The 1990s presented a decade of hope, low gas prices, economic growth, low unemployment and lots of car sales. You could make millions with a URL. What's the most iconic car of the 1990s?
Built as a replacement for the smaller Bronco, the Ford Explorer brought about an era of fuel uber-consumption, uber-size and not-so-uber-utility. The Explorer beget the Expedition, the Expedition beget a desire for more luxury as utility vehicles became status symbols — replacing luxury sedans with ever-larger vehicles. The Explorer started a size war that shaped every single lineup of every U.S. automaker, and eventually affected the product decisions of foreign automakers. But it left such a terrible PR pox upon the U.S. automakers that they became derided for lack of foresight even today. It's role in Jurassic Park would raise awareness of the new vehicle.
The mind-numingly boring, over-sized SUV, unfortunately, hides automotive brilliance like the Mazda Miata behind its hulking mass as it takes the award for the most iconic car of the 90s.
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