What was Pixar’s Cars franchise’s first feature sequel?

Cars 2 was the first feature sequel in Pixar’s Cars franchise.

Released in 2011, Cars 2 continues the story of Lightning McQueen and Mater but changes the series’ emphasis. Instead of focusing mainly on a small-town road trip and racing career, it uses an international spy-adventure structure built around the World Grand Prix.

The sequel was the first Pixar feature to be directed by John Lasseter and Brad Lewis, with Lasseter serving as director. It returns characters from the original film and adds international racers, secret agents, and a plot involving Allinol, an alternative fuel.

Cars 3 followed in 2017 and returned more directly to McQueen’s racing journey. Planes, released in 2013, is a spin-off produced by DisneyToon Studios rather than a Cars feature sequel from Pixar. That distinction makes Cars 2 the specific answer when asking for the franchise’s first feature sequel.