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I'd be super curious to know why exactly American cars look so unappealing to people on the other side of the pond. I find them bloated, full of plastic, tacky, tastless, the lights on front are always this elongated very unattractive shape - and yet, it must be what Americans like, since these are cars designed by them. I wouldn't be surprised if they found European cars ugly in return - Is there any study done on this? An objective look into why Americans/Europeans like what they do in cars?

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Coming from the UK, I've noticed this too - especially with interiors. For example, I don't think the exterior of the GM Bolt looks too bad, but the interior just looks so cheap [1] and that is the thing I will be looking at and interacting with.

One European car that I find really ugly to look at is the Porsche Cayenne [2]. Most disagree with me on this. I can't put my finger on why exactly but all of the proportions just looks slightly wrong to me.

EDIT: I've replaced Cayman with Cayenne as pointed out in the comments.

1. http://gmauthority.com/blog/wp-content/gallery/2017-chevrole...

2. https://s1.cdn.autoevolution.com/images/news/gallery/2018-po...

The Cayenne looks ugly because it's such a blatant "tick all boxes" concept - We need an SUV, but we're Porsche, so let's run a halfway morph between a Range Rover and a Carrera and call it a day. Quite like the back half of the Panamera...

*Cayenne - as pointed out by comment above

Thanks, updated now

Dunno about that, the 1st generation Cayenne looks ugly, the later ones look much better. The Panamera is pure ugly all around.

> One European car that I find really ugly to look at is the Porsche Cayman [2].

That's the Cayenne. Cayman is a two-seater.

Thanks, I've updated it now.

I assumed that it was a attempt by someone at Porsche to undermine the long term popularity of SUVs by creating one that is eye-wateringly ugly.

I live in the home of the big 3, the metro Detroit area, and there's a pretty healthy mix of all nationalities of cars, so I don't think there's anything profoundly "American" about a Cadillac. In wealthy areas around here, I would even say that tastes run decisively German.

But car design is essentially dying as a significant differentiator. Consumers' preferences are quickly converging on jellybean-like mini SUV's - it's hard to quantify, but cars are more than ever about utility and not identity. To the extent that non-SUV's even matter any more, manufacturing technology improvements are making mid-range Korean cars about as visually striking as an Audi to the average person.

Anyway, I mostly suspect that recognizably "American" cars are holding on to some garish/aggressive elements because they're the the only way left to visibly differentiate - they'd rather be spunky and recognizable as their own (ugly) brand than blend in with Hyundais and Mazdas on the road.

I think what I mean is that even non-American brands will adjust their cars for the American market in such a way that to my eyes, it makes the car super ugly - but I guess it must be making them attractive to Americans, and I would love to understand why/how.

Case in point:

2013 Nissan Qashqai, as seen in EU:

https://www.ledperf.co.uk/images/models/W500/qashqai_nissan_...

2013 Nissan Rogue(so Qashqai adjusted for the American market):

https://cars.usnews.com/static/images/Auto/izmo/353341/2013_...

It's the exact same car. Yet the American version gets this attrocious front, the overgrown grille and these lights that don't really go anywhere and that don't look like anything.

Again, this is my European taste speaking - if any Americans read this and they find the Rogue attractive but the Qashqai horrible - please, please tell me why it is so.

The Rogue is the US "x-trail", not the US Qashqai! It's one size up

(but indeed they seem to have followed the godawful Murano styling on the US Rogue/XTrail)

It is nowadays - 2017 Nissan Rogue is the European X-Trail. It wasn't the case in 2013 - it was just a qashqai. I don't think the previous gen X-Trail was even available in the US at all.

This is particularly visible on the inside:

2013 Rogue:

http://st.motortrend.com/uploads/sites/10/2015/09/2013-Nissa...

2013 Qashqai:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HF9QSCoWifs/UcL9LU3c7FI/AAAAAAAAQE...

I happen to own a 2013 Nissan X-Trail and it's a completely different vehicle, it's a blocky offroader, not an inflated Qashqai like it is nowadays.

Ah I think it's the "2017 Rogue Sport" which is a Qashqai. The Rogue remains an X-Trail (which has indeed been watered down since the 08MY offroad style)

funny that they would follow the same pattern as JLR, releasing a "sport" version which is actually based on a lower category - See 1st gen Range Sport

And then, because obviously it wasn't confusing enough, in Canada the Qashqai is a Qashqai, not Rogue Sport, but X-Trail is still a Rogue.

http://www.nissan.ca/en

To be fair, the compact/subcompact SUV craze we see here is Europe is a bit of a design fad too - most of these have no significant advantage over the equivalent compact hatchback, and cost more to buy and run.

If people wanted utility, they'd either be in hatches or LAVs (dokker, verso, and all the panel-van derivates: kangoo, partner etc)

(I went halfway and got a yeti - awesome vehicle)

I was reading your comment and thinking - "My Yeti has lots of advantages over a hatchback" - then I saw your last line ;-)

Just got a new one, bit gutted that they are phasing them out - the I was so attached to the last one that I was actually quite sad when I traded it in, which was a first for me!

Same here - I can't believe they're replacing it with a bland Ateca clone...

Indeed it's a bit of a compromise between the sensible Roomster and the pretty but useless SUVs

I'm curious about this as well. I know it's a bit taboo to say here but I don't think the Tesla S looks very attractive either. Something about the shape and proportions that makes it look bulbous and just a bit amateurish. I'm also European and used to European design language.

I think my first reaction of seeing a Tesla Model S was "that's a nice looking Mondeo". I actually think they are quite handsome in an understated kind of way.

However, my first reaction when seeing a (white) Model X was "that's incredibly ugly".

NB I am in the UK

Does anyone find the X pretty? It's a godawful abomination of a vehicle.

The thing that gets me about the X is this. While I know cross-overs are mostly a design statement rather than being about actually living the wild sporting life, the fact that you have something that's nominally an SUV that can't have a roof rack because of the gull wing doors strikes me as pretty silly. (Of course, EVs aren't great for lugging canoes to remote locations anyway.)

There's plenty of people in the US who agree with you...

That is why German, Japanese (Toyota, Honda, Subaru, etc), and even South Korea (Kia) vehicles are fairly popular in the US too. They have a similar look to vehicles produced for the European market.

I absolutely agree that the traditional US-based manufacturers such as GM, Chrysler, and Ford have a certain ultra-macho-aggressive look to them. There is a certain demographic that likes to buy American manufactured vehicles, and also likes that type of styling.

Tesla is actually strange because they're an American manufacturer that mostly appeals to liberals.

> I find them bloated, full of plastic, tacky, tastless

To be fair, if HN comments are any guide, this describes how most Europeans feel about most aspects of American culture.

Plenty of yanks hate the plastic whales, too.

Since Europeans are much more sophisticated with their culture and tastes then us simpleton Americans it makes total sense.

Say did you hear about the European successful Mars rover or maybe any interesting technological innovation coming out of Europe in the last 50 years?

But seriously the CT6 compares nicely to the top range 7 series and S class Mercs. It has a bit of flair but in America we see that as a good thing.

Look, I don't mean to offend anyone. Like I said, I'm genuinely curious if there's any research into why Europeans on average find American cars unattractive, and (if that's the case) why Americans find European cars unattractive. There must be some design elements that resonate with certain groups and I would like to know what they are.

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