4 Most Popular '80s Cars
Serena Aburahma
· 4 min read
Cars from the '80s might not get as much attention as cars from other
decades like the '60s
, but they deserve their share of the spotlight too. The American car market was booming in the 1980s, and car brands
were quick to adopt new style trends to make new popular cars.According to
HotCars
, these are the most popular cars from the '80s. During the decade, these were the cars that filled the streets, and their sales numbers were impressive.
The most popular car of ‘86: the Chevy Celebrity
In 1986, the Chevrolet Celebrity lived up to its name by becoming a true icon. It sold 408,946 units, making it the most popular car of that year. Drivers loved the Celebrity for offering substantial interior space along with a surprisingly powerful V6.
Part of what makes the Chevrolet Celebrity such an icon of the '80s is that it was a short-lived model compared to other types of cars. Chevy only produced the Celebrity from 1982 to 1990, making it a single-generation car.
The car that’s popular to this day: the Honda Accord
Honda gave the Accord a total makeover for the 1989 model, and the result was a larger, more comfortable vehicle. Along with shifting from being a compact to a mid-size car, the 1989 Accord also saw significant improvements to its engineering. The result was a car with impressive power compared to the competition.
The 1989 Honda Accord was also noteworthy for selling 362,707 units, which was unheard of for a Japanese manufacturer in America at the time. Today, Honda consistently has high sales in the U.S., and, as evident by the
anticipation for the 2023 model
, the Accord is as popular as ever.An ‘80s classic: the Oldsmobile Cutlass
This two-door personal luxury car produced by General Motors was one of the most popular vehicles under the Oldsmobile name. Having already been a top-seller in the late '70s, the Cutlass started the '80s strong by selling 469,573 units for the 1980 model.
The dominance of the sporty sedan continued with the 1981 Cutlass as well, and it sold 454,188. Different variants of the Cutlass were made to cater to muscle fans and other specific enthusiasts. The highest-end Cutlass was the Cutlass Supreme, and the 1983 Supreme sold 331,179 units.
Which car was the most popular in the ‘80s?
Small cars were big in the 1980s, and companies like Honda really found their footing in the U.S.
through their small cars
. American manufacturers did eventually catch on to this trend and made wildly successful small cars of their own. One of the most consistently successful of these was the Chevrolet Cavalier, which first hit the market in 1982.The 1984 Cavalier became a top-seller for its power and different available options including a hatchback and a wagon. It was reviewed favorably compared to other small cars on the market at the time like the Toyota Camry, and it sold 383,752 units.
For the 1985 model, Chevrolet went with the mentality that you don't need to fix something that's not broken. This model had stylish quad headlights and a few other minor visual changes, but otherwise, it remained mostly the same as the 1984 Cavalier. Its momentum continued, and the 1985 Cavalier sold 422,927 cars.
Each of these cars has kept up a reputation decades later for being reliable, memorable, or innovative. Technological innovations have led to many great car models over the years, and technology can also change how you shop for car insurance.
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