The Ugliest Cars Of 2010

HighestOfHigh · Dec 13, 2010

The Acura ZDX is a $45,000 hatchback that looks like a cross between a small SUV and a station wagon. Fewer than 160 of them sold last month in the United States; just over 3,000 have sold there at all. Yet the ZDX gets acceptable reviews from Edmunds.com and Consumer Reports, who praise its all-wheel-drive and handling. Why isn't this car selling better? Maybe because it's ugly, says John McElroy, the host of Autoline Daily. "For some reason, [Acura] has settled on this grill that I've described as a goofy jack-o-lantern grin," he says. "I don't know anybody who likes it."

The ZDX isn't the only car held back by ungainly looks. The Honda Accord Crosstour, the Scion xB and the Nissan Cube aren't going to win any automotive beauty contests, either--and that's why they all appear on our list of the worst-looking cars of 2010. To determine our list of the year's ugliest cars, we consulted with three long-time auto experts: Jake Fisher, senior automotive engineer for Consumer Reports; Troy Snyder, director of product development at NADAGuides; and Autoline Daily's John McElroy. Each expert discussed what they think are the worst-looking new vehicles on the market. Granted, beauty is in the eye of the beholder--some consumers love the quirky angles of the xB, or think the ZDX is sleek and sexy. But the extremely polarizing nature of these vehicles qualifies them for scrutiny.

After turning out some real stinkers in recent years, American automakers can take solace from our list, since the Ford Flex and Chevrolet HHR are the only entries from Detroit. One reason why: Ford, GM and Chrysler played it safe this year, and were less likely to try out new combinations in design and aesthetic. "Quite honestly, the domestics can't afford to make these types of mistakes," Fisher says. "The vehicles that we're talking about are kind of niche vehicles, and I think what the domestics are doing right now is concentrating on bread-and-butter cars." Does safe always mean boring? Not necessarily. Hyundai has done a good job of separating itself from the ho-hum Accord-Camry pack by offering the Sonata and Elantra, Fisher says. Both cars are affordable, solidly built family sedans that also look great.

On the other hand, Mazda ( MZDAF.PK - news - people ) walks a fine line between safe and trendy. The Japan-based automaker sells odd-looking cars like the RX8 that drive well, but that are almost too "faddish," according to McElroy. "I think Mazda went a little bit far in their styling," he says. "They're putting in these very swoopy lines with a lot of character into the sheet metal ... I'm not sure that it has really connected with the public." While it's good for a car to be popular, going too trendy usually means sales will fade out quickly. (Just look at the Chrysler PT Cruiser, Chrysler Sebring, and Suzuki ( SZKMF.PK - news - people ) Aerio.) But a car like the Ford Taurus, which launched to a slow start in the 1980s, gradually improved in look and quality and eventually became a solid seller. And the classically styled Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Corvette have remained design icons with steady sales for decades.

"There's a particular look and style that goes along with American muscle, and there's an aggressive, almost mean horsepower torque look and feel to the skin of the Mustang," Snyder says. "It's that consumer expectation of what American muscle should look and sound like, and Ford has done an excellent job at listening to the consumer." If there is a particular look and style that goes along with an American hatchback, Acura hasn't found it yet.

Honda Accord Crosstour

Nissan Cube

Chevy HHR

Ford FLEX

Acura ZDX