The 1990s was a period of some pretty memorable vehicles. When we think of that particular era of car culture, we might automatically think about the vehicles that have been seared into our collective memory from movies. Who could forget about classic movies from the '90s like Speed or Thelma and Louise? They're films where the vehicles used became larger than life; they were cars that almost felt like additional cast members of their movies.
However, it's unfortunately way too easy to forget the influence the television of that decade had. The '90s were filled with shows that remain incredibly influential to this day.
The fun part of the various sitcoms of this period was when the world of the show would be opened up a bit more, and they would have episodes that explored beyond the characters’ apartments. Whenever an episode with a car was made in the '90s, it always felt like a big deal. For example, the scenes of Seinfeld covering the nature of parking lots and parking, in general, were exciting for television at that time.
Over the years, several shows would lean on this idea by including something unusual for television. A rare and cool car would effectively elevate your program to something much more than an entertaining half-hour of TV. In retrospect, watching TV from the '90s is arguably now even more fascinating—the scenes with cars serve as great little time capsules of what cars looked like back then. Here are a few of the cars we loved that made various appearances on '90s TV over the years.
20 The MGB Sports Car - Friends
In one episode of Friends, one of the most popular '90s TV shows ever, the group of young people that starred in the show for so many years were finally turning 30.
One of the main characters, Ross, decided to purchase a beautiful red MGB sports car.
It might be one of the most memorable TV cars from the '90s. Although it was in production for 18 years, it's still quite a rare vehicle. Today, the value of this sports car can be anywhere from as low as $15,000 to as insane as $500,000.
19 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabrio - Friends
Another unforgettable episode of '90s television was the Friends episode titled “The One With Joey’s Porsche.” In the episode, Joey wants to keep the keys to a stunning Porsche he encounters when people spot him posing with the car. It’s tough to not like the Porsche 911 Carrera Cabrio; it’s a really good-looking sports car. It’s got the fantastic design and style the German company has become known for over the years. This particular car is another vehicle that was popular in the '90s; however, it was also a hit in the '80s. This model was produced in the early 1980s as the company continued to work on improving it consistently.
18 1950 Chevrolet Styleline De Luxe - The Fresh Prince of Bel Air
The Fresh Prince of Bel Air was a classic sitcom that had a lot of fun with bringing various vehicles on the show in creative ways.
The 1950 Chevrolet Styleline De Luxe would've been rare to see, in general, not just on television.
This vintage car has earned a serious cult following, with some people still driving them. The period between 1949 to 1952 is commonly considered the best era for the Chevy Styleline because it got a major redesign with various updates and features added. It marks a special period of American cars; they really don’t make them like this anymore.
17 1994 Chevrolet Camaro - The Fresh Prince of Bel Air
The 1994 Chevrolet Camaro was another sweet ride that was featured prominently on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. It wasn't on for very long, but whenever a Chevy Camaro was seen, it stole the show. The 1994 version of the car was the fourth generation; Camaro was a big hit for Chevrolet. This car was so popular when it was on the production line that Chevrolet decided to bring it back in 2010 after it had been discontinued for about eight years prior to that. Today, the Chevy Camaro is experiencing a new life; it’s a sports car that continues to impress.
16 1989 BMW 525i - Seinfeld
One of the fun things about the beginning of any decade is that the vehicles from the previous generation are still hanging on. In '90s television, this example can be clearly seen in various sitcoms. Seinfeld was no different.
Earlier in the show’s run, Jerry was seen driving a 1989 BMW 525i.
The show would go on to feature other BMWs over the years, but this was one of the few BMW models to appear that was actually manufactured in the 1980s. When it was first unveiled, this car had a price tag of approximately $40,000.
15 1992 BMW 3-Series - Seinfeld
Another classic BMW to be seen on Seinfeld was the 1992 BMW 3-Series. You might remember this great BMW from the now-famous episode from 1992 titled “The Parking Space.” That particular episode is disliked by many fans of the show, but it was still quite unique to see a top-notch vehicle like this one on TV for a whole episode of TV.
The 1992 BMW 3-Series was actually produced for only a decade, making it a “'90s car.” It was manufactured from 1990 to 2000, and it was a huge hit for the renowned company. The model featured on the show was a little different in that it was only produced until 1998.
14 1993 BMW 525i - Seinfeld
The 1993 525i was another great offering from BMW that made its way on Seinfeld in the early '90s. This is another vehicle that's become something of a rarity. It was only manufactured for nine years total.
It was produced from the late 1980s to the mid-1990s (1987 to 1996, specifically), and it was one of the cars that broke ground for BMW as a brand.
It was the first vehicle the legendary German company would make that combined all-wheel drive with a powerful V8 engine. The vehicle was luxurious but was also a little sporty.
13 1996 Saab 900 Cabrio - Seinfeld
The 1996 Saab 900 Cabrio is a classic vehicle from the '90s that's simply unforgettable. The name “Saab” was huge in the '90s, and it was another vehicle that had airtime on Seinfeld. This car was a bit more ubiquitous for its era because it wasn’t just produced in the '90; it actually remained in production for a full two decades (from 1978 to 1998, specifically). The Saab brand wasn't only a big thing in the '90s; it was also an important part of Seinfeld. Jerry drove one regularly throughout the show’s entire run. By the time the Saab was produced in the late '90s, the car was in the last stage of the car’s evolution.
12 1991 Geo Prizm - Seinfeld
The 1991 Geo Prizm (also referred to as the "Toyota Sprinter" in some circles) was another popular vehicle in the '90s that had appearances on Seinfeld throughout the years. The Geo Prizm is one of those extremely basic-looking cars that almost everyone is familiar with. The design is reminiscent of the average Toyota Camry because it was intended as a collaboration between Toyota and Chevrolet. The support of Japanese engineering really helped to make this vehicle develop a reputation. The Geo Prizm lasted for three generations of production, and it was made for the bulk of the '90s, from 1990 to 1997.
11 1992 Geo Metro - The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
As we previously explored earlier in this list, the '90s was a period in which American car companies decided to team up with Japanese manufacturers to create durable, popular cars for the masses. With the Geo Prizm discussed earlier, Toyota Corolla was the basis for the car. The 1992 Geo Metro, on the other hand, was inspired primarily by Suzuki. The 1992 Geo Metro has the undeniable look of an older car; it was made in the late 1980s, and it remained popular for most of the early '90s. It was finally discontinued shortly after the decade, with GM calling the car quits in 2001.
10 1992 Mercedes-Benz 500 SEL - The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
On a completely different note, this vehicle is clearly different than some of the cars we've explored so far. The 1992 Mercedes-Benz 500 SEL is one of the most luxurious vehicles to be included in a sitcom. However, when it's a sitcom that takes place in one of the wealthiest places on earth, a Mercedes-Benz is the perfect choice.
The 1992 Mercedes-Benz 500 SEL was one of the best luxury cars you could've gotten in the early '90s.
The Mercedes-Benz brand was loved in that decade, and it's one of the few car brands from the period to really stand the test of time so far.
9 1994 Volvo 850 - The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Another car brand that'll forever be linked with the '90s is Volvo. Cars manufactured by Volvo made several appearances in television shows of the '90s, not just this show. For the sake of brevity, we’ve picked this 1994 Volvo 850.
The 1994 Volvo 850 was a big hit for the first half of the '90s, when it was produced from 1991 to 1996.
It's a little rare when we consider that under 720,000 were ever made. One of the features of this particular model was the choice to install a 5-cylinder engine. It’s a little different, but it makes the Volvo 850 stand apart from other cars of its class and era.
8 Buick Century - X-Files
The Buick Century is another quintessential vehicle that has made several appearances in various '90s TV shows over the years. The vehicle has had an incredibly popular life; it was first unveiled to the public in the 1930s, and it was only finally discontinued in 2005.
The Buick Century vehicles produced in the '90s were part of the car’s fifth and sixth generations. GM had enough time to perfect the car, and as a result, the final models of the car were very successful. The Buick Century is a car that's proven to be very reliable; it can still be seen driven around today despite being discontinued over a decade ago.
7 Mazda Miata - Saved by the Bell
When we think of popular television shows from the '90s, it's almost impossible to ignore the impact of Saved by the Bell. The show took place primarily at school, and whenever a car was seen, it was important. This Mazda Miata was featured prominently on the show as the vehicle of choice of Mr. Belding. In one episode, the car unfortunately gets ruined (and then fixed up perfectly).
The Mazda Miata was an extremely popular car for this era, and it’s a car that Mazda has continued to work to this day.
The 2018 MX-5 Miata looks like the same car, but it’s gotten sleeker and cooler with time.
6 1993 Lincoln Town Car Stretched Limousine - Saved by the Bell
This particular limo has had a really successful and a fairly long history, spanning just over three decades. It was first introduced to the world in 1980, and Lincoln finally decided to end the famous Town Car in 2011. In that time, the vehicle became known for being one of the best full-size luxury vehicles on the market. The vehicle was already a hit in the 1980s, but by the time it reached its second generation, it was improved even further. The vehicle featured on Saved by the Bell would've been the model with a 5.0L V8 engine; it was a limo that looked luxurious, but it had some real power under the hood.
5 Ford Pinto Runabout - Saved by the Bell
The Ford Pinto Runabout is another vehicle that was seen not only on hit '90s shows like Saved by the Bell but also throughout the era. It's one of those cars that were discontinued years before the 1990s came around; in fact, the Ford Pinto stopped being made a full decade before 1990. As a result, the Ford Pinto Runabout wasn't a car that was really given that much respect. Despite the fact that it wasn't Ford’s intention to create a car that received so much negativity as the years progressed, it's been effectively used by consumers and portrayed in popular culture as a “beater” type of vehicle.
4 1991 Acura Legend - Beverly Hills, 90210
One popular car manufacturer we haven't discussed on this list yet is the consistently reliable Honda brand. Specifically, their work for the Acura brand was huge in the '90s. The Acura Legend is a car that wasn't only seen on Beverly Hills, 90210. If you look closely at your favorite shows from the decade, it actually appears several times.
The 1991 Acura Legend was first released to the public in the mid-1980s and lasted until 1995.
This particular vehicle featured on the show was part of the car’s second generation, and it was a powerful little vehicle for the era with a V6 engine powering it.
3 1994 Ford Mustang - Full House
The Mustang of the '90s was part of Ford’s fourth generation of the always-popular muscle car. This version of the Mustang featured a few changes from the earlier editions, including Ford’s decision to not create any hatchback Mustangs.
The power behind the car was similar to the Mustangs that had come before it (the '90s Mustang coupe was available with a V6 or a V8 engine), but the look felt really new for the time period.
When we think of all the popular styles and designs Ford has used over the years, this one has the undeniable look that still screams “1990s!”
2 1993 Honda Civic - Full House
Where would a conversation about 1990s vehicles be without at least one mention of the car everyone loves to hate? The Honda Civic has received almost equal amounts of love and hate, and it was another big car for the 1990s. It was seen on shows like Full House that featured “the family” as a theme because it was one of the most popular family vehicles at the time. The Civic was first introduced in the early 1970s, and by the time shows like Full House were using the Civic for scenes, the successful sedan was in its fourth and fifth generations (the sixth generation would appear for the second half of the '90s).
1 1992 Ford Taurus - Goosebumps
The Ford Taurus is another enduring vehicle that definitely had a strong presence in 1990s television. The Taurus has been such a smash hit for Ford that it's one of the few vehicles from the '90s that actually still remains in production to this day. Much like other vehicles in the era, the car was first introduced in the mid-1980s. As a result, the car has that 1980s look and style that lingered for much of the cars in the early '90s. In 1992 the car was just beginning its second generation, and at that time, it would've been a very reliable sedan for families everywhere (like it was for the characters on Full House). The 1992 Taurus was also available as a station wagon, making it even more favorable to those with larger families.
Sources: caranddriver.com, edmunds.com