10 Best Super Bowl Car Ads of All Time

And they don’t come cheap. Firms had to pay big bucks to advertise their product, be it cars, food, travel, or drinks. For example, to advertise during the Super Bowl LVII, companies have to pay $7 million per 30-second slot to advertise. That is half a million more than last year.

From the hilarious, dramatic, and empowering to the ethereal, the Super Bowl gets ads of all kinds. We decided to make a top of some of the best. Since we can’t include all of them, we’ll stick to ten.

1. Hyundai - “Smaht Pahk”

Photo: Hyundai

In 2020, Hyundai got everyone talking with this creative Super Bowl commercial.

Starring everyone's favorite, Chris Evans, alongside John Krasinski, David Ortiz, and Rachel Dratch, the "Smaht Pahk" commercial is a tribute to Boston, with Boston-born actors and Boston Red Stox's Ortiz, and SNL alum Dratch doing her best take on the Boston accent.

Although it doesn't feature an all-American car, the South Korean brand's Sonata solves one of the world's biggest driving problems, parking, with the smart parking assist features.

2. Chrysler - “Halftime in America”

Photo: Chrysler

Chrysler has had a lot of famous names attached to its Super Bowl commercials, but, perhaps the most powerful of them  all had Clint Eastwood in the spotlight.

This was a commercial with a heavy, motivational message to get through the aftermath of the Great Recession with the help of Eastwood's memorable, raspy voice. "This country can't be knocked out with one punch. We get right back up again, and when we do, the world's going to hear the roar of our engines."

Longer than your typical Super Bowl commercial, the two-minute ad showed Detroit trying to get back on its feet. And, over a decade later, we know that Chrysler survived and lives on.

3. BMW - “Zeus & Hera”

In 2022, Arnold Schwarzenegger received a fitting role: that of Zeus, the Greek god of sky and thunder. His partner? Salma Hayek as Hera, Goddess of marriage, women, and family.

Zeus and Hera decide to retire, moving to Palm Springs, CA. While they are struggling to keep up with retirement, the all-electric BMW iX comes to play and it turns out Zeus really loves electric cars.

While that was not a real movie, the two of them did suit up, joining forces for the first time on screen for this fun, 60-second ad.

4. Kia - “The Matrix”

In 2014, Laurence Fishburne reprised his The Matrix role, Morpheus. And he did it so he could offer a couple the blue pill/red pill choice. It does not offer an alternative universe, but a new view on cars.

The blue key gives you back "the luxury you know," meanwhile the red key will make you "never look at luxury the same."

We won't spoil the result for you, but it looks like the Kia K900 also included a Morpheus in the back seat singing opera. Who would have known?

5. Mercedes-Benz - “Say the Word”

What would you wish for if you could have everything? Money? Happiness? World peace?

Mercedes-Benz approached the subject for its 2019 Super Bowl commercial, giving a guy god-like powers to "say the word" and make everything come true. Raising the question, "If only everything in life listened to you like your new A-Class?"

It might be ironic that we picked this one. Especially since the premium brand car manufacturer decided to spend millions on this ad for its entry-level line, the A-Class. I mean, if you could have everything in the world, wouldn't you choose a Mercedes-Maybach S-Class?

6. Ford - "The One”

In 2004, Ford didn’t lose sleep over the most creative ad possible. Instead, they used something real, something they could sell: the Ford GT.

With no over-the-top stunts, no CGI present, and no funny plot, their 60-second ad shows just the Ford GT on a racetrack, with the driver making the engine roar and the tires squeak.

But the Ford GT didn't really need a funny, heartwarming, or even creative ad. Because a 5.4-liter supercharged V8 good for 542 horsepower (549 ps) and 500 lb-ft (678 Nm) speaks for you.

8. Nissan - "Thrill Driver"

Nissan went all in for its 2022 "Thrill Driver" commercial. Adding a star-studded cast comprised of Eugene Levy, brand ambassador Brie Larson, Danai Gurira, and Dave Bautista, Nissan showed how much you can do in 60 seconds. And also Levy has an edgy side.

So, they created a movie with a super-spy escaping the bad guys in a yellow 2023 Nissan Z.

In the end, it was just a made-up movie they were all fake-filming. But it included awesome cars, a lot of action, and a great cast.

9. Kia - "Robo Dog"

In an age where companies are releasing the first robots, Kia released a cuteness-overload ad for its all-new, fully electric Kia EV6.

But this 60-second spot, featuring a cute robot dog, actor Sam Page, and Bonnie Tyler's 1983 iconic song "Total Eclipse of the Heart" had a total eclipse of the EV because of how adorable the robot dog was.

The commercial had a huge impact because, as a result of the brand's collaboration with The Petfinder Foundation, 22,000 shelter animals found their forever home.

10. 2011 Volkswagen - "The Force"

One of the most watched commercials in Super Bowl history is "The Force."

It's as cute as it's funny and creative. The magic centers around a little boy dressed as Darth Vader. He tries to use "the Force" on things around the house to no avail. But alas, things change when he uses it on the family car: a Volkswagen. And a Passat, no less.

Over a decade later, it’s still as relatable, cute, and funny as it was in 2011. Maybe with an ID.4 instead.

Tell us which car commercial is your favorite of all time and if it made the cut in our piece.