The '90s were fantastic for the auto industry. After two decades of terrible, slow cars, manufacturers figured out how to make cars fast and exciting again, resulting in icons like the McLaren F1, Honda NSX, and Dodge Viper, to name a few.
The '90s also saw a huge influx of cheap Japanese cars, forcing European and American manufacturers to lower their prices and improve their quality. For this reason, there are many fantastic classic cars from the '90s that gearheads working with a tight budget can afford. Let's explore ten of the best.
10 Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W140) - $13,500
The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is undoubtedly one of the best luxury sedans ever created. It's stylish, powerful, reliable, well-engineered and full of luxury amenities. There have been multiple S-Class generations over the years, but few of them are as good as the W140 of the '90s.
The W140 is often praised for its over-engineered nature and bulletproof reliability. It's also powerful, thanks to a massive 6.0-liter V12 cranking out 402 hp.
9 1994 Ford Taurus SHO - $3,500
Ford has never gone bankrupt, which is something that no other traditional American automaker can say. However, Ford did come close to bankruptcy in the '80s, but it was saved by the Taurus. There was nothing special about the Taurus, but it sold 2 million units in the late '80s and saved the Blue Oval brand from bankruptcy.
Four years into the Taurus' production run, gearheads demanded more power, so Ford introduced the high-performing Taurus SHO. The 1994 SHO was powered by a Yamaha-built 3.0-liter V6 engine with 220 hp, making it pretty fast.
8 Porsche Boxster 986 - $11,000
Porsche builds amazing sports cars, but they're typically bought by wealthy individuals. However, in the '90s, stiff competition from Japanese automakers forced Porsche to develop a cheaper model that more gearheads could afford. The result was the Boxster.
The Boxster was an instant hit. Although it was the cheapest Porsche, you couldn't tell just by looking at it, as it had a great design. The Boxster also had a mid-mounted 3.2-liter flat-six engine with 254 hp on tap, giving it a top speed of 160 mph.
7 Chevrolet Corvette C5 - $10,000
Although the C4 Corvette was much better than its predecessor, sales were declining heavily towards the end of its production run due to the influx of cheaper Japanese sports cars. So in the mid-90s, Chevy went back to the drawing board and developed a heavily improved fifth-generation Corvette.
The C5 Corvette had a new design and several upgrades over the C4, most notably its all-aluminum 5.7-liter V8 engine blurting out 350 hp in the base model. The C5 Vette had a 0-60 of 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 175 mph.
6 1993 Chevrolet Camaro - $4,000
The Camaro is considered to be one of the greatest muscle cars ever built, having been in continuous production for almost six decades. There are six generations of the Camaro, which means buyers have plenty of affordable options.
One of the best Camaros budget-conscious gearheads can buy is the fourth-generation variant, which debuted in 1993. The 1993 Camaro had a revised sporty design and was powered by a 3.4-liter V6. The best thing about buying this car is that it enjoys a vibrant aftermarket, which means you can turn it into an absolute beast with the right modifications.
5 Aston Martin DB7 - $16,300
No one expects to find an Aston Martin on a list like this, but the DB7 is not like any other car from the British automakers. Unlike other Astons, the DB7 was developed as an entry-level sports car to compete with the growing number of cheap Japanese sports cars in the '90s.
Despite being the cheapest Aston, the DB7 had a fantastic design and the power to match, thanks to a massive 5.9-liter V12 cranking out 420 horses. With prices below $20,000, the DB7 is among the cheapest V12-powered sports cars you can buy.
4 1990 Mazda RX-7 - $9,200
The third-generation Mazda RX-7 gets all the praise from gearheads, which explains why prices are through the roof these days. What many gearheads don't realize is that, while the second-generation RX-7 doesn't look as good as the FD, it's just as fun to drive.
The second-generation RX-7 had a completely redesigned exterior, resembling the Porsche 924. Powered by a 1308 cc twin-rotor engine producing 200 hp, it was a blast to drive.
3 Mazda MX-5 Miata NA - $8,400
In 1989, Mazda introduced its most important model ever - the MX-5 Miata. Mazda had a simple formula for the MX-5 - a lightweight, two-seat roadster with excellent driving dynamics and an affordable price tag. Mazda's plan worked, as the MX-5 is currently the best-selling two-seater sports car ever built.
The first-generation Miata is three decades old, but it's still the fantastic roadster we all fell in love with. It has a great design featuring pop-up headlights, and even though it had a small 1.6-liter inline-four under the hood, it's still guaranteed to leave a fat smile across any gearhead's face.
2 1990 Nissan 300ZX - $13,100
The 300ZX is a two-door sports car in Nissan's Z-car family, produced from 1983 to 2000. The 300ZX had a lot going for it - great styling, superb driving feel, and lots of power since it was the first Z-car to be equipped with a V6.
Unfortunately, the 300ZX didn't sell as many units as Nissan wanted, as it was overshadowed by the Skyline GT-R. For this reason, gearheads can find a good-condition 300ZX for a lot less than the Skyline GT-R of the day.
1 Saab 900 - $8,000
Before GM bought Saab and ruined it, the Swedish automaker had a long-running reputation for producing quirky cars with unbeatable quality, safety, and reliability. The incredible 900 is one of Saab's most popular cars.
Introduced in 1978, the 900 is a compact executive car that has gained a significant cult following. The 900 has a quirky design and is lauded for being one of the most reliable classic cars in the market today.