If you know an automobile aficionado, they've likely expressed their love for classic cars on more than one occasion. Today, many car lovers across the country regularly gather to admire each other's vehicles at collector events throughout the year. Many of the cars are inevitably from the 1970s, a decade that produced a plethora of enviable automobiles. As our Parade Rewind series continues this month, we wanted to pay homage to 25 popular cars everyone wanted in the 1970s.When it comes to vintage cars, many of them are like fine wine: they truly get better with time. Sure, older vehicles certainly need a bit more maintenance than newer car models, but when you treat them well and give them plenty of TLC, they can last for decades.Parade was curious to know which 70s cars made a giant splash, so we consulted three experts for their top picks for the most iconic cars of the decade.We spoke with Terry Shea, the Marketplace Editor for Hemmings, the world's largest online collector car marketplace; AmericanMuscle Marketing Director Paul Knoll; and Robert M. Kennedy, a car collector, auto expert and author of Mustang Unbridled: The High-Octane History of Ford's Legendary Pony Car.Did you have one of the cars listed below? Leave us a comment!Which 1970s Cars Are the Most Iconic?It's hard to pinpoint a single car that defined the 1970s, but there are certainly a few that earned icon status."The most iconic 1970s cars were those that struck the right balance of personality and performance," Knoll tells Parade. "Muscle cars like Mustang, Camaro, Corvette, Charger and Trans Am were not merely transportation. They represented identities. At a time when design, sound and raw engine feel meant more than refinement, there was an emotional connection to them."Two standout cars from the decade were the 1970s Ford Mustang and Bronco."Early in the decade, before the first downsizing occurred, the Ford Mustang established itself as one of the most recognizable models in the world," he shares. "The Bronco was one of the early 'go anywhere' SUVs. With simplicity and off-road ability, it paved the way for many other rugged and capable SUVs."Kennedy notes that the Mustang and Bronco evolved over the course of the decade."In 1970, Ford's Mustang was at the top of its game, offering economical hardtops, carefree convertibles, flashy fastbacks and big-block powerhouses like the Boss 429," he states. "By 1979, not only had the big-blocks faded away, the little Mustang II had cantered in and out between fuel crises and paved the way for the all-new 1979 Fox body Mustang."Similarly, the Bronco changed over time and grew into a "much brawnier off-road bruiser" by the end of the decade.What Cars Did Most People Drive in the 1970s?The classic 1970s cars that collectors covet today aren't necessarily the cars that everyday people were driving at the time. “Muscle cars got the attention of car magazines and media outlets. However, most 1970s drivers drove sedans and compact cars," Knoll tells Parade.The car expert says popular everyday vehicles included the Ford Pinto, Chevrolet Nova, Toyota Corolla and Volkswagen Beetle.Kennedy explains that Americans were "still largely driven by the idea that bigger was better" when it came to cars in the late 1960s. However, that shifted when OPEC announced an oil embargo against the United States and its allies in October 1973."It dramatically changed the public's driving habits. Gas-guzzling V8s quickly fell out of fashion and fuel-sipping four-cylinders topped consumers' must-have lists," he shares. "Big Buicks and larger-than-life Lincolns fell by the wayside as drivers hopped into subcompact Civics, Corollas, Pintos, Vegas and Gremlins. Land yachts and muscle cars began collecting dust on used car lots. And, by the dawn of the '80s, the landscape of America's roads had transformed completely."25 Popular 1970s Cars Everyone Wanted, According to Auto Experts1. Ford Mustang Cobra II "Thanks in part to Farrah Fawcett's character in Charlie's Angels, Americans fell head over heels for the striped and spoilered 1976-78 Mustang Cobra II," Kennedy notes. "What they might have lacked in 'go,' they more than made up for with 'show.'"2. Ford Bronco "Rugged and utilitarian, the Bronco helped pave the way for modern-day SUVs. It was designed for off-roading and offered a lot of utility," Knoll says.Per Kennedy, the Bronco entered the '70s as "one of America's earliest SUVs.""It was relatively compact in size and exuded a charm in its simplicity," he explains. "By the end of the decade, it had grown into a much brawnier off-road bruiser, having traded six cylinders and small-blocks for larger 5.8L and 6.6L V8 engines."3. Chevrolet Corvette "Chevy's feisty fiberglass two-seater has been 'America's Sports Car' since 1953," states Kennedy. "And it continues to beat the best of the rest from around the world even today. But, against all odds, the Corvette's heyday was at the peak of the Malaise Era."Knoll adds that the Corvette earned its charming nickname for its "styling, sleek designs and powerful V8 performance."4. Plymouth Road Runner Superbird Plymouth Road Runner was built to win on NASCAR’s super-speedways," Shea explains. "The aerodynamics might be crude by today’s standards, but the pointed nose, slick rear glass and large wing all helped improve the Road Runner’s high-speed performance."5. Ferrari 308 GTS "From 1975-1985, the 308 GTS easily emerged as the most popular Ferrari of the era. Of course, it didn't hurt that a young Tom Selleck soon slipped behind the wheel of a bright red V8-powered GTS each week in Magnum, P.I. as the '70s gave way to the '80s," Kennedy says.6. Porsche Turbo CarreraA 1975 930 Turbo Carrera is on the left; A 1974 2.7 Carrera MFI is on the right. Daniel Pullen/Future Publishing via Getty Images "Even as Ferrari and Lamborghini continued to rely on 12-cylinders, Porsche proved that less truly could be more," Kennedy states. "First shown at the Paris Motor Show in 1974, its Turbo Carrera arrived in America for model year 1976. Based on the classic 911, but internally known as the Type 930, it was prone to violent boost-related snap-oversteer. This quickly earned it the nickname 'The Widowmaker.'"7. Pontiac Firebird Trans Am "As Detroit’s engineers struggled to regain the power lost to ever-stricter emissionsregulations and fuel economy standards, they were still able to improve other aspects ofperformance, such as handling and roadholding," Shea notes. "One of the best-handling American cars of the 1970s was the Pontiac Trans Am. It became an icon due to its bold, in-your-face styling, punctuated by a massive firebird decal on its hood."8. Cadillac Eldorado "For half a century, the Eldorado represented the pinnacle of American luxury," Kennedy tells Parade. "During the 1970s alone, Cadillac sold more than 400,000 of them. But the 1976 Eldorado was among the most coveted as it became the last factory-built American convertible until the Chrysler LeBaron dropped its top in 1982."9. Lamborghini Countach "This outrageously styled Italian sports car was one of the first of what we would call a supercar today," Shea says. "The Countach debuted in 1974 with a 375-horsepower V12 engine mounted behind the driver. Visibility was limited, as was getting into and out of the high-sill car, even with its exclusive scissor doors. The Countach promised 180 mph speeds in an era of fuel crises, oil price spikes and cars everywhere else with lower power capabilities."10. Ford Pinto "The Ford Pinto exploded onto the scene and lit the subcompact world on fire in 1970," Kennedy shares. "Despite jokes like that, the Pinto was tremendously popular, selling over three million units across its 10-year reign as America's best-selling subcompact. In fact, it outsold the Chevrolet Vega and AMC Gremlin combined."11. Oldsmobile Cutlass "Combining luxury with affordability and comfort, the Oldsmobile Cutlass became one of the bestselling vehicles of the decade," Knoll says.12. AMC Pacer "The AMC Pacer was all about economy. Making its appearance mid-decade, in the wake of the first fuel crisis, the Pacer sold roughly 280,000 units before 1980," Kennedy shares. "12 years later, it would find renewed fame as Wayne and Garth cruised the streets of Aurora, IL, head-banging to 'Bohemian Rhapsody' in Wayne's World."13. AMC Gremlin "The AMC Gremlin debuted for model year 1970. Built to compete with Ford's Pinto, Chevy's Vega and a new wave of imported automobiles, the Gremlin carved a funky niche for itself. It even offered a special Levi's edition with a real denim interior," Kennedy says.14. Lotus Esprit "Following Sean Connery's final turn as 007 in 1971's Diamonds Are Forever, Roger Moore picked up his Walther PPK and slipped behind the wheel of a Lotus Esprit in 1977's The Spy Who Loved Me," Kennedy tells Parade. "The film and the car were both popular enough that he returned with two more Turbo Esprits in 1981's For Your Eyes Only."15. Toyota Corolla "Toyota's Corolla continuously evolved throughout the '70s, always keeping ahead of its competition," Kennedy explains. "It outlived the Pinto, Vega and Gremlin. It continues today, not only having outsold its chief competitor, the Honda Civic, but even having eclipsed the Volkswagen Beetle to become the world's best-selling automobile of all time."16. Honda Civic Kennedy notes that not all popular cars of the decade were sports cars. "Introduced in 1972, the Honda Civic arrived in America as a simple, economical, subcompact two or four-door sedan, hatchback and station wagon," he explains.Following the fuel crisis, demand soared and "its popularity has never waned," he states.17. Dodge Li'l Red Express Truck "By the mid '70s, muscle cars were struggling. On the other hand, pickups continued to be big business," Kennedy reveals. "So, Dodge offered buyers a Li'l Red Truck with big performance. The Li'l Red Express offered buyers a big V8, slotted mag wheels and even semi-style vertical exhaust pipes just behind its cab. It wasn't the craziest product of the '70s, but it was close."18. Datsun 240Z "Datsun's 240Z hit American showrooms in October 1969. As the '70s progressed, Datsun's Z cars would progressively feature larger engines as the 240Z evolved into the 260Z and 280Z by 1975," Kennedy states. "By the end of the decade, Motor Trend would even name the new 280ZX its Import Car of the Year."19. Chevrolet Camaro "The Camaro delivered aggressive styling and V8 power, putting it on equal footing [with] the Mustang. It had the long hood, short deck design that was standard muscle car fare," Knoll says.20. Chevrolet Nova The Chevrolet Nova was a popular everyday vehicle in the '70s."A versatile choice for consumers, this car provided a smooth ride and great performance while also being practical," Knoll says.21. Dodge Charger "The Charger kept the same legacy as the late '60s model, with a more sophisticated take on the classic muscle car style," Knoll says.22. Chevrolet Monte Carlo "The Monte Carlo combined luxury and muscle car elements into a single package to create the personal luxury coupe category," Knoll shares.23. Buick Skylark "This smooth-riding car offered customers comfort over high performance, but still managed to offer good value," Knoll says.24. Chevrolet Chevelle "Available as coupes, sedans, convertibles and even station wagons, Chevrolet sold 2.5 million Chevelles from 1970-1977," Kennedy tells Parade. "By far the most popular, though, was the Super Sport. Famously packing a 450 hp 454 big-block V8 the Chevelle SS remains popular even today."25. Jeep Cherokee "Jeep's Wagoneer was a hit when it was released [in] 1963. But when the Cherokee debuted as a sportier two-door for 1974, it quickly eclipsed its four-door forebear, eventually leading to a second-generation Cherokee that would sell 2.8 million units from 1984-2001," Kennedy shares.Up Next:Sources:Robert M. Kennedy is a car collector, auto expert and author of Mustang Unbridled: The High-Octane History of Ford's Legendary Pony Car.Paul Knoll is the marketing director of AmericanMuscle.Terry Shea is the Marketplace Editor for Hemmings, the world's largest online collector car marketplace.