10 Forgotten 1990s Cars You Need to Remember

Step back into the 1990s! These 10 cars were once popular but have now been mostly forgotten. From quirky designs to underrated performance, we explore the hidden gems of the 90s auto world that deserve a second look.

Isuzu VehiCross

Okay, so, first up the Isuzu VehiCross. Uhm, if you were, like, around in ’99, maybe you saw this thing once outside a mall, and honestly, it looked totally space-age. It’s got these chunky cladding bits, like it’s wearing football pads or something. Super weird and cool, right? I think they were around $28,000, which, for a sort-of Jeep alternative, wasn’t crazy, but, like, nobody bought one. It was good off-road though… in theory. Not gonna lie, it kinda looked like someone’s Hot Wheels car just got serious.

Suzuki X-90

So, uhm, the Suzuki X-90. Man, this thing… you remember those memes about cars that look confused about what they are? That’s this one. It’s a two-seater, it’s a T-top, it’s a mini-SUV… and also weirdly cute? Sometimes I think it’d be cool just to drive something so silly to work for the laughs. You could get one for about $15,000 back then. They sold, like, close to none. I mean, I get why, but I kinda want one now just for the vibes.

Geo Prizm

Ah, Geo Prizm. The actual king of “nobody cares but everyone had one.” It was, basically, a Toyota Corolla in disguise? Like, literally, just a rebadged Corolla. Super practical but uhm so bland you could forget you were driving it before you even leave the driveway. I think new ones were, what, $13,000-ish? Cheap. Reliable as heck though. Not exciting, but I’d take it over a bus, honestly.

Eagle Talon

Ohh, Eagle Talon. So, this was the cool kid’s car before, like, Civics took over high school parking lots. The twin-turbo AWD one was honestly fast at least for the nineties. Under $20,000 new. It’s, you know, the kind of car you’d see now and go, “wait, why did everyone stop driving these?” They just kinda faded away when Eagle went, uhm, belly-up. Shame, right? They looked fantastic with that weird rear spoiler thing.

Mercury Mystique

Mercury Mystique uhm, I swear half the time I forget this ever existed. I think it was aiming to be, like, a more grown-up Ford Contour, but didn’t really pull it off? It cost about $17,000 to $20,000 new. It’s like, people with a Mystique never bragged about it. If you wanted a sedan and didn’t care what badge was on the trunk, there you go I guess. Reliable, sure, but meh. Kinda the minivan of sedans, vibe-wise.

Mazda MX-3

Oh, you gotta remember the Mazda MX-3, right? Not the RX-7, not the MX-5 MX-3. Tiny, little coupe, looked kinda like a jellybean if you squint. There was a V6 in it, but like, suuuper tiny 1.8 liters. I mean, who puts a V6 that small in anything? It was maybe $16,000 new. Always wanted to try one just because, uhm, curiosity. It’s cute though, and probably handles alright.

Oldsmobile Achieva

Oldsmobile Achieva. Ugh, this one’s almost so forgettable that, you know, maybe we shouldn’t even talk about it… but here we are. It was like $15,000 to $19,000, depending. I think the only exciting thing was when the Quad 4 engine blew up occasionally. Otherwise, just basic like “default rental car” basic. If you see one now, you kinda automatically wonder, “how did this survive?”

Ford Aspire

Ford Aspire. Oh, wow I mean, was this even a real car? Not gonna lie, pretty sure I saw more of them in junkyards than on actual roads. It was dirt cheap—like $9,000 or something new. Weird, bubbly little hatchback, but I feel like it had, maybe, 60 horsepower? Just enough for pizza runs and, uhm, keeping expectations low. It’s strangely adorable for how utterly, like, non-special it was.

Chevrolet Lumina APV

This one’s weird. Chevy Lumina APV the “Dustbuster” van! If you don’t remember it, just picture someone literally stretching a Dustbuster vacuum out and putting wheels on it. It was, uhm, a minivan for people who probably wished they’d bought literally anything else. Around $21,000. Plenty of space, but, like, everybody roasted the looks. No shade, just facts.

Nissan Pulsar NX

And last: Nissan Pulsar NX. Eh, kind of a chameleon. You could have a sporty-hatchy thing, or swap panels and turn it into a wannabe convertible. They tried to make it feel fun and adaptable but, honestly, I think people just wanted simpler stuff back then. Maybe $13,000 or $14,000 new? You never see ’em now. It’s like, disappeared from the earth.