by "Ash78, voting early and often" (ash78)
Published 06/01/2017 at 16:22
by "Ash78, voting early and often" (ash78)
Published 06/01/2017 at 16:22
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STARS: 0
Find a car that has, as objectively as possible, gotten successively uglier over at least three consecutive generations. I don’t mean just things like “I hate Acura/Lexus grilles,” but the entire package. I’ve been thinking about this for weeks while driving around, but only have a couple:
1. The Lexus RX — it went from traditionally understated design, improved on it, then turned into a fat Kia and then an alien spacecraft.
2. 4Runner: I’ll take column B, but respect for the first two in column A.
"PotbellyJoe and 42 others" (potbellyjoe)
06/01/2017 at 16:24, STARS: 2
Celica —> tC (I appreciate the Gen1 tC, but the refresh and the squaround second round was, ewww ...)
"OKcarburetor" (okcarburetor)
06/01/2017 at 16:25, STARS: 5
All BMWs
"Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer" (smallbear94)
06/01/2017 at 16:27, STARS: 0
RX, I’ll take first or last. One’s not pretty but at least simple and classy-ish, the other is ugly but at least it’s not boring to look at. But that’s only if I had to, I’d prefer to burn the whole batch.
4Runner, I’d have 2nd, 3rd, or (pre-facelift, TRD) 5th.
"Jcarr" (jcarr)
06/01/2017 at 16:27, STARS: 3
The RX is so baffling to me because I only ever seem to see them driven by geriatric white people. It’s so weird to see a little old lady behind the wheel of such a ridiculous looking thing.
"CaptDale - is secretly British" (captdale)
06/01/2017 at 16:28, STARS: 0
The Hyundai Accent
Gen 1: X3
Gen 2: LC
Gen 3: MC
Gen 4: RB
They went from your basic 90's sedan to WTF to blobs on 4 wheels stealing design ideas more expensive cars had 5-10 years prior.
"CB" (jrcb)
06/01/2017 at 16:30, STARS: 6
Mitsubishi Eclipse.
"Rust and Dust - Oppositelock Forever" (rustanddust)
06/01/2017 at 16:32, STARS: 6
I’m admittedly a Honda fan-boy/apologist, but:
(and yes, I switched markets (1st is a JDM Type R, 2nd is European market, last is global, if I’m not mistaken).
"Saracen" (manualdoucheelitist)
06/01/2017 at 16:33, STARS: 1
Subaru Impreza & Legacy.
"RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht" (ramblininexile)
06/01/2017 at 16:33, STARS: 0
The Studebaker Champion. You go from this,
to this,
to this,
to this?
Get the fuck out.
/yes, this is a troll post with a deliberate combo breaker
//not to mention the troll nature of “I know one! Studebaker!”
"Ash78, voting early and often" (ash78)
06/01/2017 at 16:33, STARS: 2
My sis-in-law is mid-40s and working way too hard to look 25 (Isn’t that every woman today?). But she just bought a Lexus RX, 3rd gen. The first thing I said was “I didn’t know they let young folks drive these!” which was both a compliment and a stab.
"HammerheadFistpunch" (hammerheadfistpunch)
06/01/2017 at 16:34, STARS: 0
Why does the 4runner chart go gen 1,3,2,4,5 or 1,2,5,3,4 depending on up/down or left/right
"TheHondaBro" (wwaveform)
06/01/2017 at 16:34, STARS: 0
Scientists haven’t yet found out how to be as wrong as you are being right now. It can only be explained with quantum mechanics, and even then it’s iffy.
"Ash78, voting early and often" (ash78)
06/01/2017 at 16:35, STARS: 1
Someone had to say it. And I don’t disagree.
"For Sweden" (rallybeetle)
06/01/2017 at 16:35, STARS: 0
is the problem the geriatric part or the white part
"Ash78, voting early and often" (ash78)
06/01/2017 at 16:37, STARS: 0
Because probably some Millenial found some app to create Facebook polls or something. But I couldn’t find any other collages to show them all (almost).
"Ash78, voting early and often" (ash78)
06/01/2017 at 16:37, STARS: 2
First one is among the best sedans of all time, easy. I can’t believe they departed so wildly from it.
"HammerheadFistpunch" (hammerheadfistpunch)
06/01/2017 at 16:37, STARS: 1
i have to wonder if this “pillbox” style is going to go away eventually with advances in materials that are safer without having to close off the greenhouse. I hope so.
"Wobbles the Mind" (wobblesthemind)
06/01/2017 at 16:40, STARS: 2
I guess the Mercedes SL though I think the right spec benefits each generation.
"Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo" (thetomselleck)
06/01/2017 at 16:41, STARS: 0
Conversely, they made the facelifted Highlander much less fugly.
"Ash78, voting early and often" (ash78)
06/01/2017 at 16:41, STARS: 3
I don’t even think it was about safety, just style. Safety has dictated bigger pillars (airbags, rigidity), but the high beltlines are confusing because they’re mostly just hollow sheetmetal and door cards. The internal beam still does the real work. I think it was just everyone’s desire to look cool, hip, and mean, regardless of their own age or the type of car. The last totally innocent car I can remember is the Kia Ronda. That car gave no f*cks well into the 2000s. Here’s the final model, 2009:
"Jcarr" (jcarr)
06/01/2017 at 16:42, STARS: 3
Malibu:
2nd Gen (Still Chevelle Malibu at that point):
Third Gen (again, still Chevelle Malibu):
Fourth Gen:
Fifth Gen:
Things have ticked back up since then, but I think the current gen looks terrible. The face is way too squished.
"Ash78, voting early and often" (ash78)
06/01/2017 at 16:43, STARS: 0
Highlander has only gotten better with age. Oddly, also Toyota.
"Jcarr" (jcarr)
06/01/2017 at 16:44, STARS: 0
I think it’s the combo.
"Ash78, voting early and often" (ash78)
06/01/2017 at 16:45, STARS: 11
I can’t see the last one without thinking of this:
"HammerheadFistpunch" (hammerheadfistpunch)
06/01/2017 at 16:46, STARS: 1
Yeah, its really depressing. Toyota other Suv’s are, for the most part, still not hip...probably because their designs are so old.
Lots of glass on these babies.
"Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo" (thetomselleck)
06/01/2017 at 16:46, STARS: 1
It’s the ur face part
"Noah - Now with more boost." (antriebverliebt)
06/01/2017 at 16:47, STARS: 3
The Gran Prix is a great one:
"Ash78, voting early and often" (ash78)
06/01/2017 at 16:48, STARS: 0
That GX is like a Honda Accord around here. Mostly older women, for some reason, but I occasionally see a younger guy with some subtle lift and A/T tires. Maybe even an aftermarket steel bumper and winch (usually on the first-gen models, though. Probably with 300k miles.)
"Pickup_man" (zekeh)
06/01/2017 at 16:49, STARS: 1
Unpopular opinion
I don’t think any of them are particularly bad looking, I just happen to really like the jellybean generation.
"Ash78, voting early and often" (ash78)
06/01/2017 at 16:51, STARS: 0
Wow a full crewcab jellybean? Almost all of them I see are standard or extended. I remember when that one first came out, people flipped out and revolted. But then when it was time to retire it, Ford kept it around as a Heritage Edition for another year or so (IIRC).
"HammerheadFistpunch" (hammerheadfistpunch)
06/01/2017 at 16:51, STARS: 1
oh no question. I tell my wife that only hotties drive GX’s and so its the right car for her. This is how I picture most Gx drivers. My wife happens to be a very good driver but most....are not.
"For Sweden" (rallybeetle)
06/01/2017 at 16:53, STARS: 1
I knew it
"That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms" (thatbastardkurtis5)
06/01/2017 at 16:54, STARS: 0
I’m probably being biased, but...
80 series Land Cruiser > 100 Series > 200 Series.
"Ash78, voting early and often" (ash78)
06/01/2017 at 16:57, STARS: 0
The GX also tends to be the choice of well-off ladies in hijabs. I mention that because we don’t have a huge South Asian population here, yet half of them are in the same type of vehicle. I have to think the LC Prado must have been their car back home, so they’re just keeping it in the family. The Muslim soccer mom mafia!
Dammit, now the ACLU and Lexus will probably sue me for this accurate and objective observation.
"MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner" (montegoman562)
06/01/2017 at 16:59, STARS: 5
Cadillac SRX!
First generation looked 100% Cadillac (04-09):
Second generation looked like a Saturn Vue with a grille upgrade (10-16):
"Ash78, voting early and often" (ash78)
06/01/2017 at 17:02, STARS: 3
When we shopped crossovers a couple years ago, I would only consider the first. It was, after all, a CTS wagon before there was a CTS wagon. But it was hard to find one of that era in decent shape.
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
06/01/2017 at 17:12, STARS: 9
The last three generations of the Civic.
"Ash78, voting early and often" (ash78)
06/01/2017 at 17:13, STARS: 6
Someone beat you to it, but I think the same applies to most Hondas (except maybe Accord).
"Pickup_man" (zekeh)
06/01/2017 at 17:16, STARS: 0
The vast majority that I’ve seen have been extended cabs as well (in fact I own one), but it seems like the crew cabs have been kept around longer. Maybe I was just paying more attention but I saw a ton of jelly bean crew cabs this last weekend, and only a handful of extended cabs. Full disclosure a custom built jelly bean crew cab with a 6.5' bed is one of my dream trucks, if I ever get the space and a little more money I will build one for myself.
I don’t remember people flipping out when they came out, was too young to pay attention, but I can understand why, the Old Body Style Fords were one of the last honest pickups and looked fantastic. The jelly bean styling was a big departure even though pretty much everything about the truck was better.
You are partially correct (and I had to look some of this up), in 2003 you could buy a “Heritage Edition F-150", which was the 100th anniversary of the company. These trucks all came with two tone paint jobs, chrome grills, and unique 5 spoke wheels. In 2004, Ford had a lot of left over 2003 trucks, so they sold them as the “F-150 Heritage” and they were no different than the earlier trucks. So in 2004 you could buy either the new body style, or the old body style trucks, but the old body style trucks are “Heritage” models.
"Steve in Manhattan" (blogenfreude01)
06/01/2017 at 17:19, STARS: 0
Can’t do photos from but This.
"Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo" (thetomselleck)
06/01/2017 at 17:26, STARS: 2
I can’t wait to tell my wife tonight that only hot babes drive 1st generation Pontiac Vibes!
"HammerheadFistpunch" (hammerheadfistpunch)
06/01/2017 at 17:31, STARS: 2
This hasn’t been proven false.
"Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo" (thetomselleck)
06/01/2017 at 17:32, STARS: 2
The burden of proof need not apply!
"dogisbadob" (dogisbadob)
06/01/2017 at 17:38, STARS: 1
I concur with Ash78. It started with the Chrysler 300
"dogisbadob" (dogisbadob)
06/01/2017 at 17:38, STARS: 0
Yup! It all started with the Chrysler 300
That Rondo looks awesome!
"NJAnon" (NJAnon)
06/01/2017 at 18:12, STARS: 1
Id nominate Nissan. I mean what hasn’t been said already about their weird design language for the 370Z & GTR?
"Decay buys too many beaters" (decay)
06/01/2017 at 18:16, STARS: 0
Flame suit on.
...Miata
"Ssfancyfresh" (scotttt)
06/01/2017 at 18:17, STARS: 0
Counterpoint: I like the alien space craft best
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
06/01/2017 at 18:21, STARS: 0
True, and yeah the current Accord is a definite improvement over the last one. That thing got beaten with an ugly stick.
"LongbowMkII" (longbowmkii)
06/01/2017 at 18:41, STARS: 1
I like the 3rd RX more then the second.
"feather-throttle-not-hair" (feather-throttle-not-hair)
06/01/2017 at 18:59, STARS: 4
Personally, I like how my 350Z looks, but I think the Z32 was maybe even more of a looker. The 370Z looks just a little bit awful to me.
Alternatively:
"TylerJ" (TylerJ)
06/01/2017 at 19:03, STARS: 0
Are the 5th gen 4Runners any less capable? I actually really like how they look.
"Wacko" (wacko--)
06/01/2017 at 19:52, STARS: 1
My fav Z is the first Z and the 90s 300Z. 80s Z don’t do it for me..
"Nauraushaun" (nauraushaun12)
06/01/2017 at 20:03, STARS: 3
It’s interesting to see how the RX seems to have been moving in the same direction it’s whole life. It’s like they had thus whole hideous predator thing planned for 15 years
"feather-throttle-not-hair" (feather-throttle-not-hair)
06/01/2017 at 21:00, STARS: 3
80'z one is definitely the least good looking, but i’d be lying if i said I didn’t like each and every one of them in their own way. Properly turbo’d out, it just looks sooooo 80's which i both love and think of as being ugly at the same time.
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
06/01/2017 at 21:09, STARS: 0
My mom’s last car was a black cherry first gen SRX. That was a nice vehicle, and really good looking IMO. Yeah, the second gens are just sad blobs.
"HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles" (hondasfordsvolvo)
06/01/2017 at 21:39, STARS: 3
"HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles" (hondasfordsvolvo)
06/01/2017 at 21:40, STARS: 0
The accord has improved
"HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles" (hondasfordsvolvo)
06/01/2017 at 22:06, STARS: 1
Exactly, there’s an older couple near by that had a late 90s ES300 with the beige two tone. It is a nice loooking car. Looks great in the driveway of their traditional but handsome home.
Now they have a very beige new RX. It just looks so weird, especially in the most boring color known to man.
"HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles" (hondasfordsvolvo)
06/01/2017 at 22:10, STARS: 0
80s cars have a flair of their own, especially Japanese 80s cars. They tried so hard to be futuristic, and trendy which always results in being dated. But everything in fashion comes around again. I think the 2010s will be looked back with the same “what were they thinking” as we have for the the 80s. And he 90s will be seen with more like the 60s as a “glory days” of cars. A simpler time.
"HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles" (hondasfordsvolvo)
06/01/2017 at 22:12, STARS: 1
53 Stud is best Stud.
"HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles" (hondasfordsvolvo)
06/01/2017 at 22:13, STARS: 0
No kidding how was this not my first thought.
"HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles" (hondasfordsvolvo)
06/01/2017 at 22:15, STARS: 1
Th bugeye and Hawkeye are the hieght of Subaru design
Also the Saab 9-2x lol
"HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles" (hondasfordsvolvo)
06/01/2017 at 22:17, STARS: 0
Are you insinuating that the NC is better looking than the ND? Because I’ll internet fight you until I’m bored that you are wrong. The NC is a bar of soap. And not in a good way like the NA was. And the later NB is the best looking Miata. If you loose the fun of flip up headlights
"RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht" (ramblininexile)
06/01/2017 at 23:10, STARS: 1
I cannot fault anything about it, which is why I had it in between the two that bookended it (that are legitimate WTFs) as a joke. I like the bulletnose better, but even with that I would say the ‘52 is better executed in an objective sense.
"Ash78, voting early and often" (ash78)
06/02/2017 at 08:25, STARS: 0
The Accord design team should be the bosses of everyone else at Honda.
"HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles" (hondasfordsvolvo)
06/02/2017 at 08:29, STARS: 0
No, I should be.
"Ash78, voting early and often" (ash78)
06/02/2017 at 08:31, STARS: 1
Just like Toyota to play the long game...
"Ash78, voting early and often" (ash78)
06/02/2017 at 08:32, STARS: 0
Nope, in fact they’re allegedly the best ones yet. Go for it.
"Ash78, voting early and often" (ash78)
06/02/2017 at 08:34, STARS: 1
The 370 works for me in the context of Nissan’s overall designs today. I like that they brought back the C-pillar kink, but they overdid the flowiness on the body (like Infiniti always does). I have a soft spot for the 89-90 era, since a lot of my friends’ parents in middle school had them. Nice to see them around from time to time, usually in good shape.
"Ash78, voting early and often" (ash78)
06/02/2017 at 08:35, STARS: 1
Have you told your parents yet? How did they take the news? /s
"Ash78, voting early and often" (ash78)
06/02/2017 at 08:36, STARS: 1
I’d say maybe, but the ND is actually growing on me lately, so for me that trend might be reversing.
"Ash78, voting early and often" (ash78)
06/02/2017 at 08:37, STARS: 1
But Jalopnik needs you more. Whatever they’re paying you, I’ll double it.
"LongbowMkII" (longbowmkii)
06/02/2017 at 08:43, STARS: 1
Though no RX will ever be as cool as the first gen with reflective green tint.
"Ash78, voting early and often" (ash78)
06/02/2017 at 08:59, STARS: 0
On green factory paint, naturally
"MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner" (montegoman562)
06/02/2017 at 10:41, STARS: 1
I love them actually. HUGE step backwards for the 2nd generation. It was absolutely a lifted CTS Wagon and it was awesome because of it.
I always felt the 2nd gen just did NOT match the rest of the caddy line up.
"MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner" (montegoman562)
06/02/2017 at 10:42, STARS: 0
Black cherry looked great on them!
I felt like the 2nd gen SRX just didn’t in any possible way match the rest of the Caddy line up. All the shit Lincoln gets for badge engineering and there was a 2nd gen SRX roaming around for 6 years
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
06/02/2017 at 11:50, STARS: 0
Yeah it did! It was their best color, IMO.
Lincoln deserves all the shit they’ve gotten for badge engineering, but the 2nd gen SRX was just as guilty of being a crappy expensive blob.
I finally saw a new Continental in the wild. That thing looks goooooood! I also dig the refresh on the MKZ. I’ve always liked the rear of that car, but the whale mustache killed it for me.
"MINIGTI" (76tr6)
06/02/2017 at 12:48, STARS: 0
Civic
"Decay buys too many beaters" (decay)
06/02/2017 at 13:11, STARS: 0
Sure, got some time NA (b/c flip up headlights) > NB (because ugly early plastic-ey lights) > NC (because NC) > ND (because over-styled derivative garbage)
"Decay buys too many beaters" (decay)
06/02/2017 at 13:13, STARS: 1
I flip flop between liking and hating it. Right now I’m in hate mode
"Saracen" (manualdoucheelitist)
06/02/2017 at 14:04, STARS: 0
Height of Subaru design was the GC Impreza.
The Bugeye is cool...it’s my favorite of the models we got in the US after the WRX hit our shores, but it’s not pretty. Hawkeye is meh. Everything after that is a hot mess.
"RT" (rt-p)
06/03/2017 at 19:06, STARS: 0
Both look very tacky to me, though the first gen at least had a more balanced shape.
"RT" (rt-p)
06/03/2017 at 19:08, STARS: 0
It’s still miles away from the second gen in looks though.
"MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner" (montegoman562)
06/05/2017 at 09:58, STARS: 0
And even if you found the first one tacky, at least it looked like a Cadillac.
"RT" (rt-p)
06/05/2017 at 12:23, STARS: 0
What are Cadillacs even meant to look like though?
They’ve changed their focus so many times. Comparing 50s Cadillac, 80s Cadillac and present day Cadillac is like comparing completely different companies. They never had a consistent style other being the top trim of GM, so help me out here.
"MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner" (montegoman562)
06/06/2017 at 13:34, STARS: 0
I mean, it doesn’t look like any other cadillac that was in the line up at the same time. That’s my problem. At least the first gen SRX looked like a lifted wagon CTS, it looked like another Cadillac. 2nd gen SRX looked more like a fancy Saturn than a Cadillac.
"RT" (rt-p)
06/06/2017 at 14:19, STARS: 0
It’s still angluar, has the Cadillac snout and the mega high rear beltline of the CTS-V Coupé. It doesn’t look very good, but the ingredients are there right?
"MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner" (montegoman562)
06/06/2017 at 15:43, STARS: 0
For me it doesn’t. I don’t see it. It’s the only car in the Caddy lineup (other than the escalade) that they seemed like they didn’t have complete control of the body shape.