Super Bowl LVIII is now over. Kansas City has topped San Francisco, Usher has finished one of the longest halftime shows in recent memory, and the hundreds of private jets are leaving Las Vegas. But we know what you're really here for: the best car ads.
General Motors (GM) and Stellantis both sat out this year's big game car commercial fight after being the biggest players for years. That left room for other automakers to step up, and a few did, including Toyota, which had said right up until the last minute that it wasn't planning to have one.
So here are the best car ads from Super Bowl 58, in alphabetical order.
BMW Talkin' Like Walken
It's tough to describe the particular way actor Christopher Walken speaks when he delivers lines or gives interviews. BMW takes that to the next level, with poor Walken having to suffer countless impressions of himself as he goes about his day. BMW says there can be only one original. He's the original Walken, the electric i7 the original Ultimate Driving Machine.
Hyundai: Vikings
Hyundai is turning the redesigned Santa Fe into a modern longship. The Viking family, complete with a wolf in the back, is out on a tear for the weekend. Of course, we learn they're not pillaging; they're just a family looking to get away from it all for the weekend. We can relate. We can also pretend that the H-shaped taillights are actually dog-bone taillights and that the oddly cute CGI wolf in the back would love to give them a chew.
Kia: Perfect 10
BMW goes for the laughs, Kia goes for the heartstrings. To show off the all-new EV9 electric three-row SUV, Kia has a young figure skater brought to a homemade ice rink. Her grandfather can no longer make it to her competitions, so she (with help from Dad and the Kia's onboard power plugs) brings the competition to him.
Toyota: "Dareful" Handle
Toyota is celebrating the grab handle and all of the different names it goes by. It's Toyota and prime time TV, so the ad doesn't use any of our usual appellations (the "holy s***t handle" comes to mind). It does show off the brand-new 2024 Tacoma doing some cool truck stuff, though, and we definitely enjoy that.
Twisters
Stellantis may have officially sat out the game, but the company's Ram trucks are here in a big way in the trailer for Twisters. Just like the 1996 original, Twisters heavily features some Ram pickups. There's even one that can drill itself into the ground. The movie might look like a rehash of a classic, but that tends to work for trucks as well as it does the big screen.
Volkswagen: An American Love Story
It's been 75 years since the Volkswagen Beetle was first introduced to America, and to reflect that, the automaker is showing off its history and not just its newest models. Only one minute of the ad was aired during the game, but we're showing you the full thing. It's a collage of reaction to the company's cars, a reflection of the eras and the company's changes, and even a flashback to some of its greatest TV ads. All set to some vintage Neil Diamond and finishing off with the latest ID. Buzz electric van.
Honourable Mention: Kawasaki Ridge
The new Kawasaki Ridge is a UTV, but it comes with power windows and climate control. At what point is it really just a truck? It's close enough, at least, that we're including this ad in our roundup. The Ridge is a sport UTV with a functional dump bed, so Kawasaki is going with the mullet theme. You know, business in the front, party in the back – even if it is inverted. The Ridge flies through the wilderness, leaving mullets left and right. With a celebrity cameo just to help fill it out.
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