See how popular vehicles like the Camry, Wrangler and F-150 have changed over the last 25 years

This story is part of CNET at 25We’re celebrating a quarter of a century of industrial technology and our role in telling you its story.

It’s hard to believe, however CNET celebrates its 25th birthday this month. We have grown by leaps and bounds in the last quarter of a century and have some of your favorite vehicles.

Do not you believe it? Well, we compared a number of cars and trucks from the 1995 model year to those from 2020 to see how much some popular nameplates have changed. The 95 Honda Civic, for example, is about the same size and weight as an accord from that time. Ford’s F-150 pickup has changed immensely, its maximum towing capacity has almost doubled. Keep scrolling and see if you’re as shocked as we are.

Chevrolet’s venerable class is the pony car class Camaro. Just like today, the 1995 model was offered in two body styles. You could get your mullet machine either as a coupe or as a convertible. In addition, the name and rolling of four wheels doesn’t have much that a 25 year old version of this Chevy has in common with today’s model.

For example, the 2.0-liter turbo engine of the Camaro 2020 delivers 275 horsepower, or just as much as the 5.7-liter LT1 V8 of the Alpha Dog of the Z28 model from 1995. But the comparison is even more shocking if one considered the stream ZL1 Model that swings 650 ponies. It is more than twice as powerful as the 95 model!

But it’s not just hardware under the hood that is very different. The 2020 Camaro’s wheelbase is almost 10 inches longer, although its body is about 5 inches shorter and offers dramatically more attractive proportions.

Sport utility vehicles like the Isuzu Trooper, Oldsmobile Bravada and Mitsubishi Montero have followed the path of the dinosaurs. The Chevrolet blazer, Jeep Cherokee and Honda Pass were also Goners, but have since been raised from the dead to fight in a new century. There was one constant through all of this: The Ford Explorer. In the past 25 years, this popular family carrier has changed a lot. It has a seat in the third row, has switched to a front-wheel drive architecture for a generation and offers more technology and amenities than can be listed here.

The 1995 model was the first year of the second generation model of this nameplate. It had a sleeker design, nicer interior, and lots of chassis updates. But what was industry-leading a quarter of a century ago is painfully strange today.

In 1995 only one engine was offered in the Explorer, a 4.0 liter push rod V6 with 160 hp. The most powerful drivetrain that Ford offers today is a V6 with two turbochargers that can hold 400 ponies Explorer ST, a whopping 2.5 times more. The wheelbase, the empty weight and the total length of this type plate have of course increased considerably.

Undoubtedly, one of the most dramatic vehicle transformations in the past quarter century has been with that Ford F-150. In 1995, you were much more likely to see one of these trucks in a field or on a construction site than when you parked in front of a mall. Over the years, customers have requested more comfort in their rigs, and Ford has happily agreed to do so.

The 2020 F-150 offers amenities such as a navigation system, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and a weight-saving aluminum body that were probably unimaginable for drivers in 1995. At that time, electric locks and windows were not standard. and air conditioning costs extra, as well for things like tachometer and cruise control.

Performance and performance have also increased dramatically. The entry-level engine is basically twice as powerful as in 1995. The Alpha Dog engine 2020 is similarly more powerful than its 25-year-old counterpart. The F-150’s powerful 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine delivers 450 horsepower, far more than the 5.8-liter V8 on this rig.

Honda Civic was pretty much always the gold standard in the small car class. It is today and it was 25 years ago.

But how have things changed? Compared to EX sedan models, the overall length of this venerable nameplate has increased by almost 10 inches and the weight accordingly. At just under one and a half tons, the 2020 Civic EX four-door is almost 400 pounds heavier than a similar 1995 model.

Of course, more features, more security and larger overall dimensions contribute to this amazing increase. Fortunately, engine power grew at a similar rate. The current car’s 1.5-liter turbo four-cylinder engine delivers 174 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque. It’s not a monumental increase, but it’s a lot more astonishing when compared to a 1995 DX hatchback model. They only had 70 horsepower!

Honda was too late in the modern minivan game and was more than a decade behind Chrysler. Nevertheless, the 1995 Odyssey turned out to be an excellent product.

Oddly enough, four was the magic number in this vehicle on which the Accord sedan is based. It was equipped with a double wishbone at all four corners, was powered by a 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine with 140 hp and matched to a four-speed automatic transmission. Not only that, there were also four conventionally pivoting doors in contrast to competitors with sliding rear access portals.

As expected today Honda Odyssey is far more technical, comfortable and, like practically everything else on this list, larger than its 1995 counterpart. The length, wheelbase and curb weight of this minivan have all grown considerably. And at 4,398 pounds, the lightest version of the 2020 Odyssey is almost 1,000 pounds Husker as an equivalent model from 1995, an astounding increase. Fortunately, the power has doubled and the transmission has six additional gears.

1995 Jeep Wrangler used the same basic formula

A 1995 YJ model from basic configuration to appearance Wrangler is strikingly similar to the JL variant, which you can now pick up from a dealer. But as this old saying goes, the devil is in the details.

Compared to a Wrangler from 1995 with a two-door model from 2020, the vehicle has grown considerably. The new one is about 15 cm longer and almost 8 cm wider. As a result, similar models are almost half a ton heavier. The increase is certainly responsible for this weight gain, but additional equipment also plays a role. In 1995, functions such as air conditioning, an anti-lock braking system and a passenger side mirror were optional.

25 years ago, two motors and a pair of gearboxes were offered under the hood. Today, a wide range of drive trains is on the program, including petrol engines, which are complemented by a mild hybrid system. You can even get V6 diesel, but only in four-door Wrangler Unlimited models.

Like the Wrangler, Mazda’s legendary Miata roadster has remained true to its original formula even after three decades of production and four generations. The aim of this two-seater fun machine was to direct as much driving fun as possible to the left front seat, and this guiding principle remains the same.

Dimensionally the venerable Mazda Miata not much has changed. The 2020 model’s wheelbase has only grown by 1.7 inches to 90.9 inches, while the overall length of the car has actually shrunk by 1.3 inches. But remarkably, the mass of the Miata has barely increased, although it has received far more amenities, is safer, stronger, and has a much nicer interior. A 1995 model only weighs 2,293 pounds, while a comparable 2020 is only 48 pounds heavier.

The current generation Mercedes-Benz S-Class is an elegant and refined flagship sedan, just like a quarter of a century ago. The volume sales model in the US today is the S560, which broadly corresponds to the 1995 S500.

This old-school Benz was equipped with a 5.0-liter V8 engine that produced a powerful 320 hp and was directed to the rear wheels via a four-speed automatic transmission. In comparison, the 2020 S560 is also powered by a V8 engine that displaces smaller 4.0 liters but is powered by two turbochargers. This combination delivers 463 hp or 143 more. In order to make optimal use of this power, the engine is tuned to a nine-speed automatic transmission and a rear or all-wheel drive.

This new S-Class is not much bigger than its 25 year old counterpart. It’s only about 5.6 cm longer and in the form of a rear-wheel drive about 322 pounds Huskier.

Another automotive legend is the Porsche 911. In 1995, the turbo model of the 993 generation delivered quite a shocking performance. Its horizontally opposite 3.6 liter engine produced 400 hp and the same torque, which is not bad for an air-cooled engine. With standard full-time all-wheel drive and a six-speed manual gearbox, it was able to rocket to 60 mph in just 4.4 seconds, while its top speed was announced at 180 mph.

In comparison the latest and the best 911 Turbo S. is equipped with 640 hp and 590 lb-ft twist. Four-wheel drive is still standard and is absolutely necessary with so much firepower under the bonnet, although no manual transmission is offered. It was replaced by an eight-speed dual clutch automatic.

How has the performance of this German thoroughbred changed? Well, chew on it. This new 911 Turbo S can reach 60 mph in a blistering 2.6 seconds and its top speed is 205 mph.

Ah, that Toyota Camry, a car that is omnipresent as a smartphone or fast food restaurant. Like McDonald’s Hamburger, it has been a bestseller for decades, although this family machine has changed a lot over the past 25 years, unlike a quarter pounder with cheese, for example.

Today’s Camry is expressively designed, with a large grille, aggressive headlights and a lot of surface. In comparison, the 1995 model is a generic look that a car can get, with an absolutely simple three-box design and zero frills. Visually, it’s about as exciting as standing in line, although at least several body styles were available. At that time you could get the Camry as a sedan, coupe or station wagon.

This venerable nameplate was slightly revised for 1995 and offered a 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine with 125 hp. In comparison, today’s base engine displaces 2.5 liters and produces up to 206 ponies. In the past, drivers who wanted more power could get a 3.0-liter V6 with 188 hp, far from the Bent Six of the 2020 model, which delivers 301 horses.

The Toyota Tacoma has been very popular for decades. In addition to the manageable dimensions, robustness and long-term reliability are cornerstones of success.

In 1995, three engines were offered, a 2.4-liter base unit, a larger 2.7-liter four-cylinder and a top-class 3.4-liter V6. A four-speed automatic or a five-speed manual were your two gear choices.

Today’s taco is still available with a 2.7-liter four-cylinder that produces 159 hp. Chances are, however, that you are much more satisfied with the V6 with 278 hp, 88 more than that in ’95. Two transmissions are still offered in this truck – a manual and an automatic – although both have six forward gears.

Currently running:
Look at that:

We celebrate 25 years of CNET

3:58