What's The Most Unique Looking New Car You Can Buy Right Now?

"Andrew T. Maness" (theroadlessdriven)
12/02/2014 at 10:00 • Filed to: Big Questions, The Road Less driven, Jalopnik, Andrew Maness, Corvette Stingray, New Cars, Debate, Chevrolet, Car Design, Mustang, Challenger, Camaro, Ford, Dodge

Okay so as you can see my choice is fairly obvious. In my humble opinion the Corvette Stingray is by far the most unique looking car you can currently purchase new from a dealership.

If it seems like I'm overstating the bit about it being new from a dealership that's because I don't want a bunch of asshats arguing about unique looking used cars or cars that are coming soon.

I'm talking currently on the market and available to the general public.

What got me thinking about this was !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! about what the average car looks like in 2014. If you think that what you see below looks like a Avenger/9-3/Model S/Camry that's because it does and that my friends is not good.

Toyoxus thinks what they're doing is unique but it's not. I mean I get it, they want their own signature fascia but what they've ended up with is a godawful mashup of Audi, Mitsubishi and the Warheads guy. Just cut your losses and go back to the drawing board guys, please.

Some of you might point to vehicles like the Nissan Juke or Scion XB as being unique but that's wrong, so very, very wrong. Those are just ugly, over styled vehicles that have spawned other ugly over styled vehicles. The Juke is responsible for what Jeep is passing off as a Cherokee and the Scion XB exists because of the Honda Element, another failed attempt at making it hip to be square.

So when you really think about it, are there any new cars that don't look like it's competitors? Have automotive designers really become so scared of rejection and content with laziness that they're simply happy to tow the line and borrow steal from the competition in order to move units?

Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of the new Mustang, Challenger, Camaro but do we really need more retrolution ™ style cars? Would these things sell were it not for their nostalgia inducing designs?

I'll tell you this much, it's getting harder and harder to say a car is unique in it's overall design, especially when you're talking about cars built for us "normal folk". Seems to me that for the most part the only unique cars being built are for those that can afford to wipe with $100s.

However that's just my opinion, what's yours?

Andrew Maness writes about cars because he has one and also has a computer. He's been known to drunkenly Tweet as !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and upload photos to !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . He also has a !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and thinks talking about himself in the 3rd person is really weird but knows it's necessary if he wants to be taken seriously as an automotive journalist.

DISCUSSION (51)

Alex B > Andrew T. Maness
12/02/2014 at 10:04

Kinja'd!!!

davedave1111 > Andrew T. Maness
12/02/2014 at 10:05

I'm not sure the Corvette looks in any way unique to me. It's just more of the same. A lot more, clearly, but all out of the usual design books.

I can't really think of anything that stands out right now, and I'm a big fan of unique cars - or as other people call them, ugly ones.

Is the Crosscab still on sale?

Kinja'd!!!

William Byrd > Alex B
12/02/2014 at 10:07

i8 to say it, but the i8

Kinja'd!!!

As Du Volant > Andrew T. Maness
12/02/2014 at 10:09

Nothing else like it on the market. We sometimes forget how unique it is because it (or its predecessors) has been in production for almost 70 years.

Kinja'd!!!

Jayhawk Jake > Andrew T. Maness
12/02/2014 at 10:16

i8, i3

Racescort666 > Andrew T. Maness
12/02/2014 at 10:18

Kinja'd!!!

You're supposed to be able to buy it. I don't quite have the money yet and it's winter so I haven't really tried to buy one yet.

Milky > Andrew T. Maness
12/02/2014 at 10:20

Says "unique looking". Posts C7 Corvette.

Kinja'd!!!

The most obvious hey-I-make-some-money car ever, that wealthy neighborhoods are already overflowing with. Its hard to stand out when there are a dozen of the same car within a mile radius.

MultiplaOrgasms > Andrew T. Maness
12/02/2014 at 10:21

The most unique looking car you can buy brand new today: The Toyota Comfort. The least unique car in 1995 became the most unique in 2014.

Kinja'd!!!

I was about to say Defender / G-Class, but both are 1980s relics that will never see a windtunnel from the inside.

punkgoose17 > MultiplaOrgasms
12/02/2014 at 10:28

Which market is this sold in as new? Brazil? China? India? Mexico? South Africa?

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > Andrew T. Maness
12/02/2014 at 10:31

You ask a subjective question, then go on about how you don't want subjective answers while defending your subjective opinion about styling.

Styling is ALWAYS subjective.

I happen to think that the Juke and the new Lexus models are a good thing. They are at least polarizing, which is better for everyone than just another boring lump of car to buy.

Sn210 > Andrew T. Maness
12/02/2014 at 10:34

Kinja'd!!!

unique =/= pretty

KirkyV > Andrew T. Maness
12/02/2014 at 10:38

Kinja'd!!!

The Cactus!

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Andrew T. Maness
12/02/2014 at 10:38

BMW i3/i8. By a long, long, long way.

punkgoose17 > As Du Volant
12/02/2014 at 10:44

But it is not unique because the Mahindra Thar comes from the same ancestor and...

Kinja'd!!!

MultiplaOrgasms > punkgoose17
12/02/2014 at 10:46

Japan. Hong Kong. Probably some other east asian countries.

punkgoose17 > Andrew T. Maness
12/02/2014 at 10:51

The Morgan 4/4 Four Seater. It looks like it is from the 1930's. You can buy one new now, and it is the only Morgan 4 seat car, so it has different proportions than all their other cars.

Kinja'd!!!

carcrasher88 > punkgoose17
12/02/2014 at 10:51

Japan, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Primarily used as taxis, though there have been civilian versions, like the TRD Comfort GT-Z Supercharger, of which only 59 were made.

BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. > punkgoose17
12/02/2014 at 10:56

Yeah, but no one ever sees those.

BarryDanger > punkgoose17
12/02/2014 at 10:56

If we're including Morgan, I'd say the 3 wheeler. Is that thing still a car?

spanfucker retire bitch > Milky
12/02/2014 at 10:58

I don't think you understood his post.

What other car out there looks like the Corvette?

Twism > Andrew T. Maness
12/02/2014 at 11:06

It's also the last year you can get one brand new, so why not go balls out and get the Mitsuoka Orochi Evangelion edition?

Kinja'd!!!

Milky > spanfucker retire bitch
12/02/2014 at 11:07

Kinja'd!!!

IMO there is nothing new design wise on the 'Vette, its just has crisper lines.

Michael Maguire > Milky
12/02/2014 at 11:18

I saw this comparison on oppo yesterday and was blown away by the resemblance. Somebody looks like a copycat. These are both beautiful cars, but not unique.

Kanaric > Andrew T. Maness
12/02/2014 at 11:37

Corvette isn't unique you will see them all over.

I would go with Nismo trim nissans. There are not too many of them sold. Like i've only seen a couple of Nismo 370Zs ever

Andrew T. Maness > Milky
12/02/2014 at 12:11

Wow, I can't believe I never saw the similarities. Well played Milky, well played.

Andrew T. Maness > MultiplaOrgasms
12/02/2014 at 12:11

This is the kind of digging I was hoping for. Nicely done.

Andrew T. Maness > Alex B
12/02/2014 at 12:12

I refuse to acknowledge Nissan's existence.

Andrew T. Maness > KirkyV
12/02/2014 at 12:13

But isn't it just a Cherokee?

Andrew T. Maness > ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable)
12/02/2014 at 12:17

Well yeah, it's my article, of course I'm going to defend my opinion about styling.

The point of the piece is to get people thinking about how so many new cars look the same and what that's doing to the market, not to find a definitive answer to the question.

As for the Juke and Lexus models, if that's your thing great, at least they've got a customer.

Andrew T. Maness > davedave1111
12/02/2014 at 12:18

No, it was taken out to pasture, thankfully.

It's a lifted Altima coupe with a soft top, gross.

Andrew T. Maness > Twism
12/02/2014 at 12:19

Amazing!

Andrew T. Maness > Sn210
12/02/2014 at 12:19

I know someone would post it.

Andrew T. Maness > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
12/02/2014 at 12:22

I happen to like both of these cars but is the design unique? The i3 looks like many past designs we've seen out of Asia and the i8 borrows styling cues from a bunch of different sports cars, including the Corvette.

You know what I've been forgetting? The X6...

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Andrew T. Maness
12/02/2014 at 12:22

Yeah but you said unique, not original. Nothing else on the road looks like an i3 or an i8.

KirkyV > Andrew T. Maness
12/02/2014 at 12:29

Not so far as I'm aware, no. It's based on the platform of the DS3/C3:

Kinja'd!!!

The Cherokee's a Jeep, right? Considering that they're owned by one of Citroen's competitors, I doubt the two companies would be too keen on the idea of sharing.

Milky > Michael Maguire
12/02/2014 at 12:29

I actually saw Ralph Gilles at the Detroit auto show that year and he called the vette "amateur". I'll just leave that there.

davedave1111 > Andrew T. Maness
12/02/2014 at 12:30

But definitely unique.

Milky > Andrew T. Maness
12/02/2014 at 12:32

Kinja'd!!!

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > Andrew T. Maness
12/02/2014 at 12:51

I get that this is an opinion piece and that you obviously have one. That's all cool and there is nothing wrong about it.

But defending your opinion by saying anything other than your opinion is wrong doesn't win many fans.

You do not like the Juke and Lexus models. No issue with that, and you aren't the only one.

But saying anyone who does is just wrong isn't the way to convince people of anything, only that you're being an elitist, opinionated ass. We have enough of those on the web already.

Tone down the ego and try presenting your ideas without bashing others and you'll find there is plenty to be discussed.

I for one actually agree with the point of your post. There are far too many similar cars on the market today. The tone with which you presented your thoughts is what I take issue with.

Sn210 > Andrew T. Maness
12/02/2014 at 12:52

lol somebody had to

Andrew T. Maness > KirkyV
12/02/2014 at 13:10

Correct, it does not share a platform and they are competitors.

But isn't it just a Cherokee/Fiat 500L...

Andrew T. Maness > ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable)
12/02/2014 at 13:16

Opinionated ass, definitely, without question.

Elitist, eh, not so much.

I have strong opinions, I put them out there. To me that's honesty and something I think is sorely missing from automotive journalism and culture in general.

It's clear that what I'm saying isn't the be all end all, I wouldn't for a second presume to know better than the other 7 billion people on the planet what car is definitively the most unique.

What I will do is continue to try and get conversations started that might just trigger a useful thought in someone's noggin.

I'm not here to argue, I'm here to discuss.