Most significant cars of the decade

[Vinsanity]

I hope this thread doesn't degenerate into an argument over what year this decade ends, but it seems that most would agree with me that it runs from the beginning of 2000 through the end of 2009. With this in mind, what cars would you consider among the most significant over the past 10 years? To be fair to the "2001-2010" crowd, I'll make a compromise allowing any model year from 2001-2010, or any car released during the calendar years 2000-2009. Here's what I've come up with so far:

2004 Toyota Prius
2002 Cadillac Escalade
2003 Cadillac CTS
2003 Infiniti G35
2003 Nissan 350Z
2009 Nissan GT-R
2010 Chevrolet Camaro
2002 Mini Cooper
2003 Hummer H2
2009 Hyundai Genesis sedan
2004 Lexus RX
2002 BMW 7-series
2005 Chrysler 300C

I'll follow Hemi's lead, and will use this thread to gather suggestions for a poll I'll put up on the 30th. What other cars would you suggest?

[2o6]

2000 Ford Focus. (1998 to the rest of the world)

Showed that besides the Neon, the US can make a great small car.


2003-2004 Scion xB.


Showed Americans that all small cars aren't bland, boring, cramped penalty boxes. It also showed that funkily styled cars can have a mainstream appeal.

[Onslaught]

2000 Ford Focus. (1998 to the rest of the world)

Showed that besides the Neon, the US can make a great small car.

Hold on, you think the Neon was a great small car?

[2o6]

Hold on, you think the Neon was a great small car?

From an enthusiast's perspective.


Quality/Reliability, not so much.

[zps2004]

Neon SRT-4? showed the FWD import guys what American muscle was like.

[2o6]

Neon SRT-4? showed the FWD import guys what American muscle was like.

Even the regular 1st gen Neon was a pretty Jovial car. It just had some serious quality issues.


2400Lbs and 140 HP is pretty good. 170HP and 2400lbs is downright nippy.

[the Teuton]

The Neon was a fantastic feat.

But the car of the decade, without a doubt, it the Toyota Prius. I would put the PT Cruiser up there, too, as well as Tesla Roadster, Bugatti Veyron, and the Toyota Highlander/Lexus RX.

[GoCougs]

I'd go so far as to include the 2005 Mustang GT.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

I'll say the 300C. Only because it brought back the rear drive V8 powered sedan.

[zps2004]

I am amazed I didn't think of the Veyron.  I need to go to bed.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

The 'Slade made every Luxury brand want a big SUV! So It would be high on my list too.

[the Teuton]

And it was Caddy's first "Art & Science" vehicle, too. The Evoq was the first A&S concept, and it evolved from there. Quick timeline:

[3.0L V6]

2008-present Chevrolet Malibu
2006-present Ford Fusion

These cars, while relatively ordinary compared to their peers, showed that someone in both GM and Ford finally realized that these companies needed competitive mid-sized sedans. Winning just based on price wasn't going to do it. Pushrod engines, four speed A/Ts (for the most part) and crummy interiors were sent to the dust bin and these cars emerged, restoring them to actual competitors in the mid-sized sedan market.

2004 - present Hyundai Sonata
2000 - present Hyundai Elantra
2008 - present Hyundai Genesis

These cars just show the massive rise of the Korean auto industry and show the fact that within about 20 years, the Koreans are almost on par with the Japanese for building cars that will sell well in North America

Enthusiast's mention:

Pontiac G8 - The best muscle sedan to grace the shores of North America from GM. V8 power, excellent handling, six-speed stick and rear wheel drive dressed in good styling. Sadly, no one else noticed it. Maybe someday I'll buy one used.

Chevrolet Cobalt SS turbocharged - Sure, it was a Cobalt, but 260hp and a performace suspension made it fun. Again, when prices come down in a few years, it'll be on my list of used cars to buy.

[2o6]

And it was Caddy's first "Art & Science" vehicle, too. The Evoq was the first A&S concept, and it evolved from there. Quick timeline:

Actually, it was the CTS. They don't count the Escalade as Art & Science.

[nickdrinkwater]

I'm grudgingly going to say the MINI.

[the Teuton]

Actually, it was the CTS. They don't count the Escalade as Art & Science.

The thing is a glorified Tahoe, no? But the front end was all A&S.

[Colonel Cadillac]

Actually, it was the CTS. They don't count the Escalade as Art & Science.

Nope, pretty sure they considered the Escalade A&S, but the CTS was the big deal to really introduce the look. I definitely remember A&S being incorporated into the ad campaign for the 'Slade.

[Colonel Cadillac]

The thing is a glorified Tahoe, no? But the front end was all A&S.

It was a glorified Tahoe, but everyone on here shits on if because it had a subpar interior. Otherwise, it was a great full size SUV. Hell, it was the most powerful SUV on the market for a couple years. There were definitely some valuable differences between the Tahoe and the Escalade.

[sportyaccordy]

Without a doubt, the G35

It's a great car, and is iconic of Ghosn's saving Nissan from the brink, while creating (generally) quality cars through smart platform/engine sharing

Is it on par with the E46/E90? No, but it also costs like 10K less comparably equipped, and is much faster (bar the E90 330/335). Plus it was a catalyst in the installation of engines that actually get luxury cars moving. Think; w/o the G35, I really doubt Audi/BMW/MB would have upgraded their main engines to 260+ HP. I think the whole luxury car market has benefitted greatly from the power wars.

To a degree the Altima V6 did the same for mainstreamers, but the value of a 300 HP FWD Camry is minimal at best.

[Vinsanity]

Plus it was a catalyst in the installation of engines that actually get luxury cars moving. Think; w/o the G35, I really doubt Audi/BMW/MB would have upgraded their main engines to 260+ HP. I think the whole luxury car market has benefitted greatly from the power wars.

That's actually a very convincing argument. When the G35 first came out with 260 hp, it pretty much caught all other 6-cylinder luxury cars with their pants down, especially the CTS which had just come out the exact same time with a mere 225 hp. The VQ35's power output had rivaled the establishment's V8 engines, and even threw Lexus' powerplant heirarchy out of whack for one model year (in engaging in the hp wars, Lexus introduced the '350 V6 engine which outmuscled their own old '430 V8). It's very reminiscent of when the Q45 first came out in 1990 with 276 hp, outgunning the Corvette, and IIRC, matching the output of the Mercedes 560 engine.

[Submariner]

2004 Toyota Prius

Yes - Started a "go green" automotive revolution.

2002 Cadillac Escalade

Yes - Made big luxury SUV's cool...and Dubs a household word.

2003 Cadillac CTS

No - It's a good vehicle, but not particularly groundbreaking, and it certainly wasn't a major step forward from it's competitor's.  A good car nonetheless. 

2003 Infiniti G35

No - Another good car, but like the CTS, it wasn't an astonishing achievement over the competition.

2003 Nissan 350Z

No - See above.

2009 Nissan GT-R
2010 Chevrolet Camaro
2002 Mini Cooper
2003 Hummer H2
2009 Hyundai Genesis sedan

No - Decent luxury at a good price doesn't make this car significant - it makes it well priced.  The Hyundai is a good car, but it isn't great.  It certainly hasn't generated the media hype Hyundai was aiming for, either.  Perhaps a few more years as a halo vehicle will help the brand, but it like the coupe aren't doing what I thought they would for Hyundai (I STILL have not seen one Genesis coupe)

2004 Lexus RX

No - A good vehicle, but bland as butter.  It's predecessor had more to do with the foundation of mid size, car-based luxury SUV's, but I'd go even further to say the real founder was the first generation Mercedes ML...even though it was truck based.

2002 BMW 7-series

Yes - Not nearly the car it's predecessor was, but how many companies have copied that dreadful i-drive, or the bangle butt for that matter?

2005 Chrysler 300C

[Xer0]

2004 Toyota Prius
2002 Cadillac Escalade
The Prius is the star the Insight could never be and the Escalade made dubs a household word.  Although not nearly as popular in the long run, the Navigator was also pretty important in the "Dub" scene...I guess you can call it that
2003 Cadillac CTS
2003 Infiniti G35
I would say these are cars that are significant for their respective brands rather than the industry as a whole.  Both went a long way towards establishing the brand as a legitimate player
2003 Nissan 350Z
2009 Nissan GT-R
Not sure, haven't made up my mind yet
2010 Chevrolet Camaro
Too soon to tell
2002 Mini Cooper
more of a cool niche car than an industry changer
2003 Hummer H2
fizzled out
2009 Hyundai Genesis sedan
Its impressive but more so from where it came from rather then what it is
2004 Lexus RX
While the ML may be the originator of this segment, the RX is definitely the one everyone wants to be.  So yes, I would put it up there
2002 BMW 7-series
Unfortunately, stupid idrive
2005 Chrysler 300C
The only recent, affordable RWD sedan that has come out since this thing made waves has been the G8 and the Genesis.  The G8 was a sales disaster and the Genesis was as anti 300C as possible.  So I?m still iffy.

[SVT_Power]

I think the prius has to be my pick if i chose one

[S204STi]

Impreza WRX, 2005 Mustang, 350Z, MINI Cooper S, Prius.

Subaru went out on a limb to test the waters with a car which brought a whole segment of Japanese superheros to our shores, everything from the WRX to the GTR.  The redesigned Mustang reinvigorated the retro-musclecar segment leading to the reintroduction of the Camaro and the Challenger.  The 350Z (as well as arguably the RX8) are responsible for setting a higher standard for value in the RWD sports car segment IMO.  The MINI challenged the idea that small cars have to be cheap, boring, and unexciting.  The Prius' relative success set the stage for a whole new segment of hybrid family cars.

[2o6]

The original xB should be on this list. It made small cars cool.

[Xer0]

Impreza WRX, 2005 Mustang, 350Z, MINI Cooper S, Prius.

Subaru went out on a limb to test the waters with a car which brought a whole segment of Japanese superheros to our shores, everything from the WRX to the GTR.  The redesigned Mustang reinvigorated the retro-musclecar segment leading to the reintroduction of the Camaro and the Challenger.  The 350Z (as well as arguably the RX8) are responsible for setting a higher standard for value in the RWD sports car segment IMO.  The MINI challenged the idea that small cars have to be cheap, boring, and unexciting.  The Prius' relative success set the stage for a whole new segment of hybrid family cars.

I was really tempted to nominate the WRX on this aswell. I remember when it first came out it was just dominating left and right.  Hell, Car and Driver even had a comparison of it against the M3 and S4!  I think it is partly responsible for all of this cheap, turbo speed we have now.  Ah hell, +1 on the WRX

[SVT666]

2005-2009 Mustang.  Without it, the Camaro and Challenger would have never made production.

[SVT666]

2002-2004 Ford SVT Focus.  Every manufacturer with a pocket rocket had to really step up their game when that car came out.

[2o6]

2005-2009 Mustang.  Without it, the Camaro and Challenger would have never made production.

No.

[SVT666]

No.

No?  Why the hell not?