The 90s were a strange time for everyone, and if you're a survivor of the "dial-up' decade, you already understand just how weird it really was. In the years of AOL Messenger, walkmans that never worked, and Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia Pets, came a generation of drivers that expected their cars to be affordable, fast, and have a "sick" style. The 90s were the first years where JDM cars were popular in the United States, and with that came an entirely new expectation of what Americans wanted to drive. Manufactures like Lexus, Mazda, and Nissan all fought to be in this new competitive market, and while trying to set themselves apart, came some JDM vehicles that have us yelling "THAT MAKES NO SENSE!"
Now before you go "having a cow" over some of the cars on this, understand that some of these hot-rods are actually really great cars! Most of these vehicles grew into upgraded versions of themselves that provided perks and power, but for every great JDM car there were some real nonsense rides. But remember, when JDM models are phased out it's a signal to car makers that drivers expect more out of their vehicles, and that the motorists of the 90s wanted rides that were efficient and stylish.
So grab your favorite N’sync album out of your CD case and let’s get started, shall we? Here are 22 JDM cars from the 90s that make no sense! To those who agree with us, we say "Cowabunga man," and to those who don't we say "take a picture, it’ll last longer."
22 1998 Honda CR-V
The 1998 Honda CR-V was originally introduced to the world as a compact sports utility vehicle (SUV), but we believe it should have been introduced to the world as the Honda CTMNS (Car That Makes No Sense).
The official Honda website described the inspiration of this vehicle as “loosely based off the Honda Civic compact car,” which isn’t a vehicle anyone should "loosely base" anything off of, especially future automobiles.
Honda is well known for their long-lasting vehicles and efficient body styles, but to quote our favorite character from the 90s, the CR-V can "eat my shorts."
21 1997 Lexus SC300
When it comes to cars that make no sense, we double-dog dare you to find one that is more deserving a spot on this list than the 1997 Lexus SC300.
Initially, this car was the next step for Lexus to branch outside of four-door sedans and into the two-door coupes, but with many other JDM brands already doing this, the Lexus SC300 always felt like the younger nerdy brother who never stacked-up to their much cooler quarterback sibling. While some may argue this car is still an excellent ride, we would describe this vehicle as the “nerd alert” of sporty 90s rides.
20 1993 Acura Integra
The 1993 Acura Integra is the true fake-out of the 90s, and still has us thinking “that makes no sense!" This odd ride was originally designed to compete with the Volkswagen Golf GTI (which was well known as the “popular hatchback of the early 90s”) but with low sales, Acura switched its efforts and rebranded this car as a Honda everywhere else in the world besides the United States. Why do Americans like Acuras more than Hondas? Was it worth lying to the entire world? How could they do this to us? The 1993 Acura Integra (or Honda Integra) is a car that makes zero sense, and all we have to say is “talk to the hand ‘cause the world ain’t listening.”
19 1999 Acura NSX
Remember when light-up sneakers were the coolest shoes everyone had back in the 90s? Well like those shoes, the 1999 Acura NSX was rad for a hot-minute but was considered lame by the cool kids real quick.
This six-speed manual transmission was the fastest Acura in its day, but had the body style that made as much sense as Heelys shoes - you may go fast, but you don’t look fresh doing it.
This ride that we can only explain as a "backward Chevy Corvette" is one of the oddest looking sports cars of the 90s and deserves its spot on the list.
18 1990 Toyota MR2 Turbo
The 1990 Toyota MR2 Turbo raises a lot of questions, but the first answer we want to know is “why would anyone buy a ride that is school bus yellow?”
When this car was initially produced, it was marketed to the audience that wanted a sports car but didn’t have the sports car budget.
Originally priced at $14,898 (which seems crazy low by today's standards), this car was all speedy appearances without any torque to back it up. If boys go to Jupiter to get more stupider, and girls go to college to gain more knowledge, then the 1990 Toyota MR2 Turbo needs to go home and get a real engine.
17 1996 Suzuki X90
The 90s were responsible for some of the wackiest wheels on the road, and the 1996 Suzuki X90 might be the weirdest of them all. This JDM car makes no sense for multiple reasons, but mostly for its two-seater inside with zero room for anything else. Why didn’t Suzuki expand the back for a full trunk? Why did they remove the top and make it somewhat (but not really) a convertible? These are the questions we’ve been asking for over 20 years.
In all fairness to all the X90 fans out there, these vehicles have been widely popular as odd-favorites and have even gone up in value since the 90s. So even though these cult-favorite have a following, the 1996 Suzuki X90 still has us saying “what's crackalackin?”
16 1999 Nissan Quest
The 1999 Nissan Quest is a genuine JDM wonder. What has us saying "that makes no sense" about this car isn’t the car itself, but the fact that this car was sold brand new in 1999. Why build a car that looks like it wasn’t even hip in the 70s or even the 80s? Why not restore it in 1999 and create a car that was current for parents to drive? The 1999 Nissan Quest was sporty and fuel efficient (3.3L V-6 and a EPA estimate of 24 miles per gallon), so why didn’t Nissan give it a better body style and interior look? That’s why the 1999 Nissan Quest is on this list and has us saying “hasta la vista, baby.”
15 1998 Nissan 240SX
When it comes to feeling underwhelmed by a vehicle, the 1998 Nissan 240SX is on top of the list (and why it’s on this list).
With little cargo room, even limited rear-seating, and the fact that this ride is one of the loudest out there on the road, it’s no wonder the Nissan 240SX has us yelling "what were they thinking?"
Why does the 240SX have such a long body but zero cargo room? Why give it such a loud engine when its one of the slowest 4-cylinders on the road? The 1998 Nissan 240SX is a liar, liar, engine on fire.
14 1995 Suzuki Samurai
Now, we know we’re going to get some serious hate mail for dissing the 1995 Suzuki Samurai since it has a huge following, but before you start opening your AOL, take a chill pill and hear what we have to say.
The Suzuki Samurai is beloved today for its weird style, but you know what doesn’t make any sense? Building a knock-off jeep without a back seat! Why would Suzuki build a ride that only two people can go off-roading in? Sounds great for a couples vacation, but we believe you need less cargo space and more space for friends or the whole family to enjoy.
13 1992 Lexus ES300
A handful of JDM carmakers attempted to compete in the luxury brand race of the 90s, but only a select few of them were ever released into the American market. The 1992 Lexus ES300 is one of them, but we’re still scratching our heads at how this counts as “luxury,” especially with an interior design that was always the worst shade of pleather gray.
Sure, the ES300 is reliable (most Lexuses are), but why would Lexus label this car as a luxury when it’s basically the same as its competition the market. The 1992 Lexus ES300 has all the perks of a regular car, without any of the luxuries we expect from Lexus.
12 1990 Toyota Supra
The 1990 Toyota Supra was the JDM sports car that never could make it as a sports car. With an unusual body style that was somewhere between smooth and edgy, the Supra has us asking lots of questions. Why did Toyota debut the Supra as their premier sports car when Toyota had so many better options? Why make it a hard top convertible that was extremely difficult to remove? Why does this ride feel like the most extended “coupe” in the entire world?
This car has the same body style drivers liked to see in the 80s, but the world was quickly over it in the early 90s. The 1990 Toyota Supra was, for lack of a better term, Supra lame.
11 1995 Toyota Previa
I spy with my little eye, a car that looks like a van, has a huge windshield and small engine, and literally makes no sense. Give up? It’s the 1995 Toyota Previa! With its oval shape and extra tiny wheels compared to its massive body, the Previa is the epitome of cars that would send chicks running.
The Toyota Previa continued production for two more years and was finally put to rest in 1997, but this bulky-build will forever go down in history as a car that made no sense. The only perk of owning a Previa is it's still bigger than a New York City apartment.
10 1990 Mitsubishi Eclipse
Now, if you’re thinking of the Mitsubishi Eclipse today, you are picturing a beautiful well-performing crossover vehicle that is pretty popular by today's standards. But for most car designs, it takes a few years for beautiful cars to grow out of their ugly stages, and the 1990 Eclipse sure had a few ugly stages.
Its early versions are low to the ground, slow, and often had an uneven electric wave decal along the doors. This vehicle made no sense 27 years ago, but we will always be a fan of an ugly duckling that turned into a lovely crossover for today's drivers.
9 1992 Mitsubishi Mighty Max
Do you remember the cartoon character Mighty Mouse? A strong super-mouse that could handle any situation?
Well, the 1992 Mitsubishi Mighty Max had nothing mighty about it. This mousy truck makes no sense for multiple reasons, but the biggest being it is randomly short compared to the average truck driver.
This lowrider was an odd step for Mitsubishi and was always known for having mechanical problems. The Mighty Max retired in 1996 to which Mitsubishi later introduced the Mitsubishi L200 truck. The Mighty Max was a 90s JDM vehicle that made zero sense, and in our opinion, was a maximum bummer.
8 1999 Mitsubishi Galant
Bop it, twist it, pull it, and push it off a cliff. The 1999 Mitsubishi Galant is the lame copycat of the Mitsubishi Lancer, without any of the perks or speed. The late 90s were remembered for new technology in the engine and more luxury in the dashboard, but with neither of those in the Mitsubishi Galant, this ride was a bust since the beginning. This car was us asking “why would Mitsubishi build a new car with a similar body style to the Lancer, but not include any of the bells and whistles we look for in new cars?” The 1999 Mitsubishi Galant had potential, but sadly all this ride did is sunk our battleship.
7 1997 Mazda Protege
From the outside, the 1997 Mazda Protege looks like an ordinary sedan of the 90s, but if you were to look under the hood and in the interior, you would understand why this JDM makes no sense. This ride raises a lot of questions, like “why build a Mazda with barely any power and no perks?” Just because the Protege is a cheap ride, doesn’t mean it shouldn’t have the power and technology we expect from Mazda (especially models closer to the end of the 90s).
This set of wheels could have been great, but when you factor in the details that matter most to the daily driver, this car makes us want to step on a crack and break your Mazda's back.
6 1990 Infiniti M30
The 1990 Infiniti M30 is the car that even Infiniti is embarrassed to know. At first glance, you question if this is some sort of crossover between an Impala and an Acura NSX.
With an extra large hood and rear to match, we can only imagine that this ride is not only challenging to sell but difficult to park in any tight spot.
In later years, Infiniti dropped the harsh edges for a smoother look, but we will never forget the years of the extra long nose and rump. If you had a best friend bracelet with the 1990 Infiniti M30, it’s time to cut it off and find more popular friends.
5 1991 Subaru Loyale
Out of all the cars on this list, we would argue that the biggest disappointment is the 1991 Subaru Loyale. Subaru has always been regarded as a reliable brand that notices every detail for the driver, but the Subaru Loyale is the embodiment of all ugly hatchbacks (probably because of its super square back-end). We look at the Loyale, and all we can see is a hearse we could take off-roading (could have been helpful in Weekend At Bernie’s). We love Subaru's for their excellent quality cars today, but looking at the 1991 Loyale has us wishing we were dead.
4 1997 Subaru SVX LSI
The 1997 Subaru SVX LSI is the ugly-stepchild of a sports car and a 90s sedan, and has us wondering “what were they thinking?!” The SVX LSI feels like an unusual direction for Subaru, especially since Subaru is well known for making fantastic off-roading vehicles.
This JDM car needs a lot of work before it feels sporty or like a sedan (whichever one they were going for) and it seems like Subaru understood that since the '97 model was its last year in production. The 1997 Subaru SVX LSI was a vehicle the world is doing better without, just like Furbys or Chia Pets.
3 1994 Mazda RX7
Now, I’m sure you were all looking at your magic eight balls wondering if the Mazda RX7 would be on this list. Well, wonder no more because your magic eight ball reads “Absolutely.”
The RX7 is the not-so-hot equivalent of a Vespa scooter in a sports car body.
This two-seater impersonator doesn’t offer many features on its dashboard and has a much smaller engine under its hood, which makes about as much sense as a hot dog on Christmas morning. The 1994 Mazda RX7 is the vehicle we hoped to never see in our future, but sadly, Mazda kept producing these cars into 2002.