Family-Friendly Cars
By the 1990s the everyday family car had been transformed. Improvements had been made in the unsung areas of car development, such as soundproofing, windproofing, heating, and ventilation. Electronics to make engines start instantly and run smoothly through a wide rev band were also introduced. Almost all cars, from the smallest models up, would now run quietly and comfortably at legal speed limits.
Fiat Cinquecento, 1991
| Origin | Italy/Poland |
| Engine | 903 cc, straight-four |
| Top speed | 83 mph (134 km/h) |
Giugiaro styled Fiat’s tiny four-seater for the 1990s, abandoning the rear-engined layout that had served Fiat for almost 40 years. It was neat and efficient and sold well.
Toyota Previa, 1990
| Origin | Japan |
| Engine | 2,438 cc, straight-four |
| Top speed | 108 mph (174 km/h) |
Toyota made this seven- or eight-seater exceptionally spacious for its length by placing the engine near-horizontal under the front seats, behind the line of the front axle. 4×4 was optional.
Fiat Multipla, 1998
| Origin | Italy |
| Engine | 1,581 cc, straight-four |
| Top speed | 106 mph (171 km/h) |
Short and wide compared with rival MPVs, the Multipla has two rows of three seats. It was hailed as one of the most innovative cars of its day, though it was also described as ugly.
Citroën Berlingo Multispace, 1996
| Origin | France |
| Engine | 1,360 cc, straight-four |
| Top speed | 94 mph (151 km/h) |
Related to Peugeot’s Partner, the Berlingo (shown here after its 2002 facelift) was offered as a van or an adaptable and inexpensive passenger vehicle, with an electric powered option.
Citroën Xsara Picasso, 1999
| Origin | France/Spain |
| Engine | 1,749 cc, straight-four |
| Top speed | 118 mph (190 km/h) |
Taking over from Renault’s Scenic as the best-seller in the compact MPV market in most of Europe, the Picasso was versatile and family-friendly.
Peugeot 206 XR, 1998
| Origin | France |
| Engine | 1,124 cc, straight-four |
| Top speed | 98 mph (158 km/h) |
By the end of production in 2010, 6.8 million 206s had been made, making it Peugeot’s best-seller. Engines ranged from 1.0 liter to the 2.0-liter Gti.
Peugeot 406 TD 2.1, 1995
| Origin | France |
| Engine | 2,088 cc, straight-four |
| Top speed | 118 mph (190 km/h) |
This large family car proved popular. It had engines from 1.6 to 3.0 liters, and in turbodiesel form it enjoyed a 10-year production life until it was replaced by the 407.
Alfa Romeo 156 TS 2.0, 1997
| Origin | Italy |
| Engine | 1,970 cc, straight-four |
| Top speed | 133 mph (214 km/h)) |
Alfa achieved class-leading styling with this sporting sedan. Features include concealed rear door handles to give it a coupé look.
Subaru Forester, 1997
| Origin | Japan |
| Engine | 1,994 cc, flat-four |
| Top speed | 111 mph (179 km/h) |
Subaru’s tough 4×4 station wagon offered comfortable road driving thanks to its low, flat engine. This made it more versatile than its competitors, though its looks were fairly uninspiring.
Rover 25 VVC, 1999
| Origin | UK |
| Engine | 1,796 cc, straight-four |
| Top speed | 127 mph (204 km/h) |
Based on engineering from Honda pre-1994, the 25 was well equipped and good value, with engines from 1.1 to 2.0 liters.
Volkswagen Sharan, 1995
| Origin | Germany/Portugal |
| Engine | 1,984 cc, straight-four |
| Top speed | 110 mph (177 km/h) |
Also sold as the SEAT Alhambra and produced alongside the similar Ford Galaxy, Volkswagen’s people-carrier didn’t have the best reliability record. Engines ranged from 1.8 to 2.8 liters.
Volvo V70 T5, 1997
| Origin | Sweden |
| Engine | 2,319 cc, straight-five |
| Top speed | 152 mph (245 km/h) |
After the success of the 850 T5, Volvo rounded off the angular style and added a high-pressure turbocharger to create this unassuming, high-spec “Q-car.”
Volkswagen Golf GTI Mk4, 1997
| Origin | Germany |
| Engine | 1,781 cc, straight-four |
| Top speed | 138 mph (222 km/h) |
The perennial hot hatch continued to sell well in its fourth generation with a turbo option. Volkswagen added a 3.2-liter 4×4 model too.
Renault Mégane Scénic, 1996
| Origin | France |
| Engine | 1,598 cc, straight-four |
| Top speed | 106 mph (171 km/h) |
Having led the MPV market with the Espace, Renault kickstarted the compact MPV market with the Scénic, based on the small, family-car platform of the Megane. The Scenic sold far more than expected.
Volkswagen Beetle, 1998
| Origin | Germany |
| Engine | 1,984 cc, straight-four |
| Top speed | 115 mph (185 km/h) |
A bulky front-wheel-drive hatchback based on the Golf platform seemed an unlikely retro successor to the original Beetle, but the Beetle’s long-lasting appeal has kept it selling into 2011.
Renault Kangoo, 1997
| Origin | France |
| Engine | 1,390 cc, straight-four |
| Top speed | 97 mph (156 km/h) |
Renault’s adaptable van/MPV (sold as a Nissan in some markets) boasted sliding side doors and a wide range of options, including 4×4. The model shown reflects a 2003 facelift.
Mercedes-Benz A-class, 1997
| Origin | Germany |
| Engine | 1,598 cc, straight-four |
| Top speed | 113 mph (182 km/h) |
Offering a compact hatchback car was a radical step for Mercedes-Benz, forced by market trends. Doubts over its responsiveness-though challenged by Mercedes-Benz-forced an embarrassing recall.
Audi A2, 2000
| Origin | Germany |
| Engine | 1,390 cc, straight-four |
| Top speed | 107 mph (172 km/h) |
Audi brought high technology to the supermini with the aluminum, ultra-economical A2. However, Audi discovered that customers were led more by price and looks than quality and pedigree, and sales were somewhat disappointing.
It is a quote. The Definitive Visual History Of The Automobile 2011
