• The 1990's brought about a sea change in the way cars were produced and sold to the general public. The car companies began to create luxury lines, ushering in companies such as Lexus and Infiniti. New models of classic vehicles such as the Mustang and Volkswagen Bug were produced to capitalize on buyer nostalgia. Meanwhile, the sports utility vehicle began to dominate the car market, replacing the station wagon and the minivan as the go-to for families with children.
  
  

Sports Utility Vehicles

• The impact of the sports utility vehicle in the 90's cannot be understated. Its size and "cool" factor led to it surpassing the minivan and the station as the top vehicle for families. It caught on with the Ford Explorer. Introduced in March of 1990, the four-door Explorer surpassed Ford's modest projections, soon becoming one of the company's most popular vehicles. A second generation model was introduced in 1995, adding a variety of updates to the Explorer.
  
  With the success of the Ford Explorer came other types of SUV's from rival companies. Toyota updated its 4Runner model, changing it from a pickup truck style into a four-door SUV to compete with the Explorer. The four-door Nissan Pathfinder was introduced in 1990 to compete with Ford's Explorer, while Jeep's Grand Cherokee model, an enhanced version of the Cherokee, was introduced in 1993.
  
  

Return of the Classics

• Classic cars from the 1960's saw a resurgence in the '90s. Ford introduced its fourth generation Mustang in 1995, adding elements of its early era into the design while moving away from the clunky look of its third generation models. As its first redesign in 15 years, Ford saw the Mustang increase in popularity with limited edition offshoots such as the Cobra seeing attention from car enthusiasts.
  
  Meanwhile, Chevrolet reintroduced its Camaro in 1993 with a return to the characteristics that defined the first generation 1967 model. Using a new and improved F-body platform, the Camaro saw decent sales until it slowly sank into decline. By 2002, the fourth generation Camaro would be discontinued by Chevrolet.
  
  Using car buyer nostalgia as a selling point, Volkswagen brought back the Beetle. Deemed the New Beetle, it was designed with a retro look. It was introduced in 1997 and continued to be produced well into the next decade when it was discontinued in 2010.
  
  

Luxury Lines

• Luxury vehicles began to be manufactured in abundance. Companies such as Lexus, owned by Toyota, began to introduce various models in the '90s, catching on with consumers as it expanded its line of cars. In 1990 alone, Lexus sold over 65,000 models in the United States, all but ensuring its foothold in the American car market. This foothold was marked by a continuing line of quality cars mixed with excellent customer service. Soon, other car companies began to insert their own luxury line. Nissan brought forth the Infiniti luxury line, while Honda increased production of the Acura line.