were a unique piece of automotive history during the ’90s.

Photo Credit: Car Domain

2: Rear Window Louvers

Whether it was a Chrysler Laser or a Chevrolet Camaro, you’ve probably noticed rear window louvers. The Louvers were geared toward sports cars from that era. They didn’t do anything particular for the performance; instead, it was more of an exterior aesthetic. Nevertheless, there were plenty of drivers who had to have rear window louvers (via LS1 GTO).

Photo Credit: Car Domain

Nowadays, you’ll see them every so often on a vehicle. For that real 1990s style, you can get an old sports car that still has them. The worst thing about rear window louvers is they impede vision. Creating a blind spot right in the rear-view mirror isn’t the smartest thing to do.

Photo Credit: Car Domain

1: Four Door Minivans?

In the ’90s, the Chrysler trio of minivans was hotter than ever. But that created an issue for other automakers that wanted to replicate the magic. Honda and Mazda are two automakers that come to mind. The original Odyssey was a far cry from the polished van we observe these days. There wasn’t a lot that made the two vans similar, but the Mazda also had an awkward design (via Curbside Classic).

Photo Credit: Car Domain

At a time when the Chrysler vans were dominating, it was strange to see these models. Honda miscalculated the traditional minivan shopper, and the sales were abysmal. The same can be said for the Mazda MPV, which was redesigned later on. The 1990s were a strange time for the brand new minivan industry.

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