Cars from the 1990s offered new and interesting technology, engine capabilities, and reliability scores. These are some cars we miss from the 1990s.

The sports cars offered during this decade were coming into their own. This was a wonderful time in the automotive industry, with fuel injection and engine-control computers becoming better and more reliable. Many automakers brought wild ideas to the mix to see what would work. Some cars worked great, while others weren’t quite as lucky.

Here are seven cars from the 1990s that we miss and should have continued forward to today but weren’t.

Nissan NX2000

The Nissan NX2000 was offered from 1991-1993, giving us a short-run model that was a small sports coupe that could have continued to be an impressive machine. This sporty coupe was similar to the Sentra SE-R, which became a legend in the Nissan world. The NX2000 used a 2.0-liter engine that sent plenty of power to the front wheels to make it fun. On the sporty side, this Nissan used a limited-slip differential and better rakes than the Sentra SE-R. Some models of the NX2000 even had a set of T-tops, a feature that died out after the 1990s.

Lincoln Mark VIII

The Lincoln Mark VIII name is mired with issues from a time when Lincoln wasn’t near the top of the luxury names offered. That said, this is one of the cars we miss from the 1990s because it was a much better car than the early versions that wore the same name. The Mark VIII was based on the Ford Thunderbird and used an incredible 4.6-liter V8 engine, making it one of the most powerful and stylish cars to wear the Lincoln brand name in many years.

Mercury Cougar

The Mercury brand disappeared in 2008, but before that time, the Cougar from 1999-2002 was an impressive car with excellent performance and power. This car was the sibling to the Contour, which was a midsize sedan sold in Europe. The Cougar was the sporty coupe version and the successor to the Ford Probe. The Cougar featured excellent handling and braking while adding advanced styling to the mix. Unfortunately, the demise of the Contour also meant the Cougar was destined for extinction.

Lotus Elan M100

One of the most unique cars of the 1990s that we miss is the Lotus Elan M100. This FWD car was unique in its lineup among a slew of RWD models. This sporty little roadster brought fun and balanced driving to the mix, offering a solid Lotus stance. The engine delivered 162 horsepower from a turbocharged engine. Unfortunately, the debut of the first Mazda MX-5 Miata meant the world had a small, sporty roadster at a fraction of the cost. The Lotus Elan M100 was just a little too late to stick around for long.

Oldsmobile Cutlass Quad 442

The Olds 442 from the 1970s is an incredible muscle car with a massive V8 engine and tons of torque. This new version that was offered from 1991-1992 used a large, naturally aspirated inline-four engine that produced 180 horsepower initially and 190 in later versions. This wasn’t a lot of power, but it was competitive for the early 1990s, which makes it a bit of a sleeper. In today’s world, this car wouldn’t compete at all, but it was a unique and desirable car in the 1990s.

Mercury Capri

The Mercury Capri was built in Australia and designed based on a Mazda, which might have been part of why it was only around from 1991-1994. This car had potential and is one of the cars we miss froa convertible roofm the 1990s that could have made it to today’s market with some serious help. The Capri featured a 2+2 configuration, , and a small trunk. This car wasn’t made for practicality, and it only offered 134 horsepower, but it could have been a contender with a bit more Ford influence.

Honda Civic Del Sol

The Honda Civic Del Sol was extremely unique and offered from 1993-1997 as a car that could have been offered for much longer. This little Civic was affordable, and it featured a 160-hp B16 engine that was pretty good for a small sports coupe. The uniqueness of this car was the removable targa roof panel. The Honda Civic Del Sol was cheap and fun, but the Miata was in the market and taking all roaster sales away from the competition.

These are seven of the cars we miss from the 1990s for one reason or another. They might not be the best cars of the era, but they offered personality and unique qualities during an interesting era in the automotive world.