The year 2000 was the dreaded year that the world feared that computers would suddenly go berserk, because of the Y2K problem. Nothing apocalyptic happened, but the year was memorable thanks to the millennial pop culture trends. Boy bands ruled the radio, the movie “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” was the top film and some really unique car models drove onto dealership lots.
While the year 2000 was more than two decades ago, those car models live on at EVOX Images’ car photos website. What were the top-selling vehicles in the year 2000? Here are the cars that were parked in the most driveways and that live on in car stock photos thanks to EVOX:
- Ford F-Series
- Chevrolet Silverado
- Ford Explorer
- Toyota Camry
- Honda Accord
- Ford Taurus
- Dodge Ram
- Ford Ranger
- Honda Civic
- Ford Focus
These models round out the 10 best-selling vehicles of 2000 (as noted by Car and Driver). If consumers feel like they are experiencing a bit of déjà vu, it’s because several of those Y2K models are still top-sellers. In fact, the Ford F-Series has been the most popular vehicle in America for decades (about 40 years now).
Last year, the Ram Pickup was the second most popular vehicle and the Silverado came in as the third most popular model. However, in the year 2000, SUVs had not yet hit become the popular vehicles they are today.
While the most popular vehicles of 2021 include mostly trucks and SUVs, the most popular vehicles of 2000 were mostly trucks and small cars. The only exception is the Ford Explorer (a large SUV).
The Toyota Camry and the Honda Civic remain top sellers today. Last year, the Camry was the sixth most popular vehicle, and the Honda Civic was the 10th most popular.
What Were the Coolest Cars of 2000?
While the most popular or best-selling vehicles of the year 2000 were pickup trucks and smaller sedans, the new millennium also featured many models that were unusual and incredibly memorable. These models have since been discontinued, but some of the vehicles live on via EVOX Images:
BMW Z3 M Roadster
The zippy BMW Z3 M Roadster just looked cool and retro. The Roadster was introduced in 1995 and was produced until 2002. The small sports car only fit two people, but the stylish coupe somehow seemed to channel the Roaring ‘20s and the wealth that decade implied. The Z3 also enjoyed the Bond mystique and was featured in GoldenEye.
Dodge Viper
Gear Patrol highlighted the Viper on its list of cool cars from the 2000s. The Dodge Viper originally sold for $67,225, which, in 2022 prices would be more than $112,000. The small Viper could fit two passengers and featured a 10-cylinder engine. It could accelerate from 0 to 60 in 4.2 seconds. Buyers interested in purchasing a Viper might expect to pay around $100,000 for a used model with a lower mileage.
Pontiac Montana
Before SUVs became the family car of choice, minivans were the dominant vehicle. Designed to seat around 7 or 8 passengers, minivans were a staple in school parent pick-up lines. The Pontiac Montana was discontinued in 2009. The Montana started at $23,765 during the 2000 model year, and, while this wasn’t necessarily the coolest car, it represents one of many minivans (and major brands) that no longer exist. EVOX still offers images of Montana.
Audi TT
The TT was produced from 1999 to 2006, and, unlike the Z3 Roadster and the Viper, it was designed for up to four passengers. It could accelerate from 0 to 60 in about 7.3 seconds and its curved body design leaned sleek and effortlessly cool. Its fuel efficiency also wasn’t bad; the TT could get 22 MPG in the city and 31 MPG on the highway. Check out all the photos of the 2000 TT with EVOX Images.
2000 Ford Cobra R
Many auto journalists have written about the 2000 Ford Cobra R. As DrivingLine explains, most other Mustangs of the period aren’t collectible, but the R is the exception. The 2000 model was the final year for the Cobra R, which could go from 0 to 60 in a little more than 4 seconds. The Cobra R also was a limited model—only 300 were produced. Finding one today isn’t easy.
2000 Daewoo Nubira
The Daewoo Nubira was offered as either a station wagon or a sedan; the model was produced from the late ‘90s until 2002. The Nubira sedan was priced less than $11,000. Daewoo Motors eventually went under, was acquired by General Motors and disappeared from the U.S. in 2002. The cars still live on via EVOX Images, though.
2000 Isuzu Amigo
Maybe the Amigo rings a bell because of the old commercials for the car back in the ‘90s. Consumers can still hunt down those old gems on YouTube, and the song will be stuck in the mind forever. The jingle was borrowed from Slinky. The small Amigo had a starting price of $18,215 and was actually a compact SUV. The Amigo could tow between 2,500 and 4,500 pounds. In 2009, Isuzu stopped selling passenger cars in the U.S. Have an Amigo on the lot? EVOX Images still offers automotive stock photography of this small SUV.
What Was the Worst Vehicle in 2000?
While some vehicles will be remembered for their classic and cool style and design—like the Viper, the TT and even the Roadster—some cars might be best left in the past. Motorbiscuit compiled a list of the worst cars of 2000s.
The third worst vehicle for the 2000s was, per the site, the Smart ForTwo. Smart no longer offers vehicles in the U.S., and, while the cars might have been cute and compact, they were really, really compact. MotorBiscuit also noted that its fuel efficiency was lacking for such a tiny vehicle, pointing out that the Prius offered better MPG. The car also didn’t fare well on the road, per the site.
Plus, thinking about getting into an accident on the highway in a car so small is simply panic-inducing.
The worst vehicle of the 2000s was the Pontiac Aztek, which made its debut in 2000.Maybe the Car and Driver headline says it all when summing up the Aztek: “Best Forgotten.” In a sort of funny turn of events, though, the article was written by Car and Driver to explain that the once ridiculed Aztek had become cool. The Aztek was featured in “Breaking Bad.” Will it become a cult classic?
Many writers and auto aficionados probably hope that the Aztek will simply stay in hiding. Car and Driver made its case for why the site maintains that the Aztek is anything but cool: “It was the antithesis of cool from the start. Pontiac introduced the production Aztek at the 2000 Detroit auto show. For its press conference, the company hired locals to stand around in a mock mosh pit….”
Dealerships might have an Aztek sitting on their lot now. The small—and ridiculed—vehicle also remains in the EVOX Images’ library. While some may argue that the Aztek needs to disappear, the photos remain the receipts that it does still exist, and it might actually be a hot seller.
For dealerships that need to highlight vehicles from older model years, EVOX Images is the best car photos website to find models from 1999 to today. Check out the inventory and maybe revisit some old favorite models from years past.