Anthony Madaffari24 May 2020
FEATURE

Nine car ads from the '90s that are a real blast from the past

The '90s was one interesting decade, full of great TV, questionable fashion choices and some pretty random car ads.

We had just started our love affair with the world wide web, mobile phones were still able to break your foot and air-conditioning in cars was a luxury addition. We dug through the archives of history that is the internet to find nine car ads from the '90s that really give a good glimpse into the pre-millennium decade.

Ford Falcon

This was Ford's big chance to one-up Holden for their new VT Commodore. They didn't fail completely but the AU Falcon is an example of unique '90s design. The ad, showing off its futuristic tech and design combined with fast zooms and highly stylised scenes and graphics are pure '90s magic.

Relive the '90s now in your own Ford Falcon here on carsales.

Holden Barina Sportsgirl

Believe it or not, Sportsgirl was the fashion shop for teens and twenty-somethings during the late '80s and early '90s. For Holden, this was exactly who they needed to buy their small Barina hatchback, so combining the two brought us this iconic special edition. You got a colourful Sportsgirl logo decal, rainbow-striped floor mats, pop-up sunroof and a $50 Sportsgirl gift voucher.

Relive the '90s now in your own Holden Barina here on carsales.

Mazda 323 Protégé

In a time before special effects were effortless, realistic and not as tacky...The music is whimsical, the voice over a little old fashioned and a humorous payoff. These are things we rarely see in today's ads, especially for Mazda.

Relive the '90s now in your own Mazda 323 here on carsales.

Toyota Hilux

We all know that the Hilux is 'unbreakable' and being Australia's highest selling vehicle for several years, we know you do too. Although today's Hilux driver is less tradie, more weekend warrior and family friendly, the Hilux of the '90s was aimed fair and square at blokes doing the hard yakka.

Relive the '90s now in your own Toyota Hilux here on carsales.

Hyundai Excel

This Hyundai Excel ad is peak '90s! A combination of wacky colours and patterns, OTT fashion, horses jumping out of the engine, a basketball team and the inclusion of a popular song from the era.

Relive the '90s now in your own Hyundai Excel here on carsales.

Honda Odyssey

The Honda Odyssey really did live its best life during the '90s and with an add that showcases the people mover as suave, sophisticated and a proficient downhill skier is a far cry from where it's ended up.

Relive the '90s now in your own Honda Odyssey here on carsales.

Daewoo Cielo

Daewoo is a real mixed bag of a car brand but impressed with its fact that for $16,000 you could fit 14 uncomfortably. Squeezing as many people as possible into a car seemed to be a massive trend in the '90s with many ads, world record attempts and competitions doing so.

Relive the '90s now in your own Daewoo Cielo here on carsales.

Nissan Pulsar

In 1998, the big pull features of a small hatchback was that it came with aircon, a CD player, one airbag, keyless entry and central locking. How times have changed! Most of us wouldn't get out of bed for less than that as standard these days.

Relive the '90s now in your own Nissan Pulsar here on carsales.

Mitsubishi Magna

The '90s saw us love science-fiction and aliens, whether that be from Men In Black, Mars Attacks, Coneheads or Stargate. Mitsubishi tapped into that and tried to sell it to our extra terrestrial friends.

Relive the '90s now in your own Mitsubishi Magna here on carsales.

Related: Nine cars from the '90s that'll get you nostalgic in no time
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Related: Nine classic car ads that defined their generations
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