yeah 90s was the best era. late 90s in particular, and a lot of models created in the late 90s were still sold into the mid 2000s. any model released after 2002 was a step backwards, but it wasn't until the late 2000s that there were essentially no new cars left at dealerships that were designed prior to 2002. apart from all the saftey improvements that happened in the 90s, the ride quality and comfort of mid to low range cars also progressed a lot. i know that petrolheads don't care so much about this, but things like cabin noise, suspension, electric windows etc make a big difference to the average person. and the 90s was just the sweet spot for the average consumer. yes there is more electrical complexity than the 70s and 80s, but the added features and comfort justified these changes. it was only once we moved into the 21st century that compromise shifted out of balance and the new features did not justify the added complexity. i don't know so much about american cars, and maybe they had become considerably less reliable by the 90s which is why many americans prefer earlier decades. but japanese manufacturing and quality arguably peaked in the 90s, which is why to this day the best and most practical car for your average person to own is a japanese car from this era.
Australia