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I’m sure you’ve seen all of the holiday classics, but do you recognize these famous Christmas cars from some of your favorite movies?
It’s That Time of Year
Thanksgiving is over, the weather is colder, and we’re ready to watch reruns of some of our favorite Christmas movies that are constantly playing on TV. I’m sure you’ve seen all of the holiday classics, but how well do you know the Christmas cars from these movies? From the Griswolds chopping down a Christmas tree to Santa stealing a muscle car, we’re breaking down the best Christmas movie cars. Let’s see which of these Christmas cars you remember.
Christmas Vacation – 1989 Ford Taurus Wagon
Ah, the Griswolds, a family whose comedic family vacations have entertained us for years. In the National Lampoons Christmas Vacation, Clark takes his family to chop down their annual Christmas tree. The family car this time around is a 1989 Ford Taurus Wagon featuring classic wood paneling adorning the outside. Somehow the little Ford wagon ended up driving safely under a semi-trailer after some road rage with an old farm truck in the movie. Eventually, the Griswolds end up with their tree and strap it to the top of the car, but I bet Clark wished he brought a saw.
Jingle All the Way – 1995 GMC Yukon
In Jingle All the Way, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character is tasked with getting his son the hottest new toy of the season, Turbo Man, on Christmas Eve. He scours the toy stores, deals with shady Santas, and fights against a postal worker played by Sinbad. Throughout the movie, Arnold’s Christmas car of choice is a 1995 GMC Yukon K-1500 SLT, that is until it’s torn apart and left with “Meri Xmas” spray painted on the windshield by vandals.
A Christmas Story – 1937 Oldsmobile F-Series Sedan
The winter classic A Christmas Story is a must watch for the month of December. You may recall the family popping a tire while driving home with their new Christmas tree strapped to the roof. The Old Man excitedly jumped out of the vehicle exclaiming “4 minutes! Time me.” with the narrator lamenting that “he always saw himself in the pits of the Indianapolis 500.” Well, the Parker family car that drew a flat was a 1937 Oldsmobile F-Series 4-door touring sedan. This little scene also spurred the “oh fudge” moment after the wheel’s lug nuts were tossed into the air.
Home Alone – 1986 Dodge Ram Van
Home Alone is a one-of-a-kind movie that takes place during Christmas. We all remember the excitement of Kevin having made his family disappear, the different DIY security gimmicks used to defend the house, and Marv’s weird fascination with being known as the “Wet Bandits”. What may have spurred on this odd flooding idea was Marv and Harry’s own vehicle, a 1986 Dodge Ram Van that proudly displayed “Oh-Kay Plumbing & Heating, Your Flood Control Experts!”
Deck the Halls – 1986 Volvo 740
In Deck the Halls, Matthew Broderick plays an optometrist in a small town that receives a new neighbor played by Danny Devito. Devito’s character makes his home a light show spectacle for Christmas that brought in a huge crowd. The optometrist tries to leave his home in his old 1986 Volvo 740 Turbo, but two trucks are closely parked in front of his driveway. Thanks to a random guy that “helped” direct his car out, the Volvo loses its doors and leaves with a lot of body damage. At least he’s “gifted” a brand new car in the form of a Chrysler Aspen.
Are We There Yet? – 2004 Lincoln Navigator
Ice Cube’s foray into the family comedy scene started with the Christmas movie Are We There Yet? In the movie, Ice Cube’s character gets his hands on a 2004 Lincoln Navigator. He’s then tasked with bringing his girlfriend’s kids to Vancouver. What was supposed to be a short plane ride and then train trip, turns into stained upholstery, smaller replacement rims, and finally ending the Navigator’s misery in a ball of fire during a cross-country road trip.
The Holiday – 2005 Mini Cooper
In The Holiday, two women from different parts of the world decide to switch homes for the holidays. Camren Diaz’s character ends up in jolly old Britain, where she gets to experience driving on the wrong side of the road the proper way – in a Mini. The red and white 2005 Mini Cooper S fits perfectly amongst the British winter scenery, even if the driver is screaming as she passes a lorry on a narrow road.
Daddy’s Home 2 – 2013 Ford Flex
Daddy’s Home 2 features Will Ferrel and Mark Wahlberg as two fathers who were once fighting for the attention of their kids, but have learned to live with each other as co-dads. Will Ferrel plays the dorky dad and drives a car that truly encapsulates his character throughout the films, a Ford Flex. Mark Wahlberg played the cooler dad in the previous film that drove an Indian motorcycle and a Ford Mustang, but we see in the sequel that he too now drives a Ford Flex. Unfortunately, a Ford Flex has its roof caved in just like the first movie, but this time it’s by a snow blower.
The Christmas Chronicles – 2009 Dodge Challenger
In The Christmas Chronicles, Kurt Russel plays a Santa Claus that needs the help of some kids after they stowed away on his sleigh and inevitably crashed it. During their adventure to save Christmas, Santa ends up stealing a 2009 Dodge Challenger and going on a rubber burning police chase. Now, we can’t see any badging for sure, but we would think that Santa would have a little taste and go for the SRT8 model with a V8 engine pushing 425hp. Be sure to check out Kurt Russel behind the wheel of this Christmas car on Netflix.
Die Hard – 1980s Chevrolet Impala
It’s an argument that’s as old as the movie itself, is Die Hard truly a Christmas movie? For this list, we felt like it should be considered one. While the stretched Lincoln Town Car could be considered a big part of the movie, we chose the patrol car used by Sgt. Al Powell. The car used in the film is a Chevrolet Impala, but pin pointing the exact year gets tricky, as multiple years were used for different shots. You may remember the squad car from the scene where Powell hums a Christmas tune to himself as he strolls to his patrol car, only to have John McClane drop a rude awakening on the hood and say “welcome to the party, pal.”
What was the car used in “A 90s Christmas” Hallmark movie?