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Why are $30k cars so ugly?

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Old Jul 21, 2009 | 06:00 PM
  #31  
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Originally Posted by Threxx
Honestly I think almost every car in this class looks somewhere between 'ok' and 'very good'. Sure they don't look at good as some cars that cost twice as much but that's not exactly a shocker, is it?
That's how I view it. Too bad they all couldn't look as good as a Jag XF, which just looks expensive in any version.
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Old Jul 21, 2009 | 06:17 PM
  #32  
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I wouldn't buy any of them. The GS is my beauty.

But I do have to say, I think the A4 and the C-Class are gorgeous designs and great to look at. If I had to rank them it would be:

1. A4
2. C-Class
3. 3 Series *
4. TSX
4. G37
6. IS
7. CTS

* I personally like the ES aesthetically more than the IS, and it would definitely be tied with the 3 Series in my books. I can see why many find the IS attractive, but there's something about the front and rear that just turn me away.
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Old Jul 21, 2009 | 07:13 PM
  #33  
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Purely on looks...

1. IS
2. CTS
3. C-class
4. G37
5. A4
6. 3-class (sedan)
7. TSX

The A4 is nothing to write home about, it is inoffensive, bland and plain, styling wise it is the Camry in the entry level sedan segment.
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Old Jul 21, 2009 | 07:39 PM
  #34  
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Originally Posted by ffpowerLN
Purely on looks...

1. IS
2. CTS
3. C-class
4. G37
5. A4
6. 3-class (sedan)
7. TSX

The A4 is nothing to write home about, it is inoffensive, bland and plain, styling wise it is the Camry in the entry level sedan segment.
We need to include everything if we are going to include the FWD only TSX.

Purely on looks...

1. G8
2. IS
3. C-class
4. Maxima
5. CTS
6. S60
7. CC
8. Genesis
9. ES 350
10. 1 series
11. S40
12. 3 series
13. A4
14. Milan
15. TSX
16. MKZ
17. G37
18. A3
19. 9-3
2,000,000. TL (the ugliest sedan I have seen in my life)
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Old Jul 21, 2009 | 07:59 PM
  #35  
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I think 95% of them are gorgeous. It's the best looking mainstream class of cars.

Dunnojack, what do you consider good looking cars??

One of the only cars I have a problem with is the Maxima with it's hideous headlights and basically overall awkward front end. Although I feel the rest of the car looks good.

Hey Sick, how can this be your #4?
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Old Jul 21, 2009 | 08:07 PM
  #36  
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Originally Posted by YARIS!
I think 95% of them are gorgeous. It's the best looking mainstream class of cars.

Dunnojack, what do you consider good looking cars??

One of the only cars I have a problem with is the Maxima with it's hideous headlights and basically overall awkward front end. Although I feel the rest of the car looks good.

Hey Sick, how can this be your #4?
lol, it really grew on me. It looks different to me in a good way. Even with the pulled back headlights, the front end has a GT-R flatness and aggressiveness to it. The proportions say more RWD/AWD than FWD. There is some Olds Auroa to the sides but I liked that old car too.

I am a fan of the exterior. It truly stands out to me in a good way. I wish thats how the G37 looked.


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Old Jul 21, 2009 | 08:13 PM
  #37  
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hmmm, maybe it's just me, but I'd say the 3-Series is the best styled car here...aggressive, sophisticated, and very executive-looking for a car in this price range. Cars like the IS and GS have the aggressive part down without a doubt, but they just don't exude the two latter traits for me.



That Nissan and Pontiac above just don't look anywhere near as elegant as the BMW does for some reason. The Nissan has really bizarre proportions around the fenders that that picture shows...and that bbq grill doesn't help it much either.
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Old Jul 21, 2009 | 08:17 PM
  #38  
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Originally Posted by FKL
hmmm, maybe it's just me, but I'd say the 3-Series is the best styled car here...aggressive, sophisticated, and very executive-looking for a car in this price range. Cars like the IS and GS have the aggressive part down without a doubt, but they just don't exude the two latter traits for me.

While its down my list, I don't think its ugly. I do prefer the looks before the busy face lift. Of course it looks great with the OEM Sport kit and 18s. With the 15s or 16s, oh dear

I actually like the compact 1 better though the coupe has the M kit standard

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Old Jul 21, 2009 | 08:31 PM
  #39  
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the 1 looks very awkward to me. its way to narrow and tall.
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Old Jul 21, 2009 | 08:54 PM
  #40  
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Unfortunately, BMW designs have been going downhill for the past decade or so (even the new 7 looks worse than the previous Bangle 7).

Having said that, the 3 coupe is still decent, esp. the M3 version (granted the M version is above the price range); and yeah, the 3 sedan got even uglier w/ the facelift (the integration of the section w/ the kidney-grille w/ the lower airdam is just horrendous).

Originally Posted by RXSF
i think the C class takes the cake
I agree - the C is the best of the 3 MB sedan designs (the E is an uglier/more boring version of the GS and the S while decent, is just boring).

Originally Posted by mmarshall
The CTS's chiseled front headlights, admittedly, are polarizing. Some think they are ugly.....others not. I generally am of the latter view; I don't think they are ugly at all.
The CTS design scheme isn't bad, but the problem is that for a model that is smaller than the typical midsized sedan, the front ends up being too blocky, as does the side (esp. the waistline).

The Caddy design-scheme looks much better when it gets elongated as in the Converj concept.

Originally Posted by oldcajun
The Maxima and Mazda 6 are $30K cars that are not ugly.
I actually prefer the older Maxima design.

The new one's headlights are just too bizarre and the grille is too flat.

The 6 isn't bad at all (tho the greenhouse could have been better).

As for the Infiniti G, the G35 coupe was near perfect. The G37 coupe is not nearly as nice a design and both sedan versions are OK, but nothing great.

As for the IS, it's OK but hardly a looker (it's headlight design is OK, but very boring and a small, vertically slatted grille just doesn't look appealing on what's supposed to be a sports sedan).

Same w/ the ES - but at least it is the best-looking out of all the previous generations of the ES.

As for Lexus designs overall, the LS has improved (the current one is definitely the best of the lot) as has that for the GS.

Otoh, the RX and SC have gotten uglier, and the new hybrid-only model is just blah.
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