2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer
I joined the Consumer Guide team the summer of 2002. That means that, in just a few months, I will have been writing about cars full-time for 20 years. I mention this because I have only recently begun to consider just how much the automotive landscape has changed in the past two decades.
Most obviously, crossovers and SUVs have replaced traditional passenger cars as the general public’s preferred mode of personal transportation. High-technology “driver assistance” features that were barely even considered in 2002 are now commonplace, and often standard equipment. Recall that backup cameras–now a federally mandated safety feature–weren’t even available on new cars back in ’02.
Pickup trucks have changed, too. In some of their high-end trim levels, Ram pickups now rival top luxury-brand vehicles in terms of cabin refinement, and the regular-cab body style is now near extinction.
It saddens me a little that I am among the few people to recall—let alone care about—a failed attempt to resurrect the Studebaker brand that took place about 15 years ago. I also need to point out that the Kia Sedona minivan now starts around $31,000–considerably more than the $19,000 teased in the ad below.
Collected here are 12 car and truck ads–all but one of them from 2002. (We fudged a bit by including a 2003 Honda Civic Hybrid ad, but since the Civic Hybrid debuted in the spring of 2002 as an early 2003 model, it’s not much of a stretch.) I don’t know how nostalgic you feel yet about the cars of this century, but a close look at the ads below will demonstrate just how much things have changed. Of the dozen cars, seven are no longer in production, and two of the brands seen here are also now defunct. What big changes have you noted over the past 20 years? The place to leave comments is down below.
A Gallery of Car Ads from 2002
Chevrolet Trailblazer
2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer Ad
Test Drive: 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer LT
Chrysler PT Cruiser
2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser Ad
Review Flashback! 2007 Chrysler PT Cruiser
Ford Escape
2002 Ford Escape Ad
Test Drive: 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid
Honda Civic Hybrid
2003 Honda Civic Hybrid Ad
Honda Civic Growth Curve: 1986 Versus 2016
Jeep Liberty
2002 Jeep Liberty Ad
Jeep Liberty: A Lesson in “Old Skool”
Kia Sedona
2002 Kia Sedona Ad
Forgotten People-Movers: More than 30 Minivans You Don’t Remember
Lexus RX 300
2002 Lexus RX 300 Ad
The 4 Most Important Vehicles of the Past 30 Years
Mercury Mountaineer
2002 Mercury Mountaineer Ad
5 Discontinued Trucks You’ve Totally Forgotten About
Pontiac Grand Prix GTP
2002 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP Ad
Cheap Wheels: 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP Daytona 500 Pace Car Replica
Subaru Outback
2002 Subaru Outback Ad
Review Flashback! 2006 Subaru Baja
Toyota Celica
2002 Toyota Celica Ad
5 Cheap Coupes You’ve Completely Forgotten
Volvo Cross Country
2002 Volvo Cross Country Ad
Click below for enlarged images
Listen to the very entertaining Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast
2002-Model-Year Ads Gallery
Car Ads from 2002
![](http://asianfusiontruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/stop-and-go-madness-a-gallery-of-classic-car-ads-featuring-brakes-604x270.png)
Stop-and-Go Madness! A Gallery of Classic Car Ads Featuring Brakes
1986 Chevrolet Corvette
In terms of general statistical sexiness, brake performance has long taken a backseat to acceleration. Horsepower numbers are fun, 0-60-mph and quarter-mile times are fun. But braking? Most car guys know that reaching 60 mph from a stop in less than 6 seconds is an impressive feat. How many folks, I wonder, know what a decent time would be for coming to a complete stop from 60 mph?
It’s said that safety sells, but when it comes to classic car ads, the emphasis was always on power. Nonetheless, we did manage to find a number of great print ads extolling the virtues of superior braking performance.
Note that a few of the ads shared below are not for cars, but for suppliers and insurance firms. Seems that selling safety can be a complicated business.
1934 Studebaker
1934 Studebaker Ad
10-Gallon-Hat Madness! A Gallery of Cowboys in Classic Car Ads
1935 Plymouth
1935 Plymouth ad
Designer Madness! Fashion in Classic Car Ads
1951 Chrysler Corporation
1951 Chrysler Corporation Ad
Woodie Madness! Classic Ads Featuring Small Wood Sided Wagons
1951 Dow Chemicals
1951 Dow Chemicals Ad
National-Pastime Madness! A Gallery of Baseball-Themed Auto Ads
1953 Bendix-Westinghouse
1953 Bendix-Westinghouse Ad
Thanksgiving Madness! A Gallery of Autumn-Themed Auto Ads
1958 Buick
1958 Buick Ad
Cocktail Madness! A Gallery of Cars in Liquor Ads
1961 Liberty Mutual
1961 Liberty Mutual Ad
Nicotine Madness! A Gallery of Cars in Cigarette Ads
1965 Chevrolet Corvette
1965 Chevrolet Corvette Ad
Grabowsky Madness! 10 Classic GMC Ads
1975 Subaru
1975 Subaru Ad
Dead-Brand Madness! 10 Classic Edsel Ads
1976 Delco Moraine
Delco Moraine Ad/1976 Cadillac Eldorado
Soccer Mom Madness! 10 Classic Minivan Ads
1986 Chevrolet Corvette
1986 Chevrolet Corvette Ad
Urgent-Care Madness! 15 Classic Ambulance Ads
1987 Ford F-150
1987 Ford F-150 Ad
Canine Madness: 10 Classic Car Ads Featuring Dogs
1987 Pontiac 6000
1987 Pontiac 6000 Ad
Emerald Madness! 10 Classic Ads Featuring Green Cars
2009 Nissan Titan
2009 Nissan Titan Ad
Click below for enlarged images.
Listen to the very entertaining Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast
Car Ads Featuring Brakes Gallery
- 1934 Studebaker Ad
- 1935 Plymouth ad
- 1951 Chrysler Corporation Ad
- 1951 Dow Chemicals Ad
- 1953 Bendix-Westinghouse Ad
- 1958 Buick Ad
- 1961 Liberty Mutual Ad
- 1965 Chevrolet Corvette Ad
- 1975 Subaru Ad
- Delco Moraine Ad/1976 Cadillac Eldorado
- 1986 Chevrolet Corvette Ad
- 1987 Ford F-150 Ad
- 1987 Pontiac 6000 Ad
- 2009 Nissan Titan Ad
Car Ads Featuring Brakes