COSTA MESA and SANTA MONICA, Calif. -

As Edmunds.com made its selection as the best Super Bowl car commercial of all time, Hyundai outlined its strategy for its sixth consecutive year as a Super Bowl advertiser.

The automaker highlighted its Big Game plan has five game-day ads, including four all-new spots. Two of the new ads are slotted for the pre-game show and two are scheduled to air in-game.

“With clever interpretations of real life moments that position a Hyundai vehicle as the ultimate sidekick and partner-in-fun, Hyundai aims to take a tongue-in-cheek approach to Super Bowl advertising,” OEM officials said on Wednesday.

“The spots use humor to highlight vehicle performance and function in a fun and memorable way,” they continued about creative that was developed by Hyundai’s agency of record, INNOCEAN USA.

Headlining the Super Bowl advertising blitz is Hyundai’s 60-second pre-kick spot titled “Epic PlayDate.”

Inspired and made possible by the all-new seven-passenger Santa Fe, the ad takes viewers on an unforgettable and epic play date with the Santa Fe as a key player, packing in fun for the whole family. The ad features a cameo and soundtrack of a brand new track written exclusively for Hyundai by a legendary alternative rock band.

“Team,” a 30-second in-game spot running in the first quarter, is a pint-sized ode to the action movie genre. A unique twist on a classic “tables turned” tale, the spot follows a young boy as he recruits his own dream team to take on the neighborhood troublemakers. The all-new seven-passenger Santa Fe once again takes an active role helping the young boy and his mom gather a team to step up to the challenge.

“Stuck,” a 30-second in-game spot running in the second quarter, takes viewers on a classic American road trip. In a tale told with observational humor and a little bit of empathy, viewers are taken on a journey through the eyes of a young couple as they encounter and get “stuck” behind some unexpected things on the road. But through it all, the Sonata Turbo allows them to dodge and quickly pass the obstacles with ease.

The fourth 30-second spot, “Excited,” airs during the pre-game show with a voiceover “any true sports driving enthusiast will recognize.” The commercial features a 429-horsepower, 8-speed Genesis R-Spec racing around a track as the dramatic play-by-play is voiced by the eminently passionate sportscaster, Gus Johnson.

“Cars have become more than just a means of transportation — they can play an active role in empowering us throughout our everyday adventures, large and small,” said Steve Shannon, vice president of marketing at Hyundai Motor America.

“This year we developed a creative campaign that demonstrates the many ways that Hyundai is ‘there for you’ as a true partner-in-fun,” Shannon continued. “Whether it’s swiftly and safely maneuvering the unforgiving road in a Sonata Turbo or piling everyone in the Santa Fe for the ultimate play date, Hyundai is the perfect companion throughout all life’s experiences.”

The fifth and final spot “Don’t Tell”, which celebrates quality family time with Mom and Dad, will air during the pre-game show.

“The creative for this year’s Super Bowl is the most innovative work we have created for Hyundai to date,” said Greg Braun, executive creative director at INNOCEAN USA.

“Hyundai connects with consumers by continuously being culturally relevant, and these new spots are a clear expression of that notion,” Braun continued. “Our Super Bowl campaign as a whole is meant to tell fun, relatable stories that depict our heroes — the people who drive our cars — and ultimately relay the message that Hyundai vehicles enable and inspire them to participate in the fun moments in life."

Hyundai mentioned is also leveraging various social media channels to add an interactive element to the campaign that will drive additional anticipation and awareness for the Super Bowl spots.

Edmunds.com Names Volkswagen Ad as Best Super Bowl Car Commercial of All Time

A Volkswagen ad starring a pint-sized Darth Vader using “The Force” on an all-new Passat was been named the Best Super Bowl Car Commercial of All Time by Edmunds.com. 

Editors said the 30-second spot, which debuted in Super Bowl XLV, captured America’s heart with a six-year-old dressed as the Star Wars villain miraculously starting the vehicle with his Jedi mind (and a little remote assistance from his father).

Edmunds pointed out the ad was so popular that it received 8 million YouTube views in the days before the ad aired on television.

The other ads rounding out the top five are: 

2. Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo “Dream” (1990) — A full 23 years after it was introduced, the Z32-series Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo remains a mesmerizing shape and a highly capable performance machine. And part of that mystique comes from this Ridley Scott-directed commercial, which was only shown once during Super Bowl XXIV and then never aired again.

3. Audi A6 “Through the Decades” (2009) — Audi takes full advantage of its extensive product placement budget (including providing cars to the sequels in The Transporter movie series) by putting Jason Statham through car chases in the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s before he gets an A6 for the contemporary conflict.

4. Hyundai Genesis Coupe “Epic Lap” (2009) —Drifting champion and stunt driver Rhys Millen takes a tire-frying lap of Road Atlanta in the then-new Hyundai Genesis coupe. 

5. Ford GT “Everything It’s Supposed To Be” (2004) — Director Jeff Zwart put Rhys’ father Rod Millen behind the wheel of a Ford GT, dropped that car onto California's Thunderhill Raceway, and shot it ripping around the course in every way conceivable.

Edmunds.com offers the full top 10 list of the Best Super Bowl Car Commercials of All Time — including full videos of each spot here. 

A preview of car commercials slated to run in this year’s Super Bowl can be found here. The site said it will feature videos of the spots as they are released in the days running up to the big game.

Each year, Edmunds.com analyzes the effectiveness of automotive Super Bowl advertising by measuring site visitor traffic and other factors that indicate consideration of the featured vehicles. For a review of last year’s analysis, go here.

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