Despite not being their most critically acclaimed franchise, Disney Pixar’s Cars is one of their most popular franchises in terms of the number of sequels and spinoffs (there are three feature films and two spinoff films, not to mention all the other spinoff series). Cars On The Road is the latest spinoff series, which takes place after the events of 2017’s Cars 3.

Lightning & Mater On A Road Trip

FRIGHTENING FOR LIGHTNING – Disney and Pixar’s all-new original series “Cars on the Road” follows best friends Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) and Mater (voice of Larry the Cable Guy) on a cross-country road trip where every stop is its own adventure—including a stay at a creepy hotel where Lightning is haunted by four-wheeled frights and gear-shifting ghouls. All nine episodes of “Cars on the Road” begin streaming on Disney+ Day, Sept. 8, only on Disney+. © 2022 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

The series follows Lightning McQueen and his best friend Mater on a cross-country road trip across the United States as they journey eastward to attend a wedding for Mater’s sister. The episodes will depict the characters in various scenarios, for example, them being chased by dinosaur-like cars. It will be set in new locations with a multitude of new characters, including their new friend Ivy, a monster truck who travels with them, as well as feature returns of the already established characters from the franchise.

However, you don’t need to have watched any of the movies or other spinoffs to enjoy Cars On The Road, though I’d still recommend at least having watched the 2006 Cars movie to understand how Lightning and Mater became friends in the first place. There are nine episodes in Cars On The Road Season 1 and each episode is short but sweet; only 6 to 10 minutes each. Yeah, you can pretty much finish the first season of Cars On The Road in one sitting if you want to.

Still, Cars On The Road is worth watching despite being so brief. There’s not much to spoil, but each episode is hilarious. I was genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed Cars On The Road. In my interview with the Cars On The Road directors, they mentioned that they made the series with adults in mind as well, including stories that would appeal to older viewers just as much as younger ones. I definitely agree, and I loved how every episode has a theme or gimmick.

PREHISTORIC PURSUIT – Disney and Pixar’s all-new original series “Cars on the Road” follows best friends Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) and Mater (voice of Larry the Cable Guy) on a cross-country road trip where every stop is its own adventure—including a pulse-pounding dino park visit. All nine episodes of “Cars on the Road” begin streaming on Disney+ Day, Sept. 8, only on Disney+. © 2022 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

The possibilities are endless because Lightning and Mater could encounter anything on their road trip. One episode features a haunted house theme, while another has a mysterious monster in the woods. One episode is a musical while another has car dinosaurs (a notion so outrageous that you can’t help but laugh). The best episodes are those in which the writers go crazy with their ideas. I would never have expected to see The Shining, Mad Max and sci-fi B-movie references in a Cars spinoff series but that’s exactly what we’re getting with Cars On The Road, and the reason why adults will also enjoy the humour.

Also, look out for the little post-credit scenes. Not all episodes have them, but they can be hilarious. Last but not least, it’s great having Owen Wilson and Larry The Cable Guy reprising their roles as Lightning McQueen and Mater, respectively. Despite what you may think about the quality of the Cars movies, they’re the ones who have been carrying the franchise ever since the first movie, and almost two decades on, they’re still voicing their characters with pomp and enthusiasm.

A Fun Time

ZOM-BEEPS – In Disney and Pixar’s all-new original series “Cars on the Road,” best friends Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) and Mater (voice of Larry the Cable Guy) head east on a cross-country road trip and stumble onto a movie set where they’re cast in a zombie sci-fi film. All nine episodes of “Cars on the Road” begin streaming on Disney+ Day, Sept. 8, only on Disney+. © 2022 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

All nine episodes of Cars On The Road Season 1 translates to a runtime of only an hour plus, but it’s worth checking out for the fun, humour and references (The Shining, Mad Max, etc.). A second season couldn’t come any sooner.

FINAL SCORE: 80/100

We received an early screener of Cars On The Road courtesy of Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia. Cars On The Road is slated to premiere on 8 September 2022 on Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia.