Every year people take time to reflect on what has happened during the previous twelve months. For some, it has been a great year – Congratulations to all those that got married! Yet, for others, it has been a time of great loss. For everybody, however, 2020 has been a more challenging year thanks to a global health crisis. Even big companies like auto manufacturers had to adapt to the challenge by rethinking how to do business making and selling cars.

Given the topsy turvy type of year, MotorTrend reached out to its followers on Twitter to determine what kind of vehicle 2020 would be if it could have been a car. Not surprisingly, the Twitterverse started to chime in quickly with all sorts of cars. Many choices were suggested that seemed to speak of the oddity of the year’s happenings. Some were comical. Others were eyebrow-raising. Some were… just odd. Overall, the submissions implied, by symbolism, that it was not a normal year. Here are a few of those suggestions.

Remember the fiery Ford Pinto cars?

The Ford Pinto was a small car introduced for the 1971 model year. It had a corporate twin over in Mercury called the Bobcat that ran concurrently beginning in 1975. So, what about the cars made them equal to our 2020 calendar year? Many Pintos that were involved in rear-end collisions had fires erupt. The problem that triggered the fires was fixed. But the damage was already done to the reputation of the Pinto. Similarly, 2020 started out okay, but then erupted in life-changing events. Even though vaccines are being rolled out for the global health concern, the damage to 2020s reputation has already been done.

How about the Pontiac Aztek

The Pontiac Aztek was expected to be the next best thing since sliced cheese for Pontiac. It was introduced as a 2001 model year as a type of versatile sport recreational utility crossover vehicle. However, many thought the design was a bit of an ugly duckling among cars. Succeeding model-year refreshes did not help its design enough. So, General Motors ended the Aztek’s life in 2005. Sadly, the Aztek was one of a few contributors to the weakened financial position General Motors had as it entered the global financial crisis just three years later. Similarly, the 2020 calendar year was a bit of an ugly duckling that left everybody looking at their wallets a little closer.

Delivery vans, not cars

Another vehicle suggested by the Twitterverse for MotorTrend is the Amazon delivery van. Not much explanation is necessary there. It is probably safe to say that all delivery vans were a welcome sight when they parked in front of our doors or buildings. The cars brought toilet paper, crafts, books, car parts, and everything else the world needed in 2020 to keep a semblance of sanity.

The 1958 Plymouth Fury

Of the many suggestions of cars that were given, probably the most fitting for the 2020 calendar year being a car is a 1958 Plymouth Fury. Why? A red 1958 Plymouth Fury was used in the horror movie called Christine. It was a movie that depicted a bloodthirsty car with a mind of its own. Its victims never anticipated what was coming. I know! Sounds morbid, right? But, did any of us ever anticipate the horrors of 2020?