10 American ’90s Cars That Are Much Better Than Their Reputation

Many car enthusiasts would argue that the 1990s were a disappointing era for American cars, with GM, Chrysler, and Ford struggling with an economic recession at the start of the decade. Most automotive innovation was seen to be originating from overseas, and the large U.S. automakers responded by purchasing European and Asian companies like Saab and Daewoo Motors. Likewise, famous European brands including BMW would begin opening more factories in the United States. Soon enough the price of oil would crash again, and larger gas-guzzling SUVs dominated the offerings of American car manufacturers.

Full-sized SUVs don’t generally rank highly on lists of the most desired vehicles whereas sports cars are usually celebrated for their style and performance. As a result, too many 1990s American sedans and coupes that broke traditional boundaries for their classes were overlooked, at least until recently. Today, cars of this era are highly sought after as more reach the generally accepted definitions of classic, and American cars with their generous raw horsepower also represent some of the best values in the used-car market. It seems as appropriate a time as ever to highlight 10 1990s American cars that were better than their reputations would have you believe.

10/10 1997 Oldsmobile Aurora

The Oldsmobile Aurora was a last-ditch effort by what was once the oldest American automotive company to bring new life to its aging brand and appeal to younger customers. First appearing in 1995, the sporty Aurora was like no full-sized luxury car the company had sold before, with an engine based on a Cadillac Northstar V8, and futuristic styling.

While the Aurora sold fairly well in its first years, it inevitably was not enough to save the brand which struggled to compete against other full-sized GM cars like the Bonneville and Seville. No longer sold after 2005, the Aurora with its innovative technology and exceptionally strong construction is still a good bet to provide years of driving on the used car market.

9/10 1998 Ford Contour SVT

The Ford Contour is a 4 door-compact sedan that never really caught on in America like its European cousin, the best-selling Mondeo. The real overlooked gem of the Contour is the SVT variation, which significantly increased the performance of the standard sedan to nearly 200 hp, a similar feat as accomplished by the Taurus SHO.

The Contour SVT can be notoriously hard to service and disassemble with rare parts not helping the cause. Also, while the SVT provided impressive specs for its price, having the reputation of being too large to be considered compact and too small to be midsize led to its downfall along with all Contours in 2000.

8/10 1997 Plymouth Prowler

The Plymouth Prowler is an example of a company looking to the past in order to save its future. To draw more interest in its other cars, in 1997 Plymouth released the Prowler, a retro-style 2-door roadster paying homage to classic hot rods going back to the 1930s.

The Prowler disappointed some prospective buyers in its first year by including a V6 engine, and also by the fact that it was only available in purple. However, worthy of a second look today, the Prowler was equipped with many modern conveniences, and its exceptionally light construction made it faster than its specs would indicate.

RELATED: Here’s Why The Plymouth Prowler Isn’t As Bad As Its Reputation Suggests

7/10 1991 GMC Syclone

In 1991, the GMC Syclone was the closest thing the automotive world had seen to a sports car disguised in the body of a pickup truck. A more powerful version of a GMC Sonoma, the Syclone speeded down roadways with its 4.3L LB4 Turbocharged V6 engine, capable of 280 hp.

The original Syclone had several drawbacks making it a less-than-ideal pickup truck, most notably its lack of 4WD and off-road capabilities as well as providing limited cargo space. Still, interest in the Syclone which lasted barely a year on the market, only grew through the years, convincing GM to revive the high-performance pickup truck for a 2022 release.

6/10 1995 Cadillac Eldorado

Spanning an amazing 12 generations, the Cadillac Eldorado is remembered as one of America’s most enduring 2-door luxury cars. Usually marketed at the top tier of Cadillac’s line of vehicles, the last generation of the Eldorado tried to turn around the declining sales of the previous Eldorados which had a non-traditional styling that turned off some buyers.

On its 50th anniversary in 2002, Cadillac made the difficult decision to retire the Eldorado, turning its attention toward competing with the European and Japanese luxury cars of the day. Available in a sports coupe version, the last Eldorados included power-packed V8 engines with many believing they were the best-looking modern Cadillacs to ever be made.

5/10 1990 Chevrolet Lumina APV

Today, the age of the minivan is largely forgotten, replaced by an onslaught of modern SUVs and crossovers. Back in the mid-1980s, with Chevrolet trying to contend with popular minivans like the Plymouth Voyager and Dodge Caravan, the company separated itself from the field with the distinctively futuristic Lumina APV first sold in 1990.

Unfortunately despite getting high marks for driving more like a passenger car than a van, the Lumina APV could not shake its image of being a dustbuster on wheels. Nevertheless, with dozens of minivan models that look and perform exactly like each other, it’s hard not to appreciate the Lumina APV today for its attempts at innovation.

4/10 1998 Dodge Neon

The Dodge Neon was introduced in 1994, as a surprisingly fast compact car that could handily compete with European and Japanese imports. Some Neon engine configurations would provide up to 150 hp, easily beating small American cars and even some foreign-made options.

Despite its class-leading power, the Neon was bare bones in almost every other regard in order to make its price tag viable, offering minimal standard features besides airbags and saving costs with non-painted gray molded bumpers. The underrated original Neon would last sell in North American markets in 2005, suffering the same fate as many compact American vehicles contending with the popularity of larger crossovers.

3/10 1995 Ford Taurus SHO

The Ford Taurus SHO debuted in 1989 to considerable critical acclaim for being the fastest 4-door sedan at anywhere close to its $20,000 price point. The SHO was more than just a slightly souped-up version of Ford’s popular family sedan, with a 24-valve V6 engine providing 220 hp allowing for a top speed of 143 mph.

In 1996, the SHO became heavier and less powerful before being discontinued in 1999, so the 1995 model may be the best modern example of this unusual high-performance 4-door sedan. Despite its incredible value, the SHO confused buyers to the point where it never met sales expectations. Nevertheless, enthusiasts kept the demand for a new SHO high enough for Ford to reintroduce it for a 9-year run in 2010.

2/10 1992 Dodge Daytona IROC

Following on the heels of the Dodge Challenger which had just ended its production, the first Daytona in 1984 did not exactly wow audiences looking for a top-tier 3-door hatchback. Sadly, its 2.2L Turbo engine could only manage a maximum output of 142 hp.

Named after an all-star racing competition, with the Daytona IROC, Dodge tried to win back some fans of the Challenger, and they delivered, upping its horsepower to 224 hp. In addition to its difficult handling, only 230 of the 1992 Daytona IROC were made, so it never had a chance for more widespread appeal.

RELATED: A Detailed Look Back At The Dodge Daytona IROC

1/10 1990 Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1

In some ways, the Corvette’s legacy hit rock bottom in 1983, when Chevrolet took the unusual step of skipping a year following a less than well-received dated looking, and underpowered 1982 model. Emerging from the malaise era where automakers were forced to design more fuel-efficient vehicles, Chevrolet saw the C4 generation as a chance to bring back the elite performance their famous sports car was known for.

Early C4 Corvettes still disappointed many drivers with their top speeds and their looks seemed somewhat locked in the past. However, in 1990, the ZR-1 arrived boosting the power of the Corvette to 380 hp earning it supercar status. Even so, this ZR-1 is too often overlooked in a generation that has the reputation of failing to live up to Corvette’s high standards.