5 Unsung Hero Vehicles of the 1990s

Today, we’re traveling in the wayback machine to the 1990s – a decade where motorized seatbelts, manual locks, crank windows, manual transmissions, carburetors, and drum brakes were still commonly found as standard automotive equipment. That said, advanced technology that had previously been available only on high-end vehicles found its way into a huge number of affordable cars and trucks during the 1990s as well.

Combined with early aerodynamic styling that’s regarded as attractive today, many highly- desirable, affordable cars and trucks hit the roads during this decade. Because it’s almost too easy to look back and remember the makes and models that were popular and sold well, we thought we’d celebrate a few worthwhile vehicles that never got the respect and attention they should have originally. Ones that have been forgotten with the passage of time. Unsung hero vehicles of the 1990s, you might say.

ECONOMY POCKET-ROCKET: 1991-96 FORD ESCORT GT/MERCURY TRACER LTS

Ford’s best-selling Escort small car platform saw a complete redesign for 1991, and was based heavily on Mazda’s 323 since Ford owned 25% of Mazda at the time. For the first year of this generation’s 1991-96 model run, Escorts were offered in hatchback and wagon configurations​ only, with a sole 4-door sedan version being sold as the Mercury Tracer until an Escort sedan was added for 1992-93.

Lower-priced versions of both models were fitted with Ford powertrains, while performance- oriented Escort GT hatch, Escort LX-E sedan, and Mercury Tracer LTS sedan versions were upgraded to Mazda’s 1.8-liter, 16-valve dual-overhead-camshaft 4-cylinder engine, rear disc brakes, 4-wheel independent suspensions, equal-length driveshafts, and larger anti-roll bars. It’s important to remember that this thoroughly advanced level of hardware was not generally available on entry-level cars of the day. By delivering a driving experience that was fully on point in all areas, these vehicles served as early reminders that sophisticated “sports sedans” need not be expensive or European.

4 X 4 OFF-ROAD SUV : 1990s ISUZU AMIGOonly, with a sole 4-door sedan version being sold as the Mercury Tracer until an Escort sedan was added for 1992-93.

With a competitive price that undercut Jeep’s Wrangler, fold-down rear roof, rugged 4-wheel drive system, short overhangs, and beefy standard tires capable of taking a pounding, Isuzu’s first generation 1989-94 Amigo 2-door SUV was a natural pick for off-roading enthusiasts. Buyers liked the size of the Amigo because it was large enough to provide a superior ride and more interior room than small 1990s “cute utes”, while being trim enough on the outside to perform well on trails in ways larger SUVs could not. In fact, many fans felt its combination of comfortable ride and nimble off-roading ability earned it the title “all-terrain sports coupe”. For these reasons, I’m including the Amigo on the unsung heroes list.

After the first generation was discontinued during 1994, it took three years for Isuzu to re- introduce the Amigo in second generation form as a 1998 model. Unlike 1989-94 Amigos that came only with a 4-cylinder, newer ones offered a 3.2-liter, 205 horsepower V6 along with a removable rear hardtop and electronically adjustable shock dampers. For model years 2001-03, the Amigo was renamed Rodeo Sport before being discontinued permanently.

LUXURY SPORTS SEDAN : 1993-97 INFINITI J30

Running as a single-generation model from 1993 to 1997, the Infiniti J30 sedan was a replacement for the slow-selling and generally unloved 1990-92 M30 coupe. Created in Nissan’s California studio with 1960s Jaguars in mind, designers described the J as a personal luxury sedan that was “…the first car in what we see as a trend toward breaking away from the long tyranny of the wedge”. Indeed, the downward-curvature of the trunkline truly made the J​stand out as a unique design, inspiring love-it-or-hate-it reactions from the public. One auto reviewer described the J as a 1961 Jaguar Mark X that had melted, “softening the bulk of a sedan into the visual delicacy of a coupe”. This was a personal luxury sedan in a time when 4- door coupes weren’t a thing yet.

Another member of the automotive press described it as, “ one of the best-engineered cars in the world today – a paragon of smoothness and silence with a remarkable balance between cornering ability and straight-ahead highway cruising”. Thinking back to times I was able to drive a friend’s leased 1995 J30, I agree with that assessment of its ride and handling. To me, the J rivaled Germany’s best with a luxurious interior and a complete absence of unpleasant noise, vibrations, or harshness. Nissan’s 6-cylinder 300ZX engine (210 hp) driving the rear wheels also gave the J decent acceleration as well. While roughly 70,000 J30s were sold in the United States over its 5-year run, the J30 never really caught on as an aspirational vehicle. 30 years after its introduction, this model still stands out as unique – earning it a spot on my unsung heroes list.

FAMILY CAR : 1990 DODGE CARAVAN TURBO 5-SPEED MANUAL

By the late 1980s, Chrysler was doing well financially and selling a ton of cars and minivans based on its versatile front-wheel-drive K-car platform. During profitable times such as those, it’s not uncommon for automakers to release uniquely fun, low-volume versions of their everyday bread-and-butter vehicles that normally wouldn’t see the light of day. Perhaps there’s no better example of this than the 1989-90 Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager minivans that could be ordered with a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine and 5-speed manual transmission.

Having spent a good amount of time behind the wheel of 1980s Chrysler cars and minivans, I know the company’s overhead camshaft 4-cylinder turbo motors produced surprisingly quick off-the-line acceleration. So I can say without ever driving one that pairing these engines with a manual transmission in a relatively small, lightweight minivan created absolute sleepers that would be fun to drive as well. I’ve always been impressed with the fact that these vans existed at all, and I might very well have been a customer if children were in the picture for me at the time. Because most automotive fans never knew about them, there’s no doubt in my mind the Chrysler 5-speed turbo minivans belong on any underrated vehicle list.

Sadly, when Chrysler minivans were redesigned for the 1991 model year, turbo 5-speed versions were dropped – not surprising given that the U.S. economy also did a hard downshift during calendar year 1990.

MUSCLE CAR : 1991-99 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GTP / BUICK REGAL GS

Finding an underrated muscle car for this decade wasn’t as easy as it might seem. In the affordable category, 1990s Camaros, Mustangs, Firebirds, and the like were (and are) in no way under-appreciated. Moving upmarket, neither were Corvettes, Dodge Vipers, or the growing number of Mercedes AMG and BMW M models. Besides, all of those rear-wheel-drive muscle cars made countless appearances in posters tacked onto bedroom walls of teenagers throughout the decade.

What was overlooked by many in the 1990s are the front-wheel-drive Pontiac Grand Prix GTP and Buick Regal GS – both of which were described by automotive journalists as “torque monsters”. Looking at the numbers, it’s easy to see both of them deserve an underrated muscle car title on the unsung heroes list. For starters, Pontiac equipped the new-for-1991 GTP edition of their (1988-96) Grand Prix with a 24-valve, dual-overhead-camshaft V6 of 3.4 liters made by Chevrolet. This engine produced 210 horsepower – an impressive number for its day. Through 1996, the GTP was available in coupe form only and offered a choice of 5-speed manual or 4- speed automatic. After its 1997 redesign, the GTP added a 4-door variation and was equipped with a supercharged Buick 3.8 liter V6 generating a muscular 240 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque. The Buick V6 was only available with an automatic transmission.

On the Buick side, the Gran Sport (GS) version of their 1988-96 Regal gained muscle status for the 1990 model year when it was fitted with Buick’s own 3.8 liter V6 producing 170 horsepower in non-supercharged form through 1996. Unlike the 1991-96 Grand Prix GTP, the Regal GS was offered as both a coupe and sedan, but only with an automatic transmission. When redesigned for 1997, the GS also gained the supercharged 240 hp version of the brand’s 3.8 liter V6. And, like the newer GTP, the Regal was available as a coupe or sedan with automatic transmission only.

What 1990s vehicles do you feel belong on the unsung heroes list?

no better example of this than the 1989-90 Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager minivans that could be ordered with a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine and 5-speed manual transmission.By the late 1980s, Chrysler was doing well financially and selling a ton of cars and minivans based on its versatile front-wheel-drive K-car platform. During profitable times such as those, it’s not uncommon for automakers to release uniquely fun, low-volume versions of their everyday bread-and-butter vehicles that normally wouldn’t see the light of day. Perhaps there’s​no better example of this than the 1989-90 Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager minivans that could be ordered with a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine and 5-speed manual transmission.

Having spent a good amount of time behind the wheel of 1980s Chrysler cars and minivans, I know the company’s overhead camshaft 4-cylinder turbo motors produced surprisingly quick off-the-line acceleration. So I can say without ever driving one that pairing these engines with a manual transmission in a relatively small, lightweight minivan created absolute sleepers that would be fun to drive as well. I’ve always been impressed with the fact that these vans existed at all, and I might very well have been a customer if children were in the picture for me at the time. Because most automotive fans never knew about them, there’s no doubt in my mind the Chrysler 5-speed turbo minivans belong on any underrated vehicle list.