These Are The Cars That Defined Your Generation

We all like to argue about things being better back in our day, but is that true for cars as much as it is for top 40 hits and soda flavors? Well, to see which generation of Jalopnik readers might be in with a chance of claiming the title of best cars, we thought we should start by finding out what models you most associate with your youth.

To do this, we turned to you and asked what cars you think most define your generation. Whether it was a car that everybody drove or one that you all coveted, you came back with some great suggestions for models that best defined everyone from Baby Boomers to Generation Z.

So grab some snacks, sit back and flick through our roundup of the cars that best defined your generation. And, if you think there's one we missed, let us know in the comments section below.

"Chrysler's K-Car. Any American child of the 80's parents either had them, knew someone who had one, 80% swore they would never buy one again and in 3-5 years, were replaced with either the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry or Ford Explorer after the warranty ran out."

Built between 1981 and 1989, the K Platform included cars like the Dodge Aries, Plymouth Reliant and the Chrysler LeBaron.

Suggested by: Mark Birdsong (Facebook)

"Late Boomer here, and IMO the car that defined my generation were the down-sized B and C-body full-sized cars from GM, particularly the Chevy Caprice and Impala.

"Also included – Pontiac Catalina/Bonneville, Olds 88/98, Buick LeSabre/Electric and Cadillac DeVille/Fleetwood.

"These cars sounded the death knell of the traditional 18 foot long Detroit Luxo-barge

"In one fell swoop, cars shrunk by 18 inches or more in length while maintaining interior room, seating became more upright and comfortable and the huge big block V8s of the early '70s were eventually dropped from the option list.

"Exterior styling became more squared off and for about a decade, it seemed that the stylists at the Big Three forgot how to make a compound curve.

"Additionally, the downsized GM cars caught Ford and Chrysler asleep at the switch and it took 2-3 years for them to catch up. Even then, Chrysler's downsized offerings were such a half-assed effort they were off the market in three years and forced Lee Iacocca to go begging to Uncle Sam for a billion dollar bail-out."

Some good suggestions for Boomer cars right here, but did many of them make our roundup of the best boomer cars?

Suggested by: earthbound-misfit-i

"As someone who was in his late teens/early 20s in Ireland in the early 00s, it's any car with a Diesel Engine. They took over at that time. 3 Series diesels were coveted in the way people covet the Model 3 Tesla these days. The VW 1.9 PD TDi was in half of the cars in Ireland at that time. And most of them are probably still going. Last properly good engine VW made.

"There were so many good cars around back then but you can keep your Supras, Skylines and Type R civics. Give me a Mark IV Golf with a 150hp 1.9 any day!"

Is anyone else joining Stephen in taking a MK4 Golf over a Skyline? Answers on a postcard.

Suggested by: Stephen Joyce (Facebook)

"Mid-to-late Gen X was dominated by the late 80s/early 90s Honda, at least for us middle class teenagers in my town. Those wonderful and indestructible boxes were so ubiquitous at my high school, the only way to tell which Accord or Civic was yours in the parking lot was to memorize your license plate number."

Memorizing a number plate is one of those skills I've never mastered. Phone numbers, passport numbers: yes, license plates: never.

Suggested by: regnis78

"Through the 90s and 2000s, the 2nd generation Ford Explorer was everywhere. Either you knew someone who owned one or owned one yourself. It was something I had always wanted and I finally got to own one a few years ago."

And did it live up to the hype? Also if you "finally" got your hands on one recently, was it still a model from the 90s, or did you opt for a newer one?

Suggested by: Harley Beers (Facebook)

"GenX, born in 1970. I was 21 in 1991 and everybody cool had one of these.

"A Civic Si. Vancouver was crawling in these. They were affordable, mod-able, and quick enough. This is the car of my early 20s."

Was this trend exclusive to Vancouver, or were cities packed with Civics all over the place in the early 90s?

Suggested by: JohnnyWasASchoolBoy

"Assuming that these are the cars my generation swooned over, it would be the JDM superheroes of the 90s... Mk IV Supra and FD-3S specifically."

Swooning and defining can be the same thing, right?

Suggested by: Jay Steinbrecher (Facebook)

"Late Gen X here – I don't know whose parents had the money to insure them on V8 pony cars back in the day, around me it was either the cheap small trucks (S-10 and Ranger) or the ubiquitous Cavalier with enough bass to make all the loose bolts and beer cans rattle out."

Is it the car or the sound system that defined this generation?

Suggested by: FistFullofNeutral

"Very special place in my heart for these little motors."

I don't want to say the MK5 Fiesta was the best Fiesta, but it's definitely the one that holds the most special place in my heart as well, excellent suggestion.

Suggested by: @liamcharlesward (Twitter X)

"Honestly the Mitsubishi Eclipse.

"And specifically this generation [fourth-generation] too, they were legit Everywhere in the early 2000s, at least around me. The second gens were exalted on the street, but it seemed like every teen a middle aged person at some point had one. You don't really see Eclipses any more, and now I'm sad."

Honesty is the best policy.

Suggested by: darthspartan117

"Probably actually the Toyota Corolla but I'm going with the Pontiac Trans Am since exciting Corollas have been few and far between (GT-S, FX-16, XRS and GR are about it) and the T/A was what late Boomers / early Gen Xers wanted..."

Whereas exciting Pontiacs are common as muck, right?

Suggested by: Scott Sanford (Facebook)

"Gen X, driving age – late 80s / early 90s.

"You either had a 5.0 Mustang, or you were Italian (or wanted to be Italian or dressed like you were Italian or just liked Rocky) and you drove an IROC."

Ah the Camaro that thinks it's a Corvette, fun for a car to define a generation and a lifestyle choice all at once.

Suggested by: jbodybuilder

"I hate to say it, but Volkswagen New Beetle comes to mind."

It's tough to admit when a bad answer is the right answer. I feel for you, Corey.

Suggested by: Corey Kononchuk (Facebook)

"Born in the late 70's. This was the cool car to have when I started to drive. I could ass the Civic Si and the Integra, but the GTi with BBS wheels, Recaro seats, Blaupunkt head unit AND the Euro grille was the coolest."

We could probably have done a whole other slideshow on the Golf GTIs that defined your generation, right?

Suggested by: marginoferror

"The Fox Body 5.0 Mustang was the car me and most of my friends drove back when we were in our 20s in the 1990s."

Again, we probably could have had a whole slideshow dedicated to Ford Mustangs. Maybe next time?

Suggested by: Patrick Gattafoni (Facebook)