Pixar’s main Cars film series contains three feature films through Cars 3.
The series begins with Cars, released in 2006, followed by Cars 2 in 2011 and Cars 3 in 2017. These films form the principal theatrical trilogy centered on Lightning McQueen and the wider world of sentient vehicles.
The franchise also includes short films, television productions, merchandise, video games, and theme-park attractions. Cars Toons: Mater’s Tall Tales is a collection of animated shorts, while Cars on the Road is a Disney+ series. Those projects expand the universe but are not additional entries in the main theatrical film trilogy.
This distinction matters because franchise counts can vary depending on whether a source is counting theatrical features, television episodes, or all screen productions. The answer is three when the question refers specifically to Pixar’s main feature-film series through the third movie.