Chrysler's 1990 Lineup Reminds Us of a World Before SUVs

The year is 1990. George W. Bush’s dad is the president, my parents haven’t met yet, and the world hasn’t been hit with the SUV bug just yet. It’s a simple time. A time when sedans and coupes rule the automotive landscape. It’s a time when Chrysler thrived. We know this because the good folks over at MotorWeek shared their 32-year-old coverage of Chrysler Corp’s 1990 model lineup.

1990 Chrysler Full Model Line | Retro Review

It’s a thing of nearly-SUV-less beauty. In fact, by my count, in 1990 Chrysler Corp was coming to bat with seven sedans, six coupes and a convertible, three minivans, three trucks, and just three SUVs across the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Eagle brands.

Think about how far we’ve come. In 2022, Jeep alone builds seven different SUVs/crossovers, and there are only two sedans across the entire model lineup (the 300, which is dying, and Charger, which is also dying). On top of that, there’s only one (1) coupe available from Stellantis right now – the Challenger. Sadly, there are no convertibles. That’s a crying shame if you ask me. I guess you can count the Wrangler, but still… meh.

Other than Chrysler Corp’s 1990 fleet being a bastion for sedans and coupes, there were some other notable highlights. John Davis, the goat, lets viewers know that almost all new Chrysler products will have drivers side airbags for 1990. What luxury, what safety!

All new for 1990 was the Chrysler Town & Country. It joined its siblings, the Plymouth Grand Voyager and Dodge Grand Caravan, in the lineup. But, since it was a Chrysler, it was all about luxury. That meant two things back then: leather seats and wood paneling. What more could you ask for?

It seems 1990 was quite a year for Chrysler. It’s one that will be hard to top forever (he says sarcastically).