Cars from the 1970s featured some quirky compacts to reliable imports. These budget-friendly rides weren’t just transportation; they were the backdrop to first dates, road trips, and countless memories.
Some teens from the 1970s were lucky enough to drive these new. Other generations, like the kids from the 1980s, might have driven one as a hand-me down. Either way, these were some interesting cars that were affordable – and many were actually fun to drive!
Read on and take a trip back in time to the 1970s and see what all the cool kids were driving.
1. Ford Pinto
The Pinto was one of the cheapest American cars available in 1972, with a base price of under $2,000. This was a requirement by then Ford President, Lee Iacocca. The Ford Pinto was in production from 1971 until 1980 and was offered in three different body styles. More than 3 million Pintos were produced over its production run, beating out most of its major competitors.
Despite its later reputation for safety issues, it was initially popular among young drivers due to its low cost.
2. AMC Gremlin
Another affordable option, the Gremlin had a base price of $1,879 in 1970 for its 2-person model. The car was also offered as a four-seat hatchback with a rear window that opened. During its reign, there were 671,475 units produced only to be replaced by the AMC Spirit.
3. Chevrolet Vega
The Vega was Chevrolet’s entry in the compact car market, with a base price of $2,090 in 1971. It was popular among young drivers looking for an American-made economy car, but also came with a lot of problems as consumers begin to question the quality.
4. Volkswagen Beetle
The iconic “Bug” remained a popular choice throughout the 1970s due to its affordability, reliability, and ease of maintenance. Production of the Beetle ran from 1938-2003, and produced over 21.5 million cars.
There is a town in Mexico that loves Beetles and is doing their best to keep them alive and well.
5. Ford Maverick
The Ford Maverick was produced from 1970 – 1977 with 2.1 million being produced during that time. In its first year, almost 579,000 were produced, giving the Mustang a run for its money. The car was released with a price under $2,000 for the base model.
6. Datsun 510
The Datsun 510, produced from 1968 to 1973, was a game-changing vehicle that transformed perceptions of Japanese cars in the United States. Priced competitively at $1,935 for a 1970 two-door sedan, it offered European-inspired design, independent rear suspension, and a 1.6L engine producing 96 horsepower.
7. Toyota Corolla
By 1974, the Toyota Corolla was the best-selling car in the world. Over 12 generations of the car, there were 50 million sold. The third-generation Corolla, introduced in 1974, offered enhanced safety features like three-point emergency locking retractor seat belts as standard on all models – a first for any Toyota vehicle. These cars were priced at roughly $2,700.
8. Chevrolet Nova
The Chevrolet Nova SS was a popular performance variant of the Nova compact car in the early 1970s. In 1970, Chevrolet offered three SS packages for the Nova, with the top-tier L78 SS 396 featuring a 375 horsepower 396 cubic inch V8 engine.
Out of 254,242 Novas sold in 1970, 19,558 were SS models, with the Z26 SS package attracting 12,346 buyers. The 1970 Nova SS could be had for around $2,500 base price, though fully optioned models could reach over $4,000.
9. Dodge Dart
My very first car was a gold Dodge Dart and I will always regret not keeping it. As a teen of the 1980s who would really appreciate a car from 1973? We all wanted the IROC or the TransAm!
The Dodge Dart remained a popular compact car throughout the 1970s, with total production of over 1.3 million units from 1970-1976. In 1970, the Dart received styling updates and offered performance variants like the Swinger 340, which could be had for around $2,800 and produced up to 275 horsepower from its 340 cubic inch V8 engine.
10. Plymouth Duster
The Plymouth Duster was a highly successful compact car introduced in 1970 as a fastback coupe variant of the Valiant. It quickly became a sales hit, with Plymouth selling an impressive 217,192 Dusters in its first model year alone.
The Duster offered excellent value, starting at just $2,172, and was available with engines ranging from economical Slant Six options to the performance-oriented 340 cu in V8 that produced 275 hp in early models. The Duster remained popular throughout the early 1970s, reaching peak production of 281,378 units in 1974 before declining sales led to its discontinuation after the 1976 model year.
These cars were popular choices for new drivers in the 1970s due to their affordability, relatively good fuel economy (important during the decade’s oil crises), and ease of maintenance. Many of them have since become collectible classics, though they can still be found at reasonable prices compared to more sought-after muscle cars of the era.
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