[academonia]

There are plenty of base-model US cars from the mid-90s without airbags.

It's not as crazy as it sounds; with the front-impact ones, wearing your seatbelt works about as well, and you don't have to worry about Takata syndrome.

[MandieD]

I remember my 1990 Ford Escort and grandmother’s 1990 Camry having automatic shoulder belts that were mounted on the driver and front passenger door frames and would be pulled down when the door was opened and up when you closed it. You still had to buckle the lap belt yourself.

This was apparently because at that point, manufacturers could get out of putting in front airbags if they put in those automatic should belts. Not sure when that was tightened up.

[ericbarrett]

Yes, but parent poster said 2009. I asked the country because not every market gets modern safety features in all cars; for example the original VW Beetle (as the "Volkswagen Sedán") was sold in Mexico until ~2003.