The 14 Worst Car Commercials Of All Time
Not all commercials are created equally. Some are absolutely brilliant, and some are, well, some are what you're about to see. We dug deep through the most hilariously awful car commercials in history and found that no matter the decade you look through, the automotive industry's had some doozies. To wit...
1. Honda
To introduce their new diesel engine to the UK in 2004, Honda released a 90-second commercial centered on hating diesels, complete with butterflies, rainbows, and...bazooka-carrying rabbits.
2. Mercury
This one's pretty straight-forward: a commercial for a Cougar, so naturally they put Farah Fawcett in it. And plenty of actual cougars roaring. "New action for the cat-set." Riiiiight.
3. Hyundai
This commercial tells us exactly two things about the car: It's available in at least two different colors, and the passenger seat reclines all the way if you happen to be out for a drive with a lover you don't want anyone knowing about.
4. Toyota
Toyota is basically saying it changed almost nothing about the Corolla, but if you just drink some magical apple juice, the "subtle changes" will blow your mind.
5. Pontiac
The now-defunct GM division once came up with a totally '80s ballad for a "We build excitement!" campaign...that featured a bunch of Fieros.
6. FIAT
We'd do the same thing here; that guy on the bike deserved it.
7. Studebaker
There's really no telling what drugs Studebaker's ad firm was on when it decided that the best way to introduce the 1956 lineup was with a combination of balloons and what appears to be hopping and skipping medieval jesters.
8. Volkswagen
That time when Dustin Hoffman spent nearly a minute bragging about a new VW, including the fact that it has carpeting and can go up to 84 miles per hour.
9. Fiat (again)
You get a gold star if you can tell us what, exactly, a surreal dreamscape involving a diver and PG-13 amounts of gratuitous cleavage have to do with a base model five door Italian car.
10. Dodge
This one's very simple to understand. If you buy a new Dodge Charger, you can leave your significant other stranded on a beach, because bikini-clad women will want to run off with you.
11. Dodge (again)
Actually, Dodge, if you're listening, can you just remake this one for the Hellcat? It's basically perfect.
12. Volkswagen (again)
So, the original VW Beetle is many things, but a supremely powerful vehicle isn't one of them. Don't tell that to this congenial German, though.
13. Datsun
Strictly speaking, we're not entirely sure this commercial is even legal it's got so much subliminal messaging in it.
14. Nissan
This entire Nissan commercial is centered on proud Hyundai owner Andy Richter murdering his neighbor in a jealous fit over his Toyota Prius.
Aaron Miller is the Rides editor for Supercompressor. He first saw that Honda diesel commercial a decade ago and still gets it in his head from time to time. Sing it with him on Twitter.