Remember the Pontiac Aztek? It was that promising crossover concept that rolled out of the plant as a clunky, awkward-looking machine that ultimately sat on dealer lots longer than the pavement. Do you know what it has to do with the Toyota Prius, the best-selling hybrid on the planet? Both were rolled out for the first time in 2000.

As we wrap up the last few days of this decade, CNN Money has a great look at eight vehicles launched in 2000, and how they've fared over the years. Besides the failed Aztek and the runaway hit Prius -- or the fact that the entire Pontiac brand is now kaput -- you'll find a couple of models that trigger the "Oh, yeah, that's what the car used to look like" response (how many remember that the first Prius wasn't a hatchback?). You'll also find a look at Honda's first U.S. hybrid, which rolled out at the same time as the Prius and did, in fact, claim the mileage crown, despite low sales.

The article also provides sales figures from then and now (at least for those that have made it this long) and, most interestingly, pictures of the original iterations of the vehicle.
The piece also gives some good perspective on the decade in autos. It talks about how, for example, the crossover market started denting sales of full-size SUVs like the then-best-selling Ford Explorer, a redesign of which will soon hit the market as -- you guessed it -- a crossover. You can check out the entire article here.