Galvanized steel and clear-coat paint finish are a huge part of why cars don’t rust as much as they used to. (But salt will eventually take a toll if you are coastal or live where roads are regularly salted.) Alternative materials like stainless-steel coated aluminum, or plastic coatings also contribute.

Here’s an article contemporaneous to the rise of clearcoats and galvanization: https://www.csmonitor.com/1985/1025/hrust.html