Cars (2006)

Released in the summer of 2006, Cars arrived at a particular high-water mark for Pixar Animation Studios. The studio had spent the previous decade redefining what family animation could be, and expectations were, by this point, fairly enormous. Set in a version of America populated entirely by anthropomorphic vehicles, the film follows Lightning McQueen, a brash rookie racing car chasing glory at the Piston Cup Championship, who ends up stranded in Radiator Springs, a forgotten dot on old Route 66. The premise leans into a very specific strand of Americana nostalgia, the kind tied to road trips, diners, and the slow death of small-town life along the old highway network following the arrival of the interstate system. It is, at its core, a film about what gets left behind when everyone is in too much of a hurry to notice.

At the helm was John Lasseter, the creative force behind both Toy Story and Toy Story 2, and a foundational figure in Pixar's rise. Cars was, by several accounts, a passion project for Lasseter, inspired in part by a family road trip he took across the American Southwest. The film runs to 117 minutes, which is a fair stretch for an animated feature aimed at younger audiences, and the production carried the kind of polish you would expect from Pixar at the peak of its mid-2000s confidence. The voice cast is a solid ensemble: Owen Wilson leads as McQueen (Wilson has popped up across all sorts of genres over the years, from family fare like Wonder to comedies and action films), while the late Paul Newman brings genuine gravitas to Doc Hudson, the town's elder statesman. Bonnie Hunt, Larry the Cable Guy, and Cheech Marin round out Radiator Springs' residents, giving the supporting cast a warm, slightly eccentric quality that fits the setting well. As an animation, it sits in interesting company alongside other non-mainstream animated pictures reviewed here, such as Fantastic Planet, though the two could hardly be more different in tone or ambition.

Kids will love it but it doesn't have that 'for all ages' Pixar charm that others capture. Definitely not top-tier Pixar, but still a charming and colourful ride. Cars has heart, no doubt. Lightning McQueen’s journey from arrogant hotshot to humble small-town racer is sweet, if predictable. Radiator Springs is a cozy little setting, and the film's message about slowing down and appreciating life is actually pretty lovely. The animation is solid, especially for 2006. Those shiny, polished character designs and sweeping landscapes look great. The voice cast is decent too, with Owen Wilson doing a fine job as McQueen and Paul Newman giving real warmth to Doc Hudson. That said… the concept is a bit weird. A world populated entirely by sentient vehicles raises so many questions (try not to think too hard about it). And while it’s entertaining enough, it doesn’t quite hit the emotional depth or clever storytelling Pixar’s known for. A pleasant film for kids, nostalgic for adults who love NASCAR, and harmless fun overall but not quite the classic it wanted to be.

Going back to Cars with fresh eyes, I find myself landing pretty much where I expected to. It is a film I can appreciate without quite loving, enjoyable in the moment but not one that lingers the way the best Pixar films tend to. The Radiator Springs setting is genuinely charming, and there is real warmth in some of those quieter scenes, but I kept waiting for it to click into a higher gear that never quite arrived. A perfectly decent afternoon film, then. Just do not go in expecting it to keep pace with the studio's very best.

Rating: ★★★  | Year: 2006  | Watched: 2025-04-07

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Trailer

▶ Watch the official trailer for Cars (2006) on YouTube

Where to watch

Watch in the UK
Stream: Disney Plus
Rent: Apple TV Store · Rakuten TV · Sky Store
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Physical: Amazon UK · Zavvi

Watch in the US
Stream: Disney Plus
Rent: Amazon Video · Apple TV Store · Google Play Movies · YouTube
Buy: Amazon Video · Apple TV Store · Google Play Movies · YouTube
Physical: Amazon US

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Related on Movies With Macca

More from John Lasseter: Toy Story 2 (1999) · Toy Story (1995)
More with Owen Wilson: Wonder (2017) · Little Fockers (2010) · Shanghai Noon (2000) · Shanghai Knights (2003)
More from the 2000s: Kirikou and the Wild Beasts (2005) · Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) · Daredevil (2003) · Apocalypto (2006)
More animation: Fantastic Planet (1973) · Alice in Wonderland (1951) · Mononoke the Movie: The Phantom in the Rain (2024) · Mononoke the Movie: Chapter II - The Ashes of Rage (2025)
More adventure: Alice in Wonderland (1951) · The Eagle (1925) · Louisiana Story (1948) · The General (1926)