What was Pixar’s first Cars feature film called?

Pixar’s first Cars feature film was called Cars.

Released in 2006, Cars introduced Lightning McQueen, Mater, Sally Carrera, Doc Hudson, and the residents of Radiator Springs. Unlike a numbered sequel, the original film uses the simple title Cars because it established the world and characters for the franchise.

The film was followed by Cars 2 in 2011 and Cars 3 in 2017. Cars 2 shifted toward international racing and spy adventure, while Cars 3 returned to a more personal racing story about Lightning’s changing career. The trilogy therefore uses its titles to mark the original story and its two numbered continuations.

Planes is sometimes included in broader discussions of the Cars universe, but it was produced by Disneytoon Studios rather than Pixar. It is a separate animated spin-off series centered on aircraft. The Pixar feature film that launched the car-focused franchise is simply titled Cars.