Why Motor Trend Voted These Cars The Best From 1970 - 1979

The Motor Trend Car of the Year (COTY) is an annual Car of the Year award given by Motor Trend magazine to recognize the best new or significantly refreshed car in a given model year. Motor Trend's Car of the Year is "one of the most prestigious honors bestowed in the auto industry." The trophy for the winner, a depiction of calipers, is often used in the winning automaker's marketing and advertising. Most cars that win the award report a spike in sales.
In this video, we go over all cars that were the car of the year for the 1970s decade.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

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[@LOOKEYHEARSAY]

plymouth arrow?

[@arty8255]

Jay Leno has a Citroen SM.

[@charlesdiecastgarage]

Great episode like always!! My aunt bought a ‘76 Monte Carlo at a garage for $600 in the 80’s and drove that thing forever! Always loved that swooping body style and long hood!👍🏼👍🏼

[@GeeEm1313]

It was hideous.

[@charlesdiecastgarage]

@@GeeEm1313 😂🤣😂

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Right on

[@unitedcity_mc4421]

@@GeeEm1313no it was not.

[@ACF6180T]

I remember when my mom traded her 1967 Chevrolet Caprice in for a 1973 Monte Carlo.I'l never forget when I got to drive it the endless hood; That was just crazy the length of that hood. Thanks for the video.

[@bobbyjohnson6355]

You would think that with so many of these cars ended up being POS, the committee voting for them must’ve been a bunch of accountants

[@justintyme7213]

Unfortunately, at the time these cars won the award in their respective years, no one could see into the future. I’m sure that if Motor Trend could travel back through time they would rescind a few of those choices lol.

[@rusty1772]

Or, high af

[@user-rv3cm7hv3l]

They were paid by the manufacturer to make them the car of the year.

[@andregonsalvez9244]

Great show Boca 😊 ! My parents owned a 76 Dodge Aspen sedan and the Chevrolet Impala back in the 70s .

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Right on

[@citibear57]

Still, one of the best car channels on KZbin! 👍

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Right on!

[@Mark1405Leeds]

You are showing a Citroen SM at the beginning then a Citroen DS after!

[@Kazwell111]

I had a neighbor when I was a kid who had that exact car used in the thumbnail, the orange 1970 Torino with the racing stripe on the side. We lived in small houses in the city and he was one of several neighbors that spend the week working in city and then left go to their (actual) homes in the country on the weekends. He had a wife a daughter and a son, pure bred country folk.

[@dave1956]

I remember looking at a new Plymouth Volare and the salesman telling me that it was Car Of The Year. I didn’t buy the Volare (thank God) but I do remember telling the salesman that after they named the Vega and the Mustang II car of the year, I wouldn’t put much credence into anything that Motor Trend ever said. Then we got I to the 80’s and the Renault Encore/Alliance. Need I say more?

[@jamesonpace726]

After MT picked Vega, I cancelled sub, sub'd to C&D & never looked back....

[@anthonyfrench3169]

I actually have a 77 Plymouth Volare that my dad and I built, it was originally a 225 Super Six but of course, we put an LA motor in it. Absolutely love that car!!

[@Seventizz]

My dad bought me the 78 Impala Coupe (with boattail) when I turned 17 back in 1993. Loved the car to death. Wish I still had it. Was one of the more reliable car's I've ever owned.

[@fob1xxl]

I GOT "MOTOR TREND" ALL THROUGH MY YOUTH. It was the go to magazine for everything new.

[@billyclub9733]

Mom had 75 Monte Carlo. Capt seats, wood grain, 8 track, turbine wheels, Landau top. Killer car!

[@wlc1980]

My mom got a new 73 Monte Carlo. It was triple black. It was the first car we owned with radial tires. We lived on sandy dirt roads and I always knew when my mom got home from work while out riding my bike from the unique tire treads pattern left in the dirt on the roads. My parents loved the car so much my dad bought a 1974 triple black Monte Carlo with swivel bucket seats. I eventually bought it off them in 1979 for my first car. Great memories!!!

[@94Cobra123]

I took my drivers test on a 1979 Dodge Aspen with the slant 6. I think by then they had most of the issues ironed out on that car. It was no speed demon, but it was decent reliable transportation.

[@danmorley8116]

Enjoyed this. Always love the vintage ads. Looking at the some of the winners, I think it's wise to take awards with a grain of salt.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Absolutely!

[@grstew4]

I think the Caprice had the longest run in that body style. Til the 90s I think. Still looks pretty good.

[@corvairjim1]

That body style ran through 1991. The Impala, and after it went out of production after 1985, the Caprice, was the darling of police departments across the country.

[@addiewinnie]

I didn’t have any of these, I was born in 1976, however my parents had a Buick Riviera, my aunt Betty had a 1977 Caprice Classic, and my aunt Debbie had a Chevy Vega!!!! Got to love the 70s !!

[@AsteroidsDeluxe]

Riviera and Caprice were nice picks. Some of these picks were recall nightmares.

[@FoxFaderWorld]

When we lived in the Bronx in the late 70s, my dad bought a 75 Torino. It was an X-Pennsylvania State Patrol unit. It had a 140mph speedo, 25 gallon tank, and it was fast!!!!

[@valengreymoon5623]

I had a 1975 Buick Skyhawk. Pretty much a fancier Monza. 3.8 V6, auto trans, silver with red interior. Not bad looking, and pretty reliable.

[@sableminer8133]

Those were cool, and i liked Olds's Starfire version🎉

[@valengreymoon5623]

I think those were also available with a V8.

[@prestonstephens7719]

Almost counts… my single mother, seventh grade Texas history teacher bought the brand new, 77 Chevrolet Impala… you could still move a one bedroom apartment in the trunk of this “downsized” automobile. Learned how to drive in this car,, pulled a pop-up tent camper to Colorado, took it to prom,, my brother took it to college. She Finally traded it in on another car the year. The futuristic Ford Taurus…. Mama knew how to PICK’EM!!!!!

[@tonywestvirginia]

Had a 1970 Torino 500 when I was in high school.

[@pennah99]

In europe you see the Citroen SM sometimes. But you've mixed the pictures with the goddess the DS. The SM is powered by a V6 from Maserati😊

[@helmulu4016]

The name Citroën was also misspelled btw…

[@400wayz]

My cousin owned a 73 Monte. I loved that car as a kid!

[@mymomsaysimcool9650]

I’m surprised the car that took the late 70’s sales isn’t on here. The Olds Cutlass.

[@urbanurchin5930]

.....and for several years - the sister GM vehicle - the Buick Regal was the MOST stolen car in the late 70's !

[@jerrycallo]

I had a 75 Cutlass, great car. Wish I still had it.

[@Doc1855]

I had a friend who owned a 71, 73 and 77 Monte Carlo. If I remember correctly the 78 was the year that they downsized the Monte.

[@justintyme7213]

You are correct 👍

[@nickgee7291]

my grandfather had the citroen ds in athens greece. and it was the first nice car he bought. in the 80s he switched to a towncar and after that in the 90s a good ol buick park avenue

[@OLDS98]

Thank you for the look back and recalling the models. Good use of footage and well edited as well. Good narration too. GM had a lot of wins in the 70's. I recall the Citroen from the film the Longest Yard with Burt Reynolds. I know people who owned several of those cars. Some of those cars had long model runs too. Thank you again.

[@briannelson3686]

Thanks for this run down. Interesting; I owned a 1977 Caprice 4 door, loved that car. Had the 305 V8, was smooth, quiet, comfortable all day long. Not especially fast but overall, it performed great. Loved that car!

[@mikemintun1587]

Growing up, a prominent businessman in our town had a 1972 Citroen SM. Very unusual with its unique air suspension, yet a very handsome car, in my view. My Dad's company car in 1976 was a Chevrolet Monte Carlo. I always got a kick out of the swivel bucket seats, similar to the much older Chrysler Imperial, back in the day.

[@michaelroberts6450]

my mom had a'78 Omni, dark brown metallic with a manual transmission ( that's how she rolled lol) . I learned how to drive a manual in her next car after this. I liked the Omni it was a really good economy car.

[@The_R-n-I_Guy]

My mom had a 77 Aspen. Loved that car My first car was a 77 Impala. GM B-Body cars are the best

[@ricardosilva7041]

Citroen DS and SM, the cars that run on 3 wheels. Very cool

[@madmike2624]

What a fantastic topic, you guys are simply the best!!!!!

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Glad you think so!

[@cellpat2686]

The 79 Riviera really blew me away with its rare looks. I saw one first in 1980 and have loved it since. Also its Olds and Cadillac twin sisters are just as gorgeous.

[@MrTPF1]

Friends and family owned several of these including Torino, Monza, Monte Carlo, Caprice, and Mustang II. Yes, saw a Citroen or two in central MA, and the lady up the street from us owned one, but they were rare and pretty odd looking.

[@shannonfrench6893]

I've only owned one Mopar in my life and it was a '77 Roadrunner exactly like the one in this video. I took off the stock Rally wheels and put a set of Cragar SS ones on. But the 318 4 on the floor was a dog and I sold it and bought a 1970 Yenko Nova. (Wish I had that one back!) I have a 1972 Firebird now that I've owned 24 years. Love your Firebird mascot and love your channel!

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Very cool!

[@29madmangaud29]

as a kid lived in Honolulu from '73-75, and seemed like all of the undercover cops in Hawaii, owned the Monte Carlos'. They would just stick that magnetic blue rotating light on the top and roar out to wherever the crime was.

[@LSGOAT04]

I bought a 73 Monte Carlo 454 with 73K original miles with swivel seats, posi back in late 2019. Far from stock now. My mother bought a Dodge Omni new in 78. Also, I regularly see 3 Citroën SM's @ a few local cars and coffees.

[@mikeadams2677]

My grandfather owned a '73 Monte Carlo, I had a '76, and my uncle had a '77. They were good cars, in my opinion.

[@spencerb8609]

My father had the 73 Monte Carlo. Loved that car

[@JafoSalyer]

I had an Omni. In 1986 I paid $13,000 and drove a RARE brand new Black with Silver interior and Red pen stripping GLH Turbo literally off the showroom floor. The little screaming pocket rocket was EXTREMELY fast for the day and would just absolutely roast the front 195-50 Goodyear Eagle GTs plum clean clear off ...... WHEN IT WAS OUT A THE SHOP!!!!! First 90 days (yes, 90 days) it spent 67 days (once again, YES, 67 days) in the shop with 3, count them, 3 exploded trans-axles!!!! BUT, when it was out of the shop, wasn't many that could keep up with it. One particular race that comes to mind, I beat a guy I went to school with who had another car on this list, sorta. He had a 1977 Plymouth Roadrunner (built on the Volare). Beat him pretty bad and he was fit to be tied. Said he want to go Again in the opposite direction and I blew his doors off a second time! He didn't speak to me again until 3 years later when I got rid of the GLH!!! 😂😂😂

[@andrerossato5846]

Nice

[@curtisluther2526]

I had 1973 cutlass supreme absolutely loved that car

[@kennydemartini2169]

I figured it out years ago. Motor Trend takes all of the names of the car models of the said year, tosses them in a hat and pulls out a winner. Their picks have always been ridiculous.

[@daleostrom3613]

After High school i purchased a 1970 Torino 429 Cobra Jet, shaker scoop, 4 speed. Bought it from the original owner in 1973 with 50,000 miles on it. Wish I would have kept it.

[@christopherkraft1327]

I've never owned a car of the year but back in the early seventies I did see a Citroen in person!!! I was struck by how odd it looked!!! Thanks guys for sharing another fun video!!! 👍👍🙂

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Right on!

[@chryslerelectronicleanburn1676]

My family had the Chevy Caprice and the Plymouth Horizon. My aunt and grandparents had the Plymouth Volare. So we had the 1976, 1977, 1978 Car of the Year winners

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Thanks for sharing!

[@kellycunningham9920]

We had a 79 dodge aspen SE and a mustang II but I can't recall the year. Love me a Monte Carlo from the 70s!!!

[@WhittyPics]

My best friend's parents had a 74 Torino that the transmission failed when it hit 13000 miles. They were not happy.

[@WhittyPics]

I had a 75 Monza Town Coup with a 262 V8.

[@sableminer8133]

Ahh yesss, American quality😂

[@SquirminHermanthe1eyedGerman]

typical ford

[@stephenwatzek365]

Yes my mom had a 72 Impala Custom Coupe, colored Cream interior, and vinyl roof over Midnight Bronze my buddy has a 73 Monte Carlo in the same color combo. 😊

[@larrybrown3951]

I owned 2 of them. A 1970 Torino GT with a 429 Cobra Jet. And a 1978 Mustang II, but mine was called a King Cobra with a 302 .

[@29madmangaud29]

I learned how to drive on a '72 Chevy Vega, my oldest sister and brother in law promised to me, by the time I was 15, it had the dreaded VEGA itus, and so I turned it down (fortunately)

[@frankdeboer1347]

Love the 77 caprice. A lot of times the Motor Trend car of the year later ended up as laughing stock later.

[@joseandrade8811]

Good video. Just one thing: the video images shown for the Citroën SM are in fact of the Citroën DS.

[@brianhayes7618]

We had a 68 and 69 Torino Fastbacks 68 was dark green with 302 automatic 69 was a lighter green with 351. Wish we had kept both. Also had a 71 fastback really nice looking car. All are missed

[@freddie6969]

I owned a '74 Mustang II and drove it almost 3,000 miles across country in 1978. It's 4 cylinder engine's top speed was 70 mph. I just put both feet on the accelerator pedal and pretended it was on cruise control !!! My parents had a 1978 Plymouth Horizon, which they drove cross-country to visit me. It was surprisingly comfortable to drive and ride in and would cruise at interstate speeds without problems.

[@BrewBlaster]

Was that John Schneider is that Mustang II ad picture?

[@jamesdesmidt447]

What year did you do your trip? My 1974 4 cylinder Mustang II i bought new in California cruised easily at 75 MPH with an automatic.

[@jamesonpace726]

Poor Dad bought a '74 Vega - woe to our poor fambly after that....

[@markjovanovic9110]

mine bought a 75 Astre 😂😂😂

[@roelofluinge3208]

The Citroen MS, means "Maserarati Sport" en was also sold in the US. The built in 5 years only 12920 cars whit a 2.7 liter engine.

[@danswartwood4580]

I had also a 1979 Aspen

[@Walkercolt1]

From 1969 on, Detroit had to build "smog motors". The Chevy 427 in 1968 made 375 HP and 400+ ft/lbs, in 1969, the 454 made 220 HP and 320 ft/lbs. MOPAR kept their compression ratios up until 1971 and kept their HP and torque up, by , as today, offering "limited production" vehicles. After 1974 the "gas squeezer" engines that made NO HP OR TORQUE came along and the Chevy 454 dropped as low as 172 HP for the California Version, or the 400CID "skinny block" as low as 148 HP and a EPA mileage rating of eight MPG which NONE of them got, even on the highway at 55 MPH! Honda Accord debuted with a 1768CC four banger rated (VERY CONSERVATALY) at 113 HP @ 4000 RPM or MORE than the 287CID V-8 in a Ford Fairmont or Granada and in a car with about the same interior room (the early Accords seated 5) delivered THREE times the EPA estimated MPG as a Fairmont!

[@vincebibel8344]

I have seen one of those that is 72's in ft Collins Colorado

[@Imnotyourdoormat]

The 428 was not available in the Torino for 1970. 1969 was the last year for an "FE" in the Torino. The V-8s available were the 302, the 351W, 351C, and the 429...only.

[@donaldcurtis9229]

I remember 1978 hudge Aspen chargers or road runners.Not Plymouth road runners.4 speed car was very nice.Very attractive didn't see very many of them

[@davidallen5776]

We still have our 1978 Caprice!

[@madmike2624]

My first car was a 73 Buick Regal, sure wish I still had it!!!!!

[@jasonsobol32]

Before I was born (in 1978) my parents had a Mercury Montego, and after that a Vega wagon

[@rafaelj.benero4880]

My brother owned a 1972 Vega GT.

[@SD-ol9os]

Great video!

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@jerrycallo]

I had an uncle that drove an Omni for 40 years. It was his around town driver.

[@Crispychicken4u]

Always liked the 2 door caprice sport coupes that had the rear glass that had sharp corners giving it 3 sides

[@urbanurchin5930]

I always thought that the earlier 70's Caprice Classics - with the concave rear glass were nice !

[@allisons3663]

Many hits and misses in that list. The Monte Carlo, Caprice and Riviera were certainly good choices, but the others......phew.

[@kennethanway7979]

We had a Monza town coupe in drivers training. It had a small V8 with a stick shift!

[@jons.6216]

Citroens are great! Very clever design! I briefly owned a 1963 DS and it had the owner's manual included. There were so many simple, but brilliant design aspects of it that I likely would never have gotten around to using! Practically all hydrologic driven! At the same time I also had a 1979 Plymouth Horizon I wanted for fuel efficiency after driving an enormous Chevy Bel Air for several years! I could probably have gotten better use out of the Horizon had it not been in a likely serious accident and prettied up by a shady dealership my parents purchased it from when they knew I had been interested in them!

[@tomfrenza8049]

I purchased a new 77 Impala 2 dr coupe in October 77. The best car I ever owned.

[@tommyr.4043]

I had a 1977 Chevy Caprice in high school in the 1980s

[@James-xo4uv]

My parents had a 1979 Chevrolet Caprice Landau 2 door , I loved that rear window, I just couldn't understand why G.M. would build a vehicle with aluminum wiring, metric body panels hardware, and imperial hardware on the chassis.

[@genecarpenter5511]

I owned a Mustang II. Within 60 days, the seat belt interlock failed. No parts were available so the jury rigged the wire harness. Part’s eventually came in. I didn’t get it fixed so I didn’t have the auto shoulder belt system

[@danswartwood4580]

In 72 I bought a 70 Ford Galaxie

[@tomrodgers6629]

Yeah I have seen a Citoen in person. There is a guy that brings his to all the local car cruises.

[@brianhayes7618]

I loved that year Riviera

[@urbanurchin5930]

Buick had several stylish vehicles in the late 70's to early 80's.

[@the23rdbryan]

I have memories I can relate to every one of these. Great content ( other than the massive mistakes in spelling and some info ) ! Love this stuff and actually like having my knowledge tested to recognize wrong information !

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Thanks for sharing!

[@STEVE33437]

Motor Trend has a history of awarding a lot of bad cars this award! Others included the Chevy Citation and Rambler!

[@johnh3476]

We had an Air Force auction 73 or 74 Torino wagon. Blue inside and out. Bare bones basic transportation government vehicle. Well maintained though.

[@THROTTLEPOWER]

Enjoyed!!!

[@928Porscheman]

I had the Buick version of the 1975 Car of the year, the Buick Skyhawk. It was a good car until the fuel pump failed.

[@broncorickenback1149]

I was working in a Gas Station at that time , The owner was a Dealer and had car haulers bring in cars all the time , He would lease them, Sell them , I got to drive everything from Rolls, Ferraris, New Corvettes, GTOs, Eldodados, But the GS stage 3 was the fastest car I drove , It scared the hell out ofe when I took it for a Test ride , Car of the year were all boring back then, Great time to purchase Muscle cars and put them away, A Citroen use to come in and when he shut the car off it would automatically lower the car

[@michaelvanhorn3271]

I had an Aspen wagon for years as a second car, put a couple hundred thousand miles on it, truly beat the crap out of it until I loaned it to a friend and he got T-Boned by a drunk, he came out without a scratch. Good little car.

[@MGB-learning]

Great list

[@jeffreycampbell5757]

I had a '77 Mustang II Ghia with the european - derived V6. One of the best running 6's I ever had. It was smooth and not bad on gas. Meanwhile, the Ghia upgrades added a touch of class to the Pinto, er Mustang II. I miss that car today!

[@woxyroxme]

I saw a lot of the Citroen cars back then when I was living in Germany, never had any of the car of the year winners.

[@24Garland]

I had a1973 Monte Carlo .also had a 1975 Mobza hatchback.

[@JC-oc7um]

When I became a car enthusiast in my teens, Motor Trend’s Car of The Year was considered a buyer’s guide, what NOT to buy. History validated it.

[@Dan-gi7yz]

Was 16 years old in 1980. Just got my license. Bought a 72 white Torino. 351 super cobra jet. C 6 . Posi rear. Trak pak

[@anthonywilliams4100]

Neigbor back then actually owned a Citroën DS, the hydropneumatic suspension could smooth out the roughness roads, you could drive it on 3 wheels as the wheels could be lowered or raised in unison or independently. The SM won MTCOTY, it was powered by a Maserati V6. Dad had a 1979 T Type Riviera, white with a blue interior.

[@georgewettig1860]

i owned 1 and my dad owned 3. i never thought that we were trying to be fashionable

[@danswartwood4580]

I had a 78 Buick Lesabre also that I liked.

[@donaldcurtis9229]

I saw a Monte Carlo Hurst edition car at a car.Show 4 speed 454 had a Hurst Em on the rear deck.Wood never saw one before