Selecting the Century’s Best Super Bowl Car Commercial

The tables are set for Sunday’s Super Bowl LVIIII (or Super Bowl 58, for the Roman numerically challenged). The AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs, led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes, are seeking to become the first team since the 2004 Patriots to win back-to-back Super Bowls. Meanwhile, the NFC champion San Francisco 49ers look to avenge a loss to Kansas City in the 2020 Super Bowl and hoist the Lombardi Trophy for the first time since 1995. And as usual, in between the gridiron gallantry, we have the commercials. Super Bowl commercials have long occupied their own sphere in our pop culture landscape. Many Americans claim they look forward to the commercials more than the game itself, though that mentality has dropped off in recent years. That’s due in part to the game itself becoming generally more competitive than it used to be, but also because of the commercials becoming available for viewing well before kickoff. If you want to see this year’s crop of Super Bowl commercials, chances are you can hop online now and knock them out a week in advance. For the first three or four decades of the Super Bowl, car manufacturers admittedly didn’t leave the hugest cultural impact with their ads. From “Mean Joe Greene” (Coke) to “1984” (Apple), the most iconic commercials came courtesy of other industries. But as the century turned and our cars became more tech-integrated, their corresponding commercials became more ambitious. Some modern Super Bowl spots are downright cinematic. We’ve selected a handful of worthy finalists for the title of best Super Bowl car commercial of the century. Before declaring a winner, here are some of the nominees.

Disqualified: Honda – “Yearbook” (2017), Toyota – “Jessica Long” (2021)

In 2017, Honda maxed out their celebrity Rolodex, enlisting A-listers from Viola Davis to Robert Redford to dispense life advice straight from the pages of their old high school yearbooks. It’s a clever concept, even if it follows the recent trend of Super Bowl ads being overly reliant on famous faces. The larger issue is that it has little, if anything, to do with Honda – or cars in general. The same goes for Toyota’s 2021’s submission, which charted swimmer Jessica Long’s journey from adoption to the Olympic games. We appreciate when auto brands flex their creative muscles by venturing outside the box. But to qualify for a spot on a list of best car commercials, you’re kind of required to include, you know… a car.

The Nominees:

Audi – “The Chase” (2009) / Kia – “The Truth” (2014)

Hollywood and the auto industry have enjoyed a long, successful history together. Their relationship dates back to the days of Steve McQueen racing his Ford Mustang through the streets of San Francisco in 1969’s Bullit. For their 2009 Super Bowl commercial, Audi celebrated of the art of the car chase. It placed rising action star Jason Statham – best known for the Transporter and Crank film franchises at the time – behind the wheel of an Audi, unleashing the English enforcer to rip through a medley of action-packed chase sequences. Speaking of action movies, 2014 was the sweet spot for Matrix nostalgia. After all, we were just over a decade removed from the generally disappointing, trilogy capper Matrix Revolutions and nearly that far away from the more divisive comeback Matrix Resurrections. Kia correctly predicted that audiences were ready to return to the world of tinted glasses and leather jackets. They recruited Laurence Fisburne for their 2014 Super Bowl commercial, in which his Morpheus character reveals the hidden world of luxury cars. Physics-bending visuals (and opera music) ensue. Ultimately, Kia and Audi both arrived at the same conclusion: it’s hard to go wrong with the combination of cars and action films.

Hyundai – “First Date” (2016)

Is it that much of a stretch to call this one of Kevin Hart’s most convincing performances? The comedian is endearingly determined as an overprotective father in this 2016 ad. When his daughter is picked up for date night, Hart utilizes Hyundai’s Car Finder technology to essentially stalk the young couple throughout the evening. (Not to worry: its escalating absurdity puts it firmly in the realm of Dad Fantasy). It lacked the staying power to be crowned our winner, but it does raise intriguing questions about the state of privacy in a tech-first society. Maybe they could have explored that idea more – if each 30-second block of Super Bowl ad time didn’t cost an average of seven-million dollars.

Hyundai – “Smaht Pahk” (2020)

Is making fun of Boston accents low-hanging fruit? Of course. Is it also an entirely justifiable American tradition? Absolutely. In another inspired Hyundai commercial, native Bostonians Chris Evans and Rachel Dratch break out their best bad regional dialects. Fellow Bay Stater John Krasinski then joins the party to showcase the Sonata’s new Remote Smart Parking Assist feature. David Ortiz pops up at the end – because of course he does – and even Big Papi finds himself impressed by the Sonata’s ability to self-pahk.

Kia – “Robo Dog” (2022)

Kia’s spot for its all-electric EV6, centered around a robot dog, deserves a nomination for being centered around a robot dog. The circuital canine passes all its tests, but couldn’t the music department could have chosen something more inspired than “Total Eclipse of the Heart” for the umpteenth time?

Honorable Mention: Walmart – “Famous Cars” (2019)

This 2019 ad brings iconic cars from pop culture together in a Walmart parking lot, from Scooby-Doo’s Mystery Machine to the Jurassic Park tour vans. It’s a sweeping tribute to the mark these vehicles have left over the decades, and it all comes courtesy of… not an auto manufacturer, but Walmart. Given that our IP-driven culture is so oversaturated with these types of multiversal crossovers these days, we’re leaving the top of the podium open for a more creative (though still IP-based) selection.

The Winner: Volkswagen – “The Force” (2011)

For better or worse, Volkswagen’s landmark 2011 commercial changed the way we watch Super Bowl commercials. A week before the big game, Volkswagen made the then-uncommon decision to post their Star Wars-inspired spot online. It became a viral hit well before kickoff, racking up millions of YouTube views. Since then, nearly every Super Bowl advertiser has followed the same, online-first model. But Volkswagen’s marketing strategy shouldn’t be the lasting legacy of the commercial itself, which still charms 13 years later. Entirely devoid of dialogue, it stars a child in a pint-sized Darth Vader costume, attempting to make household items move with the power of The Force. It ends with the diminutive Sith Lord managing to influence the 2012 Passat sitting in the driveway… with an unnoticed assist from Dad’s key fob. Propelled by John Williams’ iconic score, the commercial reaches classic status when Little Vader – just as startled as you’d expect – attempts to process what he’s done. In an era when advanced technology was starting to become more intertwined with our automobiles, Volkswagen proposed that the cars we drive are capable of legitimate magic.

We Are the Champions

Whether or not you have skin in the Super Bowl – or are just tuning in to see if Taylor Swift can make it back from Tokyo in time for kickoff – know that Steven Nissan is working tirelessly on a winning game plan. This season, go long with a new or used Nissan, including the all-electric Ariya and Leaf. Let the winning team have Disney World; you have an appointment at Rocktown’s premier Nissan dealership, Steven Nissan.