Barbie's 12 Best Car Commercials

If you had been a young girl or had a sister sometime in the '90s, your level as the cool house to go play Barbies likely depended on what Barbie car you had. I, sadly, didn't have one until my later years of elementary schooling, and it wasn't even an officially branded one. I used my Christmas money to finally purchase a red off-brand, Miata-like convertible, and that was at least something. However, I ached to be just as cool, and have something like her Magic Van.

Barbie has been an insane influence in young girls' lives for decades, and while she's taken on so many careers and adventures, she's also had some cool rides. And the way to make us lust after them like we did? The commercials in-between our favorite Saturday-morning cartoons.

These have to be some of the best Barbie Car commercials. I made sure to throw in a couple of nostalgia nuggets for my overall car audience folks as well.

The official Barbie Mustang made its debut in 1993, and had some wild iterations through the '90s and into the 2000s. But this iteration, was probably one of the best. Why? Because it extended. Barbie just wants to look cool while they drive around, but if she needs room for her friends in what looks to be every convertible's cramped back seat, she can just extend it, and voila! You can fit all of your friends to cruise Malibu.

The Volkswagen Beetle made a return to the American market and around the world with it's newly redesigned and imagined "New Beetle." It's bubbly, curvy lines fit right in with the 2000s where everything was just a little more... also bubbly. VW joined the ranks of other brands in general, with strange, innovative commercials, and you'll see the same thoughts emulating a similar vibe in its own commercial.

In all honesty, the Beetle and Barbie really worked together. Also, Barbie would definitely use the flower holder on the dash. C'mon now.

There's never been a mechanic or detailer Barbie, but you could learn to wrap a car for your Barbie. Holy shit. Five-year-old me has been crying since I discovered this. There's no coming back.

Everything about this commercial screams the 1980s. Looking beyond that aesthetic though, Barbie was moving up in the world and owned a Ferrari. Now where is her pastel linen suit and espadrilles?

Power Wheels were really for kids, and not Barbie. But would you not want to go hang out with Barbie, in her Beach Patrol Jeep or Lamborghini?

Cue the jukebox. There's going to be a lot of '50s rock piano in your ear.

While Barbie has a lot of 'Vettes over the years, this one is especially unique. It's a remote control car! Also, this may be the first time we hear that Barbie actually needs to take a driver's test.

Again, there are a lot of 'Vettes in Barbie's garage. But this one is the rockin'-est.

I guess Barbie had to settle down at some point, and give in to having a minivan like every other mom of the '90s. Although, looking at it now, this looks to be more of a hatchback. Not a minivan. Do you agree?

Barbie is living up to her gendered duties, making food and setting the table in her camper... Really, the music for this is great, including the faint "star traveler" in the background of the track.

Notice the spelling of Voyageur, as I'm sure Mattel wasn't able to collaborate with Ford and Mercury on this one. But man, this was the ultimate car setup to have as a girl in the '90s.

You thought I wasn't going to include this one, didn't you?If you were around in the '90s, chances are when you now hear Van Halen's "You Really Got Me," your mind automatically wanders to this very commercial. It made Barbie look like a badass, ditching the Hamptons Ken for a bad-ass GI-Joe, while also making Nissan look pretty cool. Ken just couldn't hack it. Nissan continued the Ken-shaming theme with another commercial, featuring Kiss's "Call Me Doctor Love." Forget Ken, we're totally Team G.I. Joe.