This Sunday may or may not be the biggest day in sports, but it's definitely the biggest day in advertising. A more intense competition than the football game, companies spend millions just for a 30-second TV time slot, then much more on the ad itself. Some of the best of them are car ads, showing off new cars, cars we've seen, and even the rebirth of the Hummer brand as an electric truck. So here they are, the best and the worst of this year's Super Bowl car spots. Just don't ask us who is playing.
Update: Now that all the ads have played, we've got the rest added. So take a watch.
Audi - Let it Go
Audi is giving you an earworm and hoping to get rid of dirty, noisy, old cars. They've got Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams driving an e-tron Sportback while belting out Frozen's "Let it Go." We're sorry in advance if you end up humming that one for the rest of the day, but it's not our fault!
Genesis - Going Away Party
Genesis is bringing the wonderful Hollywood couple Chrissy Teigen and John Legend to the game. They're here to point out how great "young luxury" is and blow out stodgy old luxury tropes. In the ad, they're enjoying the first Genesis crossover, the GV80.
GMC Hummer - Electric
GMC is bringing back Hummer, only this time, the rugged brand is going electric. We were hoping that GMC was going to show off the whole new vehicle after a series of teasers released leading up to the game, but instead all we got was GMC's examples of showing us what power and torque looked like when done quietly. With the addition of NBA legend LeBron James shattering a basketball backboard. Once again in silence.
Hyundai - Smaht Pahk
Hyundai is all about the Smart Park remote self-parking in the new Sonata that can pull your car into or out of a space using the key fob. Only this time, it's "Smaht Pahk," because they've brought in Bostonians John Krasinski, Chris Evans, and Rachel Dratch and they've turned the Bowastahn accents up to 11 to show you how to pahk your Sanatah in Haahvaahd Yahd.
Jeep - Groundhog Day
Jeep is burrowing into the coincidence that game day is also Groundhog Day this year. So they're recreating some scenes from the Bill Murray film of the same name. They've got Murray back in his role as weatherman Phil Connors, but this go-around the time loop has something new. The 2020 Jeep Gladiator pickup for Murray and Punxsutawney Phil to take and head off on adventures around the countryside. Because even though it's the same day over and over, it doesn't have to be the same day over and over.
Kia - Tough Never Quits
Kia's commercial is more serious. It stars Oakland Raiders running back Josh Jacobs talking to his childhood self. About overcoming homelessness, pushing himself on the field, and telling himself to "give it everything." Which happens to be the tagline for the new compact Seltos crossover.
Porsche - The Heist
Like Audi, Porsche is promoting its electric vehicle, but in a much more suitably sporting way. Called The Heist, the Taycan silently slinks out of the Porsche museum. Museum security is alerted, so they give pursuit in a range of classic Porsches including a 911, 917 racer, 930 Turbo, 918, and even a Porsche tractor. There's even a little bit of what we think is the next GT3.
Toyota - Hero
Toyota featured Cobie Smulders, a Canadian actor known for her role as an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. in the Avengers franchise, travelling through movies and time. You know those scenes where the climax is about to happen, but there's not enough room in the truck/van/spaceship/horse and one person is left behind to their doom? Cobie's there to save the day and pick you up with plenty of space left in the eight-seat Toyota Highlander.
WeatherTech - Lucky Dog
They don't make cars, exactly, but floor mat and auto accessory maker WeatherTech, which advertises in more places than any other automotive brand we can think of, has an ad here too. It's about Scout, the dog who was in WeatherTech's ad last year. Instead of showcasing the company's dog-friendly auto accessories like seat protectors, barriers, and ramps, it encourages donations to research at the University of Wisconsin's vet school. You might need a spill-trapping floor liner after watching.
