The past century has seen countless car names come and go. We’ve also seen some of them vanish and return years or decades later, resurrecting both a name and the kind of car associated with it, like the Ford Bronco SUV and Chevrolet Camaro sports car.
Then there are the weirder cases, in which the name returns but the car does not — at least in the form it once was. This situation can lead to confusion for car shoppers and an opportunity for automakers. After all, a name already used for a vehicle has inherent familiarity. That kind of equity is priceless, even for automakers with the biggest budgets.
As we celebrate Kelley Blue Book’s 100th anniversary, here are 10 instances in which a car model was rebooted with a familiar name but a different form.
1. Toyota C-HR
One of the latest examples of this phenomenon might also be called a Cinderella story. The Toyota C-HR debuted in 2018 as a rather awkwardly shaped sporty SUV, except that it was neither sporty, nor a true SUV. More akin to a slightly raised subcompact hatchback, the C-HR was front-wheel-drive (FWD) only and could muster just 144 horsepower, making its roughly 11-second zero-to-60 mph time slow even by economy car standards. It exited Toyota’s lineup in 2022.
The latest C-HR debuted for the 2026 model year, and in its 4-year absence, got a serious makeover. The 2026 Toyota C-HR is now an electric SUV packing dual motors, standard all-wheel drive (AWD), and 338 hp. That kind of juice allows it to sprint to 60 mph in a fleet 4.9 seconds. We also think it’s a looker, especially when optioned with a 2-tone paint scheme. The C-HR was made in collaboration with Subaru, which calls its version “Uncharted.” Seems like a missed opportunity. They could have gone with “Brat.”
2. Toyota Venza
Here’s an example of a name that came, went, then left again. The Toyota Venza debuted for the 2009 model year, and could be thought of as a Camry station wagon. In addition to loads of cargo space and the choice of a 4- or 6-cylinder engine, the Venza offered AWD, which wasn’t available on a Camry at the time. That first version of the Venza left after the 2015 model year.
The Venza resurfaced for the 2021 model year as a midsize SUV with a hybrid powertrain and standard AWD. This 2-row/5-passenger SUV sat between the compact RAV4 and midsize, 3-row Highlander, and emphasized plush accommodations and premium tech. It marked an important step in Toyota’s focus on making a mainstream model that wasn’t called Prius come standard with a hybrid powertrain, which is now the case with the RAV4 and Camry sedan. But even that along with nifty features such as the Star Gaze panoramic roof that could change from transparent to shaded at the touch of button couldn’t make this Venza last beyond the 2024 model year.
3. Ford Maverick
The first iteration of the Ford Maverick debuted in 1970 as a compact coupe. It was meant to battle rivals from Toyota and Datsun (Nissan’s name in the U.S. from 1958 to 1984) and was easy on budgets with a starting price of around $2,000. The nameplate was a success out of the gate, selling over half a million units in its first year. Ford produced this first version of the Maverick through 1977 and spawned a 4-door sedan variant during its run, but nothing like what would arrive over four decades later.
Ford resurrected the Maverick name in 2022 as a compact pickup truck. In addition to being a totally different body style than its predecessor, it came with a powertrain that would have been unheard of in 1970: a gas-electric hybrid. This standard powertrain also brought pretty much unheard-of fuel economy for a truck: 37 mpg combined. Those seeking more power could opt for a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. Like the original Maverick, this one touched a nerve with buyers seeking an inexpensive and economical vehicle, only this time in the form of a small pickup.
4. Ford Mustang Mach-E
The Ford Mustang is a name that needs no introduction. Since its debut in 1964, the Mustang has become a pillar of Ford’s sports car lineup, offered as a coupe, convertible, and even a fastback.
In 2021, Ford introduced the Mustang Mach-E, a new take on the Mustang name with a totally different powertrain and body style. The Ford Mustang Mach-E is an all-electric SUV, and was among the first in a crop of electric compact SUVs that included the Tesla Model Y and Hyundai Ioniq 5. While some devotees of the Mustang sports car might decry its name on an electric SUV, there’s no denying the innovation and exhilaration this model brings to the table.
5. Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross
The original Mitsubishi Eclipse was a compact sports coupe and convertible that debuted for the 1990 model year and was enjoyed by enthusiasts for over two decades. The first-gen was part of a collaboration between Mitsubishi and Chrysler that also spawned the Eagle Talon and Plymouth Laser. Those rebadged sports cars — and their brands — eventually disappeared, but the Mitsubishi Eclipse survived through the 2012 model year.
The Eclipse name would return in 2018 with the Eclipse Cross, a subcompact SUV that lives to this day. While it touts interesting design and AWD, the Eclipse Cross lacks the sporting credentials of its iconic cousin, trading commuter-friendly practicality for the go-fast zeal that enabled its 1990s predecessor to star in “The Fast and the Furious.”
6. Mitsubishi Eclipse Sportback
Mitsubishi launched another Eclipse derivative for 2027, the Eclipse Sportback EV, and like the original Eclipse, it’s built in partnership with another automaker, this time Nissan. This Eclipse Sportback EV is a Nissan Leaf in Mitsubishi skin. It has the same electric powertrain with a motor powering the front wheels, and a range of 282 miles.
7. Dodge Dart
The original Dart debuted in 1960 and would last until the 1976 model year. During those 16 years, it came in many forms, going from full-size to midsize to compact, and shapeshifting between sedan, wagon, coupe, and convertible. Some, like the 1962 Dart sedan, had a face only a mother could love.
The Dodge Dart returned for the 2013 model year as a compact sedan to take on models like the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, and Ford Focus. That didn’t quite pan out. Its time on market was even shorter this go-around, with Dodge axing the model after 2016.
8. Dodge Charger
Here’s an example of a car that debuted as a coupe, returned as a hatchback, returned again as a sedan, then left and returned once more as coupe. That’s some interesting automotive reincarnation. The original Dodge Charger arrived in 1966 as a big 2-door coupe with a fastback design. It would last through 1978, then rise again in 1981 as a small 2-door hatchback, which lasted through 1987.
Dodge resurrected the Charger for the 2006 model year as a full-size sedan and had a successful run in this form through 2023. During that production period, the sedan gained massive power, culminating in the SRT Hellcat Redeye model with a supercharged V8 making 797 hp.
In 2025, the Dodge Charger name returned, this time on a 2-door coupe. In its latest iteration, the Charger is available with a 6-cylinder gas engine or as the all-electric Charger Daytona EV.
9. Chrysler Pacifica
The original Chrysler Pacifica was something of an oddity when it arrived in 2004 — a higher-riding wagon with available AWD. One might think of it as Chrysler’s take on the Subaru Outback, and something ahead of its time. Its time, though, was short-lived. Chrysler axed this Pacifica in 2008 during a period of upheaval in the automotive world (Chrysler would file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2009 and exit in 2011) and the economy at large.
The Pacifica returned in 2017 as the minivan we still know today. Unlike its past iteration, the Chrysler Pacifica minivan is a bestseller in its segment and has far broader appeal. Like its predecessor, though, it touts a robust V6 engine and available AWD. For several years, the model offered a class-exclusive plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version that could travel up to 32 miles on battery power alone. The Pacifica just received a significant freshening for 2027.
10. Hummer
The original Hummer vehicles of the 1990s were impossible to miss and quite a sight to see on the road. Derived from military transport vehicles made by AM General, the first iterations for civilian use were rudimentary at best. Sure, the Hummer H1 received “luxuries” like air conditioning and a stereo, but you’d still think an actual general was in town if you saw one parked in public.
In 2003 came the Hummer H2, made for civilian use by General Motors but still built under contract by AM General. These massive SUVs and their pickup truck derivatives were loved and loathed, depending on your politics and appetite — or lack thereof — for fossil fuel. The Hummer H2 lasted until 2009 and the smaller Hummer H3 through 2010. The Hummer brand itself was jettisoned with others in the wake of General Motors’ bankruptcy in 2009, which came about a month after Chrysler’s.
The Hummer name returned for the 2024 model year under the GMC brand. The GMC Hummer EV is also a massive, hulking SUV, but it was the pickup truck version that actually marked its return. The difference this time is that it’s all-electric. This electron-powered beast boasts up to 1,160 hp, 363 miles of range, and a starting price of around $100,000.
