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Cars in Taylor Swift Music VideosThe Exciting Australian Cars from Bluey!
Bluey is the most popular kids cartoon right now about and the Australian show is full of fun cars. Take a look at the cars featured throughout Bluey!
Bluey: Family Values & Australian Cars
Families have fallen in love with a cartoon that follows a family of Australian blue heelers. Bluey is full of fun adventures, heartfelt family moments, relatable storytelling, and showcased some interesting cars. That last one probably isn’t what other parents look out for, but I’ve made identifying the cars of Bluey a game for myself while I watch the show with my kids.
While watching the antics of Bluey and her little sister Bingo for the past three seasons, a couple of Australian favorites have shown up as a part of an episode’s story or hidden in the background. There have been a ton of SUVs, a sports car or two, and the Aussies’ staple vehicle – the ute. Here are all the Bluey cars we found below!
THE Bluey Car: Heeler Family SUV
We’ll kick things off with the star vehicle of the series, the Heeler family SUV. The boxy, orange SUV nicknamed “Bobo” has been a key part of the cartoon since the very first season. Entire episodes of Bluey have taken place inside the family hauler, like the episode “Road Trip” where Bluey, Bingo, Chili, and Bandit hit the road to go camping and try to stay ahead of a convoy of “grey nomads”. What actually is the Heeler family SUV though? It’s obviously a four-door off-roader type that features a rear tailgate that swings to the side.
The closest real-life Aussie SUV in my opinion is the ‘90s Mitsubishi Pajero (known as the Montero here in the USA). While other models like the Nissan Patrol, Land Rover Discovery Series II, and Jeep Wrangler get close, the Pajero features nearly all the right pieces to be the Heeler’s SUV. It has that boxy exterior, a similar front facia with round headlights, came available as a four-door, features big fender flares, large side mirrors that aren’t colored to the body, carried a spare on the rear, and the rear tailgate opens to the side. It’s an ideal SUV for an Australian archaeologist with a family, like Bandit.
All the Other Bluey Cars
Bandit and Chili’s “Cool Car”
While this isn’t a real car (even in the show), the “Cool Car” that Bandit and Chili use to outrun the kids in the episode “Escape” is worth a mention. It’s a red convertible sports car that speeds off with a massive “Dream House Car” hot on its tail. The sketched getaway ride could be a Porsche 911 convertible with those round headlights, but the three-spoke wheels also point to a ‘90s Dodge Viper too.
The car in the show could be a whole host of different convertibles really, but the toy version provides some alternate details that points to one model in particular. The “Bluey’s Escape Convertible” toy turns the car into a four-seater and adds a grille. That grille pattern along with the additional seats makes this one more akin to a Toyota Camry Solara.
Uncle Stripe and Aunt Trixie’s New SUV
When Uncle Stripe and Aunt Trixie pull up in their new SUV in the episode “Pizza Girls”. This blacked-out SUV holds similar styling to the Dacia Duster from a distance, but that side profile closely aligns with Audi Q7. It’s got the rear spoiler, the same roofline, similar wheels to the Audi, and the side window angles are nearly identical.
If you’re wondering what Muffin’s Power Wheels toy is based off from the same episode, I’m leaning towards a Ford Ranger Raptor. That’s the fun Raptor truck Australians got while we’ve been enjoying the F-150 Raptor here in the states.
Uncle Rad’s Pickup Truck
In “Double Babysitter”, Uncle Rad shows up to babysit the girls while their parents go out. For a brief scene you can see his truck parked up on the sidewalk with skid marks behind it. This “Rad” truck looks close to a Toyota Hilux based off those rear taillights. This is one of the most popular trucks in Australia and it’s a beloved off-roader, so it fits perfectly for the awesome persona that Uncle Rad brings.
Frisky’s Hatchback
Also in “Double Babysitter”, Bluey’s godmother Frisky shows up to take care of the girls as well after some miscommunication. In contrast to Rad’s cool truck, Frisky’s sensible hatchback is parked carefully near the curb. This cute little hatchback holds some similarities to the Suzuki Swift with that roof overhang at the rear and that front facia.
Jack’s Dad’s SUV
In the episode “Explorers”, we see Jack’s dad take an off-road detour in his AWD SUV. This grey SUV holds similarities to the Volkswagen Tiguan, although I don’t think I’d expect one of those to perform like the one in the show.
Mackenzie’s Family’s Pickup Truck
Mackenzie’s parents can be seen briefly in “The Decider” episode driving an orange four-door pickup truck featuring roof rails and a front bull-bar. This once again holds a lot in common with the Toyota Hilux, but the Border-Collie family has a newer model than the one Uncle Rad showed up in.
Judo’s Mum’s Car
Judo’s mum, Wendy, can be seen briefly during the episode “Dance Mode” when Chili is forced to dance across a crosswalk. The car has a similar front end design to that of a late ‘90s Holden Baria.
Lucky’s Dad’s Car
Lucky’s dad, Pat, also makes an appearance just behind Wendy in “Dance Mode”. We can’t see much of this car aside from a partial glimpse of the headlight and how tall it is, but my bet is on it being a VK generation of the Holden Commodore. He seems like a guy who’d keep this ‘80s classic up and running.
Coco’s Mum’s SUV
Coco’s mum, Bella, has to haul around nine kids. The best option for that number of kids is between a minivan or a three-row SUV. Being based in Australia, the SUV wins out with is ability to handle rougher roads. We witness Bella with her SUV in both the episode “Explorers” and “TV Shop”. This blue, three-row SUV closely resembles the Toyota Land Cruiser. Eagle eyed viewers may also notice the easter egg on this SUV where the license plate reads “2MNYKIDS”.
Winton’s Dad’s Hatchback
Winton’s dad, Cornelius, also shows up in the episode “TV Shop” with his orange hatchback parked outside. This rearview along with the circle for a logo point towards models from the 2000s like the Toyota Corolla hatch or the Volkswagen Golf.
The Terrier Family SUV
The Terriers also make an appearance in “TV Shop”. The triplets along with their mum pull up in what looks to be a Land Rover Discovery LR3 based off that boxy exterior and that unique rear window shape that this model is known for.
Chloe’s Dad’s SUV
Chloe’s dad, Frank, can be seen driving a white SUV in “Octopus”. The front design and luxurious styled interior with wood trim point towards either a Land Rover Range Rover Sport or top trim level Toyota Land Cruiser.
Rusty’s Mum’s SUV
In the episode “Explorers”, Rusty’s mum can be seen waving in front of her parked SUV. We could chalk it up to another Toyota Land Cruiser perhaps, but I’d like to think at least one of these parents has a Ford Everest and Rusty seems like an ideal candidate.
Sparky’s Work Truck
The “Tradies” episode has two workmen show up to add a pond to the Heeler’s backyard. Over the course of three (maybe four) days, Sparky the tradesman shows up in what looks like Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series featuring a utility bed.
Cherry’s Ute
“Tradies” also features a green “Ute” driven by “Chocolate Milk’s” girlfriend, Cherry. Bluey animators couldn’t seem to land on just one iconic Aussie Ute as Cherry’s has similarities to the Ford Falcon XL from some angles while also looking remarkably similar to the Holden Ute SS from the side.
Future Bluey’s Car
The Bluey episode “Surprise” has adult Bluey owning what looks to be a futuristic electric vehicle. That futuristic style, streamlined, egg shaped car points at models like the Toyota Prius Prime perhaps or maybe the Mahindra Scorpio that’s new to Australia.
