The best cars from the 1990s, but which is your favourite?

The 1980s, with their accessible hot hatches, monstrous homologation specials and ballistic supercars, were a tough act to follow, and with insurance premiums biting, you’d be forgiven for thinking cars from the 90s would be a bit of a let-down.

But don’t write them off so quickly. This was the era in which the widespread adoption of fuel injection, ABS and power steering improved dependability, safety and usability. In short, these cars are modern enough to be reliable and accessible, but old enough – and, now, rare enough – to be interesting. And unlike many ‘80s cars, their successors from the 90s are still very much within reach, and we offer guide prices (for decent examples) for all:

Cars are listed in chronological order – this story covers up to 1995 – we’ll cover the rest of the decade soon. Slideshow story – please click the right-hand arrow above to continue - guide prices are for reasonable condition examples without intergalactic mileages - we also include data from How Many Left? (not including SORN cars) to guide you as to surviving examples. As with all older cars, be aware of your local ULEZ rules that may impact your usage

The third-gen 5 Series was launched in the 1980s, but came into its own with a 1992 facelift, so we’ll let it in here. It’s remembered for handling as well as market-topping performance, especially the revered 335bhp M5 version. Most E34s apart from base models had strong, smooth straight sixes with multivalve heads, though the 530i and 540i gained torquey V8s after 1992.

Another late ‘80s car that sneaks in on a technicality, the thick-set, snouty proportions is every bit a 90s car. It debuted in the UK with a 136bhp 1.8-litre 16-valver from the Mk2 Golf GTI, with which it also shared its chassis, and there was a blown 158bhp 1.8 that required regular oil changes to prevent the supercharger from eating itself – which it usually did anyway, eventually.

However, it’s the 2.9-litre 189bhp VR6 model that’s the most sought after and today commands the biggest money – over £12,000 for cars even with 90,000 miles under their 205/50-section tyres. A 0-62mph time of 6.4sec puts it only a slither off the quickest front-driven hot hatches on sale today – thank to a fairly dinky 1240kg kerb weight. Top speed was a claimed 146mph.

How many left?: Around 1100

Pointy as a pencil and sharp as a shark, the 8 Series looked fab, and its enveloping leathery interior seduced all-comers. Choose V8 or V12 but don’t expect a comfortable ride or pin-sharp handling or even much in the way of straight-line speed, such is the weight – nigh on 2000kg in the case of the V12. Future classic status is assured, though, and prices are very much on the up now.

The first serious foray into Mercedes S-class territory for Toyota’s premium brand worked quite well. Quiet, comfortable and beautifully made, especially stuff like switchgear. Reliable and cheap to service, too, and dealers are among the best, but not much image compared with Germans. Prices are much affected by mileage, but the fact that inter-galactic numbers are out there is a good sign...

How many left?: Around 900

Imagine Vauxhall launching a car like this today: more than just a 3dr variant of the Cavalier, but a proper niche coupe, with the lowest drag coefficient of every car on sale. It was a brave car and, granted, never the most brilliant thing to drive, but looked great, and it kicked off a fad for sharp-suited two-doors that lasted most of the decade. Prices are on the up.

How many left: Around 420

The first MR2 was a sort of clever pastiche of the brilliant X1/9, but it grew larger and heavier in this second generation and its mid-engined handling initially proved a bit wayward for some. Still, many liked the looks, and the handling and general road behaviour improved, so it’s becoming a highly sought-after car.

We found: 1992 Toyota MR2 2.0 GT, 67,700 miles - £7000

The third generation of 3 Series sprouted curves anathematic to the E30 of the eighties and upped the car’s refinement quotient significantly. The M3 version was also the first of its kind to get six cylinders, though that couldn’t save it from being something of a dynamic disappointment. Connoisseurs will point you in the direction of the 318is instead. 

The days of the sub-£1000 Mk1 Mazda MX5 that hasn’t been modded or abused, and doesn’t have a Millennium Falcon’s worth of miles on the clock, are long gone. Still, even if you have to pay close to £3k for the right example today, it’s probably a savvy investment. This is one of the defining modern classics; it’s simple to maintain and reliable to use; and its driving experience is as engaging as they come.

A car that risks being long forgotten, except for appearances at shows like ‘the festival of the unexceptional’. Because, largely, it was. Yet if it wasn’t a car Citroën wanted, it was one it needed: good to drive, practical, and comfortable, and in the Volcane, available as a hot diesel – a really unusual proposition at the time.

How many left?: Around 360

Here’s an example of pure ‘90s supercar royalty. Loads of power, hairy-chested handling characteristics (hello, Mr McGuinness) and flamboyant looks mark the Diablo out as an icon of its time. Numerous variants of this V12 monster were made during its lifetime, while a facelift in 1999 saw its pop-up headlights removed. Values are now firmly off to the races now.

How many left?: Around 20

In the 1980s we had turbocharged Bentleys but they were four-door and looked like a Roller. The Continental R combined turbo V8 oomph with stately home opulence, cost a fortune and went like stink, and it was a two-door coupe. You could flick this leviathan around like a sports car, too, if you had the room.  

How many left?: Around 210

There was a time when the Shogun wasn’t an extremely old and extremely outclassed rugged off-roader. And it was a time when other off-roaders were designed exactly as this one was: with a separate chassis and body and large, four-pot engines. Cool then, and lots still exist, as testament to their build quality.

We found: 1999 Mitsubishi Shogun 3.0 V6, 77,950 miles - £5995

Unlike the standard Mk5 Escort, this hot version was no dud, with a rorty 2.0-litre 16v engine, oodles of grip and a responsive chassis. And while prices will never reach the mad heights of Cossies, any fast Ford is a good investment – making the RS2000 a leftfield and savvy alternative to the usual hot hatch crowd.

How many left?: Around 550

Fast, lightweight Peugeot old-timers are rising in popularity by the second, and when you consider how pure and enjoyable an experience they offer compared to their modern compatriots, it’s not hard to understand why. Peugeot built almost three million examples of the 106, but it’s the ‘fewer frills, more thrills’ Rallye that currently attracting the most attention; 100bhp from a 1.3-litre engine was never put to better use. Getting hard to find now, sadly.

How many left?: Around 5400

When it came to replacing the famous 5, Renault had its work cut out. Fortunately, it pulled off a blinder with the Mk1 Clio. Pert styling made it instantly chic, while nimble handling and a fantastic ride made it a joy to nip around town in. Today, a cooking Mk1 Clio will cost peanuts to buy and run, while a hot Williams or 16v version will provide one of the most satisfying hot hatch experiences of the 90s.

Early Griffiths were a bit hairy to drive, but as it matured, so too did its design, its interior, and above all, its chassis dynamics. By the late 1990s the Griffith, with Rover-developed V8 engine driving the rear wheels through a manual gearbox, was one of the most compelling honest sports cars you could buy.

How many left?: Around 630

It’s easy to forget Ford’s replacement for the popular but bland Sierra was a legend in its lifetime: spacious and comfortable, the 1994 Car of the Year was also sensationally good to drive relative to the modest standards of the class. Fast? No, unless you find one with the 170bhp 2.5-litre V6; either way, today a Mondeo will feel demonstrably waft-tastic.

For decades, starting with the MG-powered 1800GT, tiny Wiltshire-based Marcos built the same long-nosed, rear-drive kit sports car under different names, based on a tubular spine chassis, changing the engine when times demanded. Martina, Mantula, Mantaray and more came and went. Mantara was used on rare post-kit models after 1992. Find them mostly with Rover and Chevy V8s.

This is one of the finest-handling cars of the 90s, and backs up its terrific chassis with a frantic rotary engine and low weight. Later, facelifted cars and more powerful imports are tempting, but the early UK cars will become the most sought-after, so the trick to buying one is finding an unmodified one of those – do so, and it’s worth holding on to.

How many left?: Around 450

The bubble-shaped Micra, the first small Nissan to be made in the UK, won Europe’s Car of the Year award in 1993. It had an advanced specification, with an impressive safety package and light twin-cam 16-valve engines. Some models had power steering, and a CVT automatic version worked far better than most. You still see a fair few on the road, which speaks volumes.

We found: 2002 Nissan Micra 1.0 Twister, 34,000 miles - £1495

The Chimaera of 1992 was the car that established TVR in the popular imagination. Longer, lower and more practical than the earlier Griffith, the Chimaera was intended to be more of a grand tourer, and its greater usability, pretty looks, thumping Rover-sourced 4.0-litre V8 and reasonable price endeared it to the British public – while its hairy-chested handling earned it a reputation as the perfect antidote to more clinical sports cars like the Porsche Boxster.

More than 5000 examples were made in all, of which a surprisingly fulsome number – at least 2200 in total – remain. Though larger engines came later, we’d go for one of the original 4.0s. In clean, unmolested form, they’re the most likely to appreciate, yet still the cheapest to buy.

How many left?: Around 2200

Having had decent success with the 944, Porsche updated 80% of the components, and created a long-legged, great driving car that sadly didn’t last long: Porsche needed to clear the production line for the much more in-character Boxster. The track-focused Club Sport became deservedly iconic and remains so.   

How many left?: Around 400

The 850 saw Volvo fully embracing front-wheel drive with an all-new platform and five-cylinder transverse engines. Despite the new bits underneath, it looked just as boxy as its predecessors on top to keep traditional customers happy. We all remember it, though, for its brief stint in the BTCC when TWR fielded an 850 estate.

We found: 1996 Volvo 850 2.0 20V, 88,965 miles - £2000

How many left?: Around 1795

Front-engined, four-seat Ferraris may not be bedroom wall fodder, but they do have a certain glamour to them. Particularly when they come with a handsome Pininfarina body, a powerful 442bhp 5.5-litre V12 and, most importantly, pop-up headlamps. £45,000 seems like a lot (and it is), but it’s less than half of what they were new.

How many left?: Around 190

The sensibly proportioned but oft-forgotten Xantia gave Citroën-fanciers hope in this decade; hope that the wonderful but complex hydropneumatic suspensions we’d come to love but not completely to trust had finally come good. This intelligent beauty gave the family man of modest means a taste of how life could be; today it’s available for buttons. 

How many left?: Around 400

A wave of Japanese supercars rocked the motoring establishment in the early ‘90s, and Subaru’s offering was this quirky grand tourer. With futuristic styling and lots of new tech, the SVX also had a delightful turbocharged flat-six engine, a low centre of gravity and four-wheel drive. It was comfortable, sure-footed and remains an extremely erudite choice.

How many left?: Around 30

In the 1980s the original CRX had been a cute and lively two-seater sports hatchback, loved by all, but its transmogrification into this targa-topped model initially left everyone a bit cold. Viewed as a bit of tousle-haired fun, though, it worked, with a neat electric roof and period-perfect curves, even if the extra weight meant it was no sports car. 

How many left?: Around 151

The 306 arrived when Peugeot knew how to make cars that were fun to drive and thought it was important. Arriving before the advent of the Ford Focus, it set the benchmark for fun small family hatchbacks. And estates, too, and saloons, although they always sold rather better overseas than in the UK.

All of the above steered pleasingly and rode deftly, making them entertaining to drive. Then, of course, there were the hot versions; again, when nobody made hot versions of family cars quite like Peugeot did. Get a good GTi-6 or Rallye and you’ll have one of the best front-drive cars ever made, well worth its place in any of the ‘greatest hot hatchback ever’ comparisons where you’ll still see them.

How many left?: Around 4600

Fewer than 500 of the 321bhp twin-turbocharged European-specification fourth-generation Supras were sold in the UK during the ‘90s, and surviving examples of this icon are seriously hard to find. Many were modified beyond recognition, while others were simply crashed. A less-powerful Japanese import is likely your best chance at Supra ownership - although they still don’t come cheap. 

One of the best cars Rover ever made; effectively a more luxurious Honda Accord in disguise - which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Felt posh inside with plenty of wood, handled keenly and even today it’s still a handsome thing, though fast vanishing sad to say. It was more reliable than most old Rovers, too. The 620ti models (pictured) were quick, and 600s can still be bought for peanuts, when you find them.

How many left?: Around 650

The 355 you want is the achingly pretty ‘Berlinetta’ coupe, with a manual gearbox, in right-hand drive form, with the right history. You’re getting what many consider to be the best-looking mid-engined car that Maranello has ever built – and it’s that combination of elegant but purposeful good looks and a modern driving experience that many really prize.

This was the last mid-engined ‘junior’ Ferrari with a steel chassis, and the first Ferrari to use an ‘F1’-style paddleshift gearbox – although the ‘F1’ examples were greatly outnumbered by manuals in terms of production volume. The paddleshift ‘boxes require regular maintenance but they’re reliable; early cars with the non-airbag steering wheels and simpler Bosch injection systems are the really prized ones. However, you buy a cheap car with a patchy history or skimp on your own maintenance budget, at your peril.

How many left? 810

If you drove one of these in the 90’s, you were probably in Vauxhall management or pounding up and down Britain’s motorways as a traffic cop. Unfortunately, it didn’t make much headway in the executive car park which is a shame, because the MV6 is quite a hoot with a V6 engine, a manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive.

How many left?: Around 1200

There are plenty of Porsche’s celebrated ‘993’-generation 911s around for less than £60k, but most are cheap for a reason (less desirable targa or cabriolet bodies, 4WD drivetrains or tiptronic gearboxes). Budget £60k for rear-driven manual coupe, though, and you’ll have the holy trinity: a revered, appreciating classic; a wonderful driver’s car; and something to cherish for the ages. A sublimely engaging sports car.

The car with which Audi came of age and truly broke into the mainstream, the original A4 was about as elegant as junior executive cars get. Inside, it had Audi’s trademark interior quality, too. Find a clean 1.8T Quattro Sport and hold onto it until the A4 goes the way of the E30 3 Series - the car that did the same sort of thing for BMW.

If you’re of a certain age, it’ll simply be the blue-and-yellow car-shaped blur that pops into your head when you conjure a memory of rallying hero Colin McRae on one of his weekend excursions. There has certainly never been a better-looking Impreza since. And with a reputation bolstered in the UK by Prodrive’s famously well-honed special editions, many would say there’s never been a better handling one, either.

The car arrived in 1994, ostensibly being a renamed version of the Japanese-market Impreza WRX, and getting 208bhp and Subaru’s revered centre-diff based symmetrical four-wheel drive system. If you want more power than that (but even in standard trim, this is a 5.5sec-to-62mph, 140mph car) the factory ‘Turbo’ model didn’t get any until 1999. 

How many left?: Around 1000

Built on a platform that amalgamated parts from the Corolla and Carina saloons, the first RAV4 – codenamed ‘XA10’ – could be had with either front- or all-wheel drive. What made it such an innovator was its neat packaging high-riding ruggedness within the footprint of a compact hatchback. As we’re since come to learn, the compact SUV is a recipe with seemingly unending mass-market appeal.

Aluminium might be the most abundant metal in the crust of the earth, but prior to the A8 it was used rather sparingly in cars. This posh Audi might look much like any other Audi, but its body was lightweight aluminium. Throw in four-wheel drive and lots of tech and you’ve got yourself an executive icon.

Yes, it’s based on an XJS; yes, there are Ford bits inside, and yes, the rear lights are from – anybody? – a Mazda 323F, Mazda like Aston being a Ford satellite back then. But with the DB7’s drop-dead looks, leathery interior and effortless pace, you probably won’t care. Buy an early example quick-sharp, and enjoy it as prices creep north. 

How many left?: Around 1600

Scoff all you like, but this future classic is far better than its reputation would have you believe. No, it’s not as much fun as an MX-5, but it’s more comfortable, smarter inside and better value. A decent one can still be had for little more than a grand, but the best are starting to creep up in value, worth over £5k now.

How many left?: Around 2300

A large Peugeot saloon that was good to drive, the 406 arrived when the big family car market was still dominated by cars like it, plus rivals from Ford, Vauxhall, Renault, and Citroën, and before compact executive cars started to rule its patch. Hard to find today, but the V6 is sublime, while diesel estates make terrific cheap workhorses.

How many left?: Around 3800

Not only was this 5 Series handsome and well-proportioned, it was also brilliant to drive and very comfortable. And beneath the bonnet you’d find your choice of creamy six-pot petrols and bruising V8s. And don’t forget the efficient diesels, notably the 530d, beloved by police forces across the land for both its grunt and its enormous range.

As a result it blitzed the competition upon its arrival on the executive car scene, and was still winning group tests toward the end of its life, too. E39s can still be had for as little as £2000, for which they make a fabulous daily drive that’s bound to slowly appreciate if you look after it.

People get sniffy about the Fiat Barchetta. It was less striking-looking than Fiat’s predecessor, the X1/9; less beautiful than the classic 124 Sport Spider; and, of course, it was based on front-drive Punto underpinnings. The truth is, the Barchetta’s nimble, engaging handling is actually a selling point – as is its revvy 1.7-litre engine. They’re left-hand drive only, though (there are some RHD conversions about); and they do rust (check the floor and rear arches carefully).

How many left?: Around 340

Clever rear suspension helped to give the GTV a surprisingly entertaining and sporty drive considering its front-wheel drive. The 2.0-litre Twinspark engine is great, but it’s the 3.0-litre V6 that’s the real honey, mostly due to its evocative soundtrack. Post facelift cars got a newer six-speed gearbox.

How many left?: Around 1500

Penned by Chris Bangle, this striking coupe caused a stir when it was launched in 1993. It initially came with four-cylinder 16v engines, with the five-cylinder 20v engines coming later. It was a great little car, especially the 20v Turbo with 214bhp and despite the mundane Tipo underpinnings, it’s a riot to drive. Prices are on the up, so buy now.

How many left?: Around 660

The Bravo HGT was quite a quick little hot hatch for its time. Power came from a naturally-aspirated five-cylinder engine derived from that found in the Fiat Coupe, which developed a heady 145bhp. Right-hand-drive models made their way to the UK in 1997, but can be tricky to find now.

How many left?: Around 12

Only 100 were brought in, all high-performance V-spec cars tweaked to make them conform to SVA regulations, but there are many grey imports. There’s nothing wrong with buying one of these, of course, but do check their history stacks up – and make sure they were undersealed soon after they arrived here to cope with our salty roads. Original UK cars will, naturally, fetch a hefty premium. Of course, there’s plenty of grunt even in a standard 276bhp car – though you’ll be hard-pushed to find such a thing, as so many have had the wick turned up.

Again, buying a modified example is no bad thing, but you’ll want to be sure it’s been fiddled with by someone who knows what they’re doing – anything with more than 400bhp should have had some serious work done. Get it right, though, and you’ll have a true 1990s icon, and an unbelievable point-to-point machine. 

This was the last manual XJR (codename ‘X306’), and proved a worthy, supercharged challenger to the BMW M5 and Mercedes E500 super-saloons of the day. The 4.0-litre straight-six was good for 326bhp and the rare five-speed Getrag manual gearboxes have a reputation for reliability. Modern Jaguar owes a lot to this svelte contender.