The 50 Best Car Commercials Of All Time

Year: 2010
Car(s) featured: Hyundai Genesis

With Hyundai's Genesis luxury sedan getting rave reviews and racking up accolades across the board, it was only right for the Korean automaker to celebrate a little. And it did. In the form of this commercial that ran during the Super Bowl. Touting its "Car of the Year" award, it took some thinly veiled shots at various car makers and even poked some fun at itself. You should thank the team behind this ad; you all now know how to properly say Hyundai.

Year: 1969
Car(s) featured: Pontiac GTO

Why did Pontiac's GTO take Motor Trend's magazine's top prize? We're guessing it had something to do with its 0-60 time. But GM would like you to believe that it came courtesy of its durability. Whatever works, we guess.

Year: 2005
Car(s) featured: Citroen C4

People love transforming cars. Before Michael Bay and Steven Spielberg brought the heavy metal carnage that is Transformers to the big screen, Citroen brought its own version to the small screen with this ad spot. After stretching (we weren't aware robots needed to get limber) their morphing C4 begins to cut up the pavement. The commercial won the French automaker the Commercial of the Year award. Safe to say it won more accolades than Bay's flick.

Year: 2010
Car(s) featured: Audi A3 TDI

It was a little heavy handed, and a bit too tongue-in-cheek, but Audi's Big Game ad spot did well to celebrate its newest TDI clean diesel offering, the A3 TDI, which won the 2010 Green Car of the Year Award. To paraphrase Hov, Audi wasn't bragging, it was simply the truth.

Year: 2007
Car(s) featured: Ford F-150

American pick-up truck commercials are usually ridiculous high-cost, fictionalized claims about what the truck can do "in the real world". In this spot for its F-150, Ford decides to do a little research and testing and spit the truth: if, you, the owner so wanted, you could use the F-150 to bring a C-123 plane to a halt. Peep the actual demonstration tag at the bottom of the screen. We don't know much about broadcast law, but we're sure they wouldn't put that on there if it wasn't true.

Year: 2004
Car(s) featured: Dodge Durango

Playing off men's sexual insecurity is always good for a laugh. Just ask Dodge. With two dudes talking about the length of their new Dodge Durango while another man mistakes the convo for pick-up lines, this commercial is basically one big "Pause." Immature? Completely. Funny? Yes.

Year: 2005
Car(s) featured: Vauxhall Corsa

Remember those sick Nike soccer commercials that had people playing soccer all over the city—streets, parks, subways, office buildings? This is the automotive version of that. GM's British motor company plays off the nimbleness and compact size of its Corse model by suggesting that if you were able to round up enough of 'em, you could actually play a city-wide game of hide-and-seek. How awesome would that be?

Year: 1972
Car(s) featured: Mazda RX-3

Mazda had a tough task on its hands in the early '70s. Its previous rotary-powered model, the RX-2, having sold moderately well, it needed more people to buy into its unique little machines. To do so, it attempted to sell the public on the fact that rotary engine was far smoother and better than traditional piston-packed engines. It must have worked as RX-3 sold very well during its seven-year run in the U.S.

Year: 2011
Car(s) featured: Volkswagen Passat

Volkswagen loves the kids. This commercial—where a dad makes his kid believe he has "The Force"—doesn't big-up any of the 2012 Passat's features, it's just cute and touching. Sometimes that's all you need.

Year: 2011
Car(s) featured: Chevrolet Cruze

Chevrolet had a lot to say about its new compact car. So much so, in fact, that it craftily crafted this ad featuring old people who do nothing but to repeatedly attempt to scream out the Cruze's features. It's one of those commercials where you could feel the company winking at you while you doing the Kanye shrug. Whatever, though—it worked.

Year: 1980
Car(s) featured: Isuzu Gemini

While Ford may have taken the road less traveled and advertised an add fact that would never really be used by any buy, Isuzu went the opposite route and basically made a crazy whimsical automotive ballet. Cars fly through the air and bob and weave around each other like a musical on ice. It's ridiculous. And great.

Year: 2008
Car(s) featured: Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG

Anyone who has driven a Mercedes-Benz E55 knows that the motor lodged between the front wheels can only be described as beastly. M-B knew this, and produced this commercial with a wife taming the beast within (the car) for her hubby. If that's not love, we don't know what is.

Year: 2010
Car(s) featured: Kia Soul

Is this commercial good? Well, it's on this list so it must be, right? Eh, we're torn. Though we weren't fans of Kia's ad spot featuring human-sized hamsters dancing to Black Sheep when it first hit the air, we could not, for the life of us, get the damn thing out of our head. Isn't that the point of a commercial? To become lodged in your brain? If so, then this is one of the best commercials ever made.

Year: 1969
Car(s) featured: Pontiac GTO Judge

Everything sounds better in rhyme. Before it took itself so seriously, Pontiac had Paul Revere and the Raiders—America's answer to the British pop band invasion—write a little ditty for the Judge edition of its GTO. It was funny, silly, and effective.

Year: 2007
Car(s) featured: Mercedes-Benz G500

Like the Hummer brand, the Mercedes-Benz Gelandewagen, or G-Wagen, started life as a military vehicle for the German army. It was built to be rugged, durable, and reliable. It was damn-near indestructible. Mercedes thought that was its most appealing feature, and decided to tout it with this ad. Crash test dummy? No, sir.

Year: 2011
Car(s) featured: Kia Optima

Kia has a number of ads that run off all the features and options of its new Optima sedan. This isn't one of them. This is an exercise in cool-by-assocation. Could there have been a better coming out party for its new model than having Rookie of the Year Blake Griffin leap over one to win the Slam Dunk Contest?

Year: 1961
Car(s) featured: Ford Falcon

Two of Charles Schulz's characters from the Peanuts gang help Ford explain the main selling points of the new Falcon compact car. We know they say the best message is one a child can understand, but didn't anyone find it a bit odd that Linus and Pigpen knew so much about miles-per-gallon or what would "rank high with the buying public"?

Year: 1968
Car(s) featured: Subaru 360

What do you do when people disparage your product by calling it cheap and ugly? Well, if you're Subaru, you turn those jabs into selling points. For its first round of U.S. commercials, the Japanese automaker played off the fact that its car looked much different than the competition and carried a lower price tag. To be fair, the car was cheap and pretty ugly, but if we learned anything from 8-Mile, it was to take shots at yourself so your opponents have nothing to say. Over 40 years later, Subaru is still here.

Year: 2011
Car(s) featured: Chevrolet Silverado

Chevy wants you to believe that the Silverado is more than one of the best trucks on the market; it wants you to think of Motor Trend's Car of the Year as your best friend or as part of the fam. This ingenious commercial puts the Silverado in the role of Lassie, alerting the family of their son's danger. If Google has its way and fully develops those automous driving cars, this may very well be a reality in the near future.

Year: 2007
Car(s) featured: Audi A4

Audi's good for throwing shots its competitors way. While Lexus getting tons of press for its top-of-line sedan that could park itself, the four-ringed brand turned its nose up at the hype, deciding that its drivers could park their own damn cars.

Year: 2002
Car(s) featured: BMW Z4

To be fair, though amazing, "Ticker" wasn't really a commercial. It was part of BMW's short film series called "The Hire" staring Clive Own as a hired driver. This installment, which starred Don Cheadle and Ray Liota, was helmed by Smokin' Aces director Joe Carnahan. Due to its great cast, great chase scenes, and plot, It was our favorite film in the whole series. If only Carnahan's full-length flicks were as good.

Year: 2008
Car(s) featured: Chevrolet Malibu

We love when car companies—or any company for that matter—recognizes the short comings of its products. Chevy realized that the design of its Malibu model had become so bland and boring that it was damn near invisible. Sometimes you have to be able to laugh at yourself.

Year: 2011
Car(s) featured: Audi A8

Branding is all about story. Craft the perfect tale and people will buy into it. Look at Audi. Despite being only 23 years younger than Mercedes-Benz, the four-ring brand paints the tri-star as an old world luxury brand, and itself as the younger, cooler, upstart. And thanks to well-done ads like this one, that story works perfectly.

Year: 2008
Car(s) featured: Lexus LS460

Paying homage to the first commercial it ran for its LS sedan over 20 years ago, Lexus simply shows off a feature that no other car on the road had: the ability to park itself. This commercial had people talking for months, wondering if Lexus' top-of-the-line model could really autonomously parallel park. Sometimes you have to keep it simple.

Year: 2010
Car(s) featured: Ford Fiesta

Does a manufacturers involvement auto racing still help sell cars? We're not sure. But we do know we were tempted to go cop a Ford Fiesta after seeing Ken Block whip around his 'hood in a race-prepped version. Yes, we know a regular ol' Fiesta won't be able to do a third of what Block's ride can, but damn, we can dream, can't we?

Year: 2010
Car(s) featured: Dodge Charger

It's most men's fear to grow up, get married, and lose their balls sense of self. Dodge feels your pain. While it doesn't say not to appease your women, Dodge recommends you buy a toy that'll bring you some semblance of happiness: a Charger. We'd go for something more exotic with two doors, but we dig the sentiment.

Year: 2008
Car(s) featured: Mercedes-Benz W125, 300SL, CLK, McLaren SLR, SL, CLS

More so than its design, performance, and attention to detail, Mercedes-Benz sells customers its strong automotive history. Starting with its early road cars, then going to its Silver Arrows race cars before moving in to its current model line-up, M-B wants you to know the legacy you're buying into when you purchase a tri-star car.

Year: 1985
Car(s) featured: Citroen CX

We're not entirely sure what the point of this commercial is. Grace Jones—the Jamaican singer/actress/model who was popular in the '80s—drives a Citroen CX out of a large model of her own head, drives into the desert, pulls a u-turn, screams at the camera, and drives back into her head. Very memorable, but very Strangé.

Year: 2011
Car(s) featured: Entire Mercedes-Benz model line

Remember that thing we said about Mercedes-Benz selling its customers on its lineage? For its first Super Bowl commercial, M-B once again goes for the heritage play as it showcases cars from its 125-year history. The early models come to life and make a trek to meet the new jacks, with Diddy's (yep, Diddy) Benz going along for the ride.

Year: 2006
Car(s) featured: None

The best messages are the simplest. In its attempt to differentiate itself from other luxury brands, Audi makes the bold claim to be better than all of them combined. The other cool thing about this ad? There's not one car in it.

Year: 2011
Car(s) featured: Chrysler 200

In one of the most talked about commercials from Super Bowl XLV, Chrysler taps Eminem to put on for their city. Riding through Detroit in a new Chrysler 200, viewers get a tour of a city they only hear about through news headlines. The message that Detroit, like Chrysler, is in the rebuilding phase was great and much needed. Here's hoping the two really do manage to turn their fortunes around.

Year: 1997
Car(s) featured: Nissan Maxima

Are we the only ones that believe birds really do plot on which car to defecate on? Obviously not, as Nissan puts together this Top Gun-inspired ad for its four-door sports car, the Maxima.

Year: 1991
Car(s) featured: Honda CRX HF

How do you sell a car to people during an energy crisis? Tell them very plainly that your car will save them money at the pump because it will get 41 mpg. No gimmicks, no tricks, no flash—just facts.

Year: 2007
Car(s) featured: Cadillac CTS, Pontiac Solstice, Chevrolet HR, Hummer H2

We'd hate to think that this exact thing happened to some of the actual GM employees that have lost their jobs over the past few years. When GM decides to hire more humans to work in its production plants and begins to lay off some of the assembly robots, one robot attempts to get other jobs before finding his life incomplete. Seeing no other solution, the robot attempts to end it all before... well, we won't spoil it for you.

Year: 1991
Car(s) featured: Nissan 300zx Twin Turbo

Nissan had one message to get across when it was promoting the new

300ZX Twin Turbo: that it was fast as hell. With this ad that shows it

outrunning a fighter jet, we think it was mission accomplished. Hey, who says

you can't use a little artistic license?

Year: 2010
Car(s) featured: Kia Sorento

Though it seemed a little weird at first, Kia's first Super Bowl spot was pretty awesome. Featuring a host of toys: a Sock Monkey, Muno (from kids

show Yo Gabba Gabba!), Robot, Teddy, and MR. X (from the Blabla

dolls collection), they make a Kia look like a ride you would actually

want to take a road trip in with your crew. Can you imagine riding

through Vegas in a Kia? Nah, neither can we, but at least you'd save some dough for all your "indiscretions."

Year: 1968
Car(s) featured: Volkswagen Beetle

For the 1968 model year, Volkswagen added a bevy of new features to its most popular model. The most noteworthy of the lot was the new Automatic Stick Shift transmission which gave drivers the ability to shift gears without pressing a clutch pedal. Despite this memorable commercial, the feature never took off.

Year: 1966
Car(s) featured: Chevrolet Camaro SS

To differentiate itself from the segment-creating Ford Mustang that launched two years prior, Chevrolet used this commercial to basically bill the Camaro as unlike any other pony car, or any other car for that matter, on the road.

Year: 1997
Car(s) featured: Porsche 911

We're sure its against the rules, but if we were working as valet drivers and someone rolled up in a brand new 911, we'd lose our minds like DMX on a freeway. We'd get fired, but it would be worth it.

Year: 2001
Car(s) featured: Volkswagen Jetta VR6

How fast was Volkswagen's fouth-generation Jetta VR6? Able to hit 60 mph in about 7 minutes and 44 seconds. Or, fast enough to the guy in this commercial to the wedding of the woman he loves before she exchanged vows.

Year: 2004
Car(s) featured: Honda Pilot

This commercial would be nothing without Scott Adsit—better known as Peter Hornberger on 30 Rock. As a guy raised by wolves trying to live a maintain and nine-to-five and raise a family, Adsit plays it perfectly.

Year: 1998
Car(s) featured: BMW M5

BMW almost didn't build the E39 M5. With 282 horsepower, the company felt that the 540i model was powerful enough for most drivers. Competition called, however, in the form of Mercedes-Benz's E55 AMG which put out 349 hp. To one-up its German brethren, BMW decided to build a new M5 with a class-leading 394 hp. At the time it was the fastest production sedan in the world. To celebrate and drive the point home, BMW came out with this commercial.

Year: 2009
Car(s) featured: Audi A6

Audi recruits The Transporter, Jason Statham, to jump through time driving a multitude of different luxury sports cars before winding up at the new A6. If there was ever a brand that could do a short film series akin to BMW's "The Hire" it's Audi. We nominate Statham as the driver. What do you say, Audi?

Year: 1990
Car(s) featured: Nissan 300zx

The award for best use of children's toys goes to Nissan. Playing off Toy Story, the ad employs Ken as a playboy looking for love when the owners are away. Keep watching 'til the end to see a surprise guest.

Year: 2007
Car(s) featured: Ferrari Formula 1 race cars

Alright, so this isn't technically a car commercial; more so a commercial about cars—race cars. But it's so well done it deserves to be on the list. Celebrating the partnership between Shell and Scuderia Ferrari (Ferrari's race team), the commercial goes through history, highlighting all the great Ferrari race cars of the past. You can't buy anything in this commercial, unless you count the race fuel that powers the cars.

Year: 1989
Car(s) featured: Lexus LS400

The Lexus LS 400 was designed from the ground up to take on the world's top luxury sedans. To do so, Toyota spent $1 billion and took five years to perfect it. When it launched in the United States in 1989 it proved to be more advanced than both the current BMW 7 Series and the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. It had a higher top speed, lower weight, more tech features like an electrochromic rear-view mirror, and it was quieter than the competition with 58 dB rating at 62 mph. It was smooth. Smooth enough to ride with a pyramid of glasses on its hood and not crack 'em.

Year: 1998
Car(s) featured: Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Most companies wouldn't dare risk basing their commercial on something as taboo as infidelity, but most companies aren't Mercedes-Benz. Advertising its 4Matic all-wheel-drive system, Benz shows that if you buy one of its cars, you'll never catch an L. #Winning

Year: 2008
Car(s) featured: Volkswagen Jetta

Shock value goes a long way, especially when mixed with real facts. Unless its in a crash test facility, you'd be hard pressed to see a car maker show its cars getting wrecked on the road. VW bucked that trend to show people just how safe its cars are. It ruffled the feathers of a few people who claimed the ads were a bit troubling, but if you're not ruffling any feathers, you're not really making an impact.

Year: 2003
Car(s) featured: Honda Accord Sport Wagon

To help boost its sales in the U.K., Honda tapped Wieden+Kennedy to revive its image as a staid and boring Japanese automaker. What it got was a 120-second commercial that showed a bunch of car parts, starting with a transmission bearing, come together to make up the seventh-generation Honda Accord. The ad, which caused some copyright controversy when Peter Fischili and David Weiss accused W+K of plagiarizing a previous work of their, went on to win almost every advertising award that year and has been the inspiration for a number commercials.

Year: 2009
Car(s) featured: Audi R8

By our count, no car company takes as many shots at competitors in commercials as Audi. The German automaker began its barrage on the luxury automotive world this this 2008 Super Bowl ad where, riffing on a scene from the The Godfather, it sends warning to the "old guard" that it's coming for the throne. It's the best warning shot, manifesto, and in our opinion, the best car commercial ever.