So we recently had a thread on most improved redesigns, which included cars like the Escalade that went from rather unimpressive rebadges to become very successful, well selling redesigns.

So I though I'd make a thread for the most disappointing redesigns. I'll start off with a couple of my choices. They aren't in any particular oder, just listing them.

1) Current Acura TL. No doubt the drivetrain has improved, with the available SH-AWD, but the car is priced way out of its range and has been hit with the ugly stick.

2) The 2nd gen Q45. While the original Q45 was never a hot seller, it was a marvelous machine. It featured things like Active supension, 4 wheel steering, 4.5L DOHC V8 engine featuring variable timing technology, forged crank and rods, 6 bolt main bearing caps, maintenance free timing chain. Unheard of for its times, and boy, did it move! The 2nd gen Q45 however was based on a cheaper Nissan Cima platform and less advanced and less powerful 4.1L v8.

3) The current GS. While in many way it is better than the 2nd gen GS, many of the 2GS enthusiasts, such as myself, find the 3GS bland and unoriginal.

4) The current 5 series. I am probably the biggest BMW hater on the internet, but even I have to admit that the last 5 series was seriously gorgeous. The bangled version isnt a bad looking car on its own, but its nowhere near as good looking as the model it replaced.


5) Acura RSX. This is probably the biggest disappointment for me, because I've always loved the Integra it replaced. Especially the Type-R variant. The Integra had a gorgeous, timeless design, sporty suspension, high revving engine, and was generally well built. RSX however was cheapened down in many ways, featured an uninspiring suspension, more powerful but less lively engine, and didn't look half as good.

So guys, what are your opinions on this?

 

I would say the most disappointing redesign of this decade is the Acura shield.

 

Based on the reviews I've done and what I've seen, I'd say the Lexus ES350, Dodge Caliber/Nitro/Jeep Compass, Subaru Forester, Acura TL, Mitsubishi Eclipse and Outlander, the interior of the present-generation Camry, and, in general, the replacement of the nice, plastic-body compact Saturns with steel-bodied Opel-clones. Though the Honda Insight and the new Toyota Prius are for 2010, and techically not in the decade anymore. Despite the superb efficiency of the Prius drivetrain, I found both of them disappointing overall, in different ways.

As for improvements, the biggest improvement, IMO, hands-down, was when the new, SH-AWD Acura RL was introduced several years ago. It was (and remains) an absolutely superb car, though admittedly a slow seller. Other impressive new designs/redesigns were the BMW 335i (despite some Chris Bangle quirks), 1995 Subaru Legacy/Outback, Nissan 370Z (a big improvement over the 350Z), the current-generation Chevy Malibu/Saturn Aura (despite the fact that the Aura doesn't have a plastic body like older Saturns), Buick Enclave, and the new Ford Fusion Hybrid.

 

I wouldnt limit the choice to this decade. I'd love to hear opinions from old timers, although pretty much every car in the 70ies was probably a disappointment with the oil crisis and all.

 

I agree with the TL bit. That was a beautiful car.

for me;

The 3 series transition from E46 to E92

Eclipse....but from an engineering standpoint than design

Same goes for the 7th gen celica (loved it, but a GT4 version was missing).

The current E-class

 

Not a fan of the giant smiley Miatas.

 

OK, then.....I'll give you some older, disappointing cars and re-designs (and skip most of the 1970's, because we all know that was a lousy decade).


The 1969 full-size Plymouths, Dodges, and Chryslers were total garbage, quality-wise compared to their 67-68 predecessors....and the 67-68 models weren't as well-built as the 65-66 models.

Until the nice current-generation model came out a few years ago, I thought that ALL of the post-1966 Mustangs were disappointing, style-wise, compared to the handsome, original 1964-66 models. and, by the mid-1970's, it had become essentially a rebadged 4-cylinder Pinto.

The 1958 Ford and Chevy sedans, I thought, were ugly compared to their handsome 1957 predecessors. The 59-60 models were even worse.

The egg-shaped third-generation Taurus, with EVERYTHING, inside and out, shaped like ovals, was an abomnination, and was primarily responsible for the big downturn in Taurus sales after 1995.

The 1980 Cadillac Seville, with its famous droop-trunk and the awful, unreliable GM diesel V8, was another abomination that deserved most of the panning it got. The unreliable V8-6-4 variable-displacement engine in the DeVille next year was another bad design.

 

I agree with all of OCH's picks. I would add the new Mazda3 to that list.

 

For me is the Nissan Maxima

 

anything Bangle

 

- New TL
- New Mazda 3
- New North American Mazda 6

 

The new 3 is no e46 but it's not bad at all. Front is obviously fine, I think people have issues with the back sometimes. It depends on the angles really.

 

I don't like the new acuras(ugly shield)

the new bmws.(e46>e90)

the new mazda 3, but the mazda 6 is nicer.

the impreza/wrx/sti. went from nice aggressive looking to generic and bland.

 

I know I'm going to catch flak for this, but to me, the biggest dissapointment was the 2010 RX. I'd hoped for a little more daring from Lexus, but the redesign, in my eyes, is blander, pudgier, and more boring than I would have expected from the company that brought us the original RX and the makeover for the 2nd generation. That's why I now drive a Nissan Murano LE. Lexus sure lost me as a loyal customer. And yes, we still have our GS, which my wife absolutely loves.

 

Don't worry. I feel the same way. I thought the 2nd gen was the best damn looking car-based suv in the luxury field. I'm going to get flamed for this, but I think the MDX looks better than the new RX. The interior, while I'm sure it's high quality, is something I wouldn't be able to live with.