The 1990s era was defined by cultural mosaics, off-the-wall media, and relaxed fashion trends. It’s always fun to look back and see how cars specifically captured a time period’s true essence. If you are feeling nostalgic like us, check out these cars that reflect the 90s themes of grungy and modernized style.

Toyota Celica 

The 90s ushered in the fifth generation of the Toyota Celica. In 1990, Toyota upgraded the Celica with “Super Round” organic styling, advanced wheels, and an enhanced cooling system. The Celica’s rounded out edges were designed to add power to the vehicle but without increasing its weight.  This sports coupe is also important in pop culture history for inspiring the Toyota Supra. Celica owners are still proud to have such a reliable little car. 

Lexus LS

Keeping up with the Toyota theme, do you remember the 90s era of the Lexus LS? This luxury sedan embodied the 90s style almost perfectly. The LS was just the beginning for Lexus. In the 1980s, Toyota was looking to compete more with the likes of Mercedes and BMW. The carmaker’s answer was the Lexus LS 400, which gave consumers luxurious features but a significantly lower cost compared to competitors. 

Audi V8

The Audi V8 is a full-size luxury sedan that Audi produced from 1988 to 1993. This model was a big deal because it was Audi’s first full-sized sedan and was the first car the automaker fitted with a V8 engine. It was also the first car available car equipped with its legendary Quattro system and automatic transmission. Ultimately, Audi decided to sunset the V8 and replace it with the A8.

BMW E34 5-Series

The BMW E34 marked the third generation of the 5-Series and many other associated milestones. The E34 was known for a robust amount of engine options that ranged from inline-fours to stronger V8s. It also introduced an all-wheel-drive option to the 5-Series lineup for the first time. There was even a station wagon option in this lineup.

Dodge Viper 

The  Viper was Dodge’s original supercar. Dodge first introduced the Viper as a concept car at the 1989 North American International Auto Show. The carmaker decided to actually produce the model after seeing how much excitement it generated at the show.

Jaguar XJ220 

Some say that the XJ220 supercar was the coolest thing Jaguar ever made. Its exterior design is a work of art and attracted many enthusiasts at the time. But, Jaguar only produced the XJ220 from 1992 to 1994. Jag ended up overpromising on its performance capabilities which lost some buyers. The economic recession during this time period also impacted sales overall.

Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1 

This Corvette was dubbed as the “King of the Hill” in the 90s. The King was first introduced at the1989 Geneva Motor Show. Its high-performance capability helped American manufactured sports cars earn respect internationally. The ZR-1 could go from 0 to 60 mph in about four seconds and reach a max speed of 170 mph. Enthusiasts love the powered the ZR-1 offered, as well as its muscular and sleek exterior.