QOTD: Forgotten 90s designs that aged well

"El Rivinado" (joeman856) 09/05/2015 at 15:42 • Filed to: None

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This is something I had in mind. We all know the 90s were a bit, mediocre, in terms of car design. Now, the 90s designs that are well remembered aren’t what I’m talking about, I present this question. What car design from the 90s do you think has aged surprisingly well over the last few years? Now, I don’t mean a design like the E39 BMW or the NSX and stuff like that, I mean the designs that nobody remembers or has forgotten about that you think have aged well.

I will present my candidate

I always thought the 1995-1997 Lincoln Town Car always aged well but no one ever talks about it. It’s easy to forget in the airport traveling bathtub that was the final iteration that the Town Car actually looked like a graceful car and not just a Crown Vic with a different grille. I think this design is sort of like the old W126 S-Class, it’s conservative but modern, looks to the future while invoking the past, it keeps up with the trends of its time while staying true to it’s brand heritage. It is a very nice looking car, too bad the redesign was a joke.

So, what forgotten/obscure 90s car has aged rather well?

MLGCarGuy > El Rivinado 09/05/2015 at 15:47

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I think most people forgot about the first gen GS300, since the 2nd gen with the four headlights got all the attention.

I think it aged quite nicely.

crowmolly > El Rivinado 09/05/2015 at 15:47

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Might qualify?

TheHondaBro > El Rivinado 09/05/2015 at 15:52

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1999 still counts.

The second generation Honda Odyssey still looks great today.

Uug > El Rivinado 09/05/2015 at 15:53

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1994 Honda Accord:

I’ve always liked the design, and compared to what GM was putting out at the same time (think Oldsmobile Achieva and Chevy Lumina) this was miles ahead for a family sedan. With the EX trim lip kit and alloy wheels, it was a good looking everyday car.

Acura Legend:

Tareim - V8 powered > El Rivinado 09/05/2015 at 15:54

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Mitsubishi Galant VR4

ranwhenparked > El Rivinado 09/05/2015 at 15:55

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The 1st gen Aurora is still quite attractive.

Klaus Schmoll > El Rivinado 09/05/2015 at 15:57

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For a car from 1992 they still look pretty cool. I’d drive if you could still find good ones.

Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney > El Rivinado 09/05/2015 at 15:59

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Cadillac Seville. I think one of the really underrated designs of the 90s, and was so well-done it lived on well into the 2000s as the STS.

El Rivinado > Klaus Schmoll 09/05/2015 at 16:00

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I've never seen that before, dare I ask what it is?

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > El Rivinado 09/05/2015 at 16:03

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I’d say the ford probe

bobkustofawitshz > El Rivinado 09/05/2015 at 16:06

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Couldn’t agree more on that Town Car, I’ve always wanted one, especially in black. They still look great today - clean, conservative, like a proper luxury car. And the hood ornament!

Hoccy > El Rivinado 09/05/2015 at 16:06

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Not sure how forgotten, but very good looking.

AlexTheSeal > El Rivinado 09/05/2015 at 16:12

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IMHO this Riviera is a modern classic. I would gladly have one as a DD, too, since under the skin it’s really just a LeSabre with the last iteration of the great supercharged 3.8 V-6, after all the bugs were worked out.

KnowsAboutCars > El Rivinado 09/05/2015 at 16:15

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I think Nissan had some nice looking, not often talked about designs.

P11 Primera/ Infiniti G20

Facelift which wasn’t sold outside Europe IIRC

Facelifted N15 Almera/Pulsar

Also, Toyota Chaser and Corolla Levin

KnowsAboutCars > El Rivinado 09/05/2015 at 16:16

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Mazda Xedos 6/Eunos 500.

Klaus Schmoll > El Rivinado 09/05/2015 at 16:26

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Mazda Xedos 6 (Europe) or Eunos 500 (Japan and Australia). I believe you know it’s bigger brother as the Millenia in the US (sold as the Xedos 9 in Europe). Both cars were supposed to start an upmarket sub-brand along the lines of Lexus or so, but they never got successors. When they were released the press was pretty euphoric saying that “this is how a modern Jaguar should look like if they had any balls”. Unfortunately most of them were either driven by pensioners who scratched and dented them or ricers.

Alex from Toronto > El Rivinado 09/05/2015 at 16:27

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The Lexus SC sill looks good 20 ish years later.

Alex B > crowmolly 09/05/2015 at 16:42

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Ew no.

These look really dated.

Alex B > TheHondaBro 09/05/2015 at 16:43

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No. K?

not for canada - australian in disguise > El Rivinado 09/05/2015 at 16:55

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S15 Silvia (1999 still counts, right?)

R33 Skyline

WC34 Stagea

Asuna Sunfire/Isuzu Impulse

S15 and R33 aren’t exactly forgotten, but my god they’ve aged magnificently.

WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe > Klaus Schmoll 09/05/2015 at 16:58

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Looks really similar to the Millenia I had. Definitely shared some styling. The Millenia, like this, aged pretty well.

JR1 > not for canada - australian in disguise 09/05/2015 at 17:13

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I'd go as far to say the Isuzu is one of the greatest designs of the 90s

JR1 > El Rivinado 09/05/2015 at 17:19

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To me this is the best looking 5 series without a doubt

LongbowMkII > KnowsAboutCars 09/05/2015 at 17:23

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The JDM Chaser, Levin and I’ll add the Curren are very simple elegant designs. Love them.

A ST205 with a Curren front clip would make it into my unlimited fantasy garage.

Svart Smart, traded in his Smart > TheHondaBro 09/05/2015 at 17:25

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Yes it does.

Klaus Schmoll > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe 09/05/2015 at 18:25

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They were supposed to be matching brothers like 3/5 series bimmers. The little one just has the more sculptured lines.

wafflesnfalafel > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero 09/05/2015 at 22:27

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agree - especially the GT with that little Mazda v6 - darn fun cars even now.

SmoresTM Has No Chill (O==[][]==O) > not for canada - australian in disguise 09/08/2015 at 19:16

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Oh, the things I would do for an S15 Silvia. Japan definitely had the 90’s on lock.

RT > Klaus Schmoll 06/01/2016 at 10:35

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Was just about to post this!

I know of one, it had the smoothest 2.0 V6 and Manual.

The Xedos 6 was the car that got me into cars, the design aged so well too. Made from 92-99 and looking modern throughout its production run. Those leather seats tho.