As quickly as I conjured up today’s Autopian Ask, I already had my answer (which is only my answer, and needn’t be yours): the third-generation Ford Taurus as seen above, in all its ovoid jellybeaned glory. I was thinking more of the sedan than the wagon, but the wagon had a better pic, but anyway – it’s the Taurus for me.
… which is kind of an odd choice if you think about it, because as The Bishop noted, “[The] oval Taurus was too much of an outlier. It didn’t start a trend, and even Ford knew they fucked up right away.” That’s very true: I can’t think of anything that looks quite as soft and cornerless as the Taurus and Sable, but they were kind of the ultimate expression of the 90s trend toward softer shapes and a clear break from the crisp folds of the eighties. It didn’t start a trend, but it sure finished one. At least that’s what my zero-research, as-I-remember-it take is telling me.
Also worth noting: the third-gen Taurus didn’t arrive until 1996, well into the 90s. Before I went looking for pics, I thought it arrived around 1993 or so, but no! Ford was still on the second-gen, which wasn’t very (to my eye) 90s at all; just a handsome car really, neatly tucked and tailored compared to the plumper originals birthed in 1986. I think the Bishop is correct about the ovalized third-gen starting no trends, but I do think the success of the then-futuristic 1986 design did a lot to move mainstream car design to toward the rounder shapes that really took hold in the 90s.
Some other opinions from the team:
Your turn:
What Is The Most 1990s Car?
Top graphic image: Ford
hard to choose. for me, it’s the 94-99 integra, the eg civic hatches, or the 95-99 mitsu eclipses
How about the late 90s Mercury Cougar?
I gotta get on the Explorer bandwagon. I don’t particularly like them, but the 90’s Explorer Eddie Bauer pretty much defined the decade and where the market was going.
The J bodies. They were everywhere: high school parking lots, outside the office, low and high income areas, car rentals across the US, generic company cars, utility company fleets, and demo derbies.
Many still continue to operate today in various states of condition. Some blue hairs with clean ones, some on 3 cylinders all rusted out – hell, I saw one on the street where the HS kids park their cars. Maybe grandma handed it down..
These are truly the automobile cockroaches of the United States that refuse to die.. that I say as a term of endearment.
Gen1 Olds Aurora!
(I was very happy with my comment and was about to post, then I remember that the Pontiac Trans Sport existed!)
1994 – 1996 Impala SS. A whale that understeered with the best of them yet was able to pull 0.86g on a skidpad, did 0-60 in about 6 seconds, was relatively comfortable as a long distance driver, and wasn’t bad on fuel consumption at 16 city / 23 highway.
This. My Mother in law had one.
Burnouts for so many feet it was nuts.
Anything in teal..
I would have loved to say the Viper, but I agree with Mercedes – if it weren’t for the Ford Explorer we’d all still be driving, well, cars.
Geo Tracker, 2 door, 5 speed manual, Purple Splash graphics over Teal exterior. There’s a pack of Basic Lights in one cup holder, a white and blue can of Pepsi in the other. Shania Twains “The woman in Me” cassette is in the tape deck, and track A3 is about worn out.
Next question.