CAR NAME THEMES
Theme Nature
The quintessential name Sequoia
Fast-moving rivers (Cimarron), rugged mountains (Sierra), strong winds (Zephyr); nature is filled with apt metaphors for car features and experiential branding possibilities. Consider the Buick Rainier. Not only does it suggest the summit or "peak" of engineering, as well as ruggedness and toughness (all appropriate associations for a V8-powered SUV), it evokes the outdoors, exploration, adventure, and natural wonder. It summons you to take the road less traveled, to reach new heights, to see the world from a different perspective. Sure, it implies a strong, sturdy sport-utility-vehicle, but it conveys so much more.
Relatively speaking, and in comparison to "Luxury", "Performance" and "Placenames", the use of nature as a car name theme is fairly limited. However, as our world continues to become more environmentally-conscious and appreciative of alternative fuel sources, we expect to see an increase in the number of nature-inspired car names on the road.
| Chevy | Apache | American Indian tribe |
| Toyota | Aurion | Transliterated Greek word for "breeze" |
| Chevy | Avalanche | Implies a strong force, great momentum |
| Cadillac | Cimarron | River in New Mexico |
| Chevy | Cobalt | Element |
| Mercury | Cyclone | Strong tropical storm |
| Mitsubishi | Eclipse | Sun and moon, but also eclipsing the competition |
| Pontiac | Grand Safari | Large enough take on an African adventure |
| Pontiac | Laurentian | "Of or relating to the St. Laurence River" |
| Buick | Rainier | Mt. Rainier national park, rugged terrain, peaks |
| Ford | Ranchero | A person who works on a ranch |
| Honda | Ridgeline | A long, narrow range of hills |
| Toyota | Sequoia | The giant redwood tree |
| Toyota | Sienna | Earthen color |
| Ford | Sierra | Mountiain chain |
| Chevy | Silverado | Possibly a cowboy reference |
| Saturn | Sky | Openness, possibilities |
| Toyota | Solara | Referencing the Sun |
| Pontiac | Solstice | Peak of Summer and Winter |
| Dodge | Stratus | A type of cloud - we have you covered |
| Pontiac | Sunburst | Explosive energy |
| Pontiac | Sunfire | A coining, suggesting a hot, fast new car |
| Nissan | Sunny | A reason to smile, a positive driving experience |
| Pontiac | Sunrunner | Fictional people who could use the Sun and Moon for communicating |
| Ford | Taunus | German mountain range |
| Pontiac | Tempest | A strong, windy storm |
| Hyundai | Terracan | Coining of "terra" |
| Mercury | Topaz | A precious stone and a tropical hummingbird |
| Nissan | Violet | Beautifully colored plant |
| Pontiac | Wave | Natural movement, strong natural force |
| Mercury | Zephyr | A gentle breeze |
| Toyota | Tundra | Suggests imperviousness to the elements or any terrain |
