I could not disagree more with this diagram. The above model's rumps are some of the cleanest, smoothest, most modern looks to surface in a long time. Special standouts include the A3, IS, and Avalon. All are very agreeable and do not offend with any crazy lines that strain the mind or eye. The average driver does not want a freakshow for styling. Audi and Lexus have a nice combo of clean body designs, enhanced by some excitement with the grille. I think that is very fair when all added up, and it seems both brands are selling well to the point styling can be said to be successful.

 

I don't necessarily mean to speak for venom21, but what I think he meant by that diagram was not that those rear ends were all ugly or an eyesore, but that they basically just all looked alike.....which I agree.

 

I'm not really seeing how all of those have similar looking tails. For example, I fail to see how an IS (number 5 in the pic) looks like a Mazda 3 i Touring (number 9):

 

Except for the sedan trunk/hatchback lids, to me, they all have the same general pattern, with minor differences. I think that's what venom21 was getting at.

 

Agree to disagree, I guess.

 

In my eyes, all those cars look completely different. Do we forget that up through the '80's, almost all headlights and taillights were basic rectangles or circles? We are now in an age where any conceivable shape can be applied but designers use some restraint for practical reasons.

One must remember that designers are restricted to a basic pattern when designing a car. Whether it is to adhere to laws, which there are many, or just basic practical reasons like trunk space, etc. Looking at the rear end sedan example, a designer must have taillights at each corner with the option of having one continuous strip across the back. They must also be a within a certain height by law. The designer must also incorporate the license plate area, also within certain heights. The designer must design a bumper that meets all safety regulations that again is restricted by height. With all this in place, you are going to fall within that basic shape pattern. It's inevitable.

And of coarse there's the other considerations. Remember that conservative cars historically, have been among the best selling. Those conservative cars also age the best. The most radical designs often suffer on sales lots and look stupid in 8 + years.

 

They made the KIA Soul, there's your different car.

 

It's not the look. It's about the proportion.

The cars noted have similar proportions, which makes it conform to a standard mold.

Design creates distinction.

 

...............and the Soul, like the 1Gen Scion xB, is the very definition of automotive space efficiency. One local Kia shop tells me that fully half of its sales are Souls.

 

Which was my point in the whole post. When you're designing a sedan, the overall proportions almost have to fit this standard mold. You have a trunk that can only be so high and so low. Lights that have to conform to regulations. A license plate cut out. Bumper that meets safety regulations.

This all means same basic layout with only relatively small shape distinctions. Only different body styles that have different purposes can truly break out of that mold.

 

The overall basic look is certainly the same.
They only differ in the details.

Those rabbits basically look the same.
However in detail, some rabbits are fatter than others, and some have pinkish ears, while others have greyish ears etc..

 

I am tired of seeing grilles big enough for a couple slabs of ribs lol Seriously the entire front end of newer cars is a big grille

The back end design has also gotten out of hand. Audi and Lexus had that design going and in transferred to Hyundai immediately and Toyota, Honda, etc.

 

Big grills do look more modern. Cars with small grills (go check out the '90's) look so outdated now. They look weak. The large grills add boldness, presence, and better distinction. Not saying all these grills look great, but when done right, they look nice. Think about it, these grills now replace what was plain protruding bumpers.

 

You may call smaller grilles weak or outdated. Others (including me) simply call them not outlandish.


Bumpers, though, by Federal standard, at least protect the front of the car below 2.5 MPH.....grilles don't.

 

Remember when so many cars just had a generic little grill like below's example? I don't think we want to go back to that.