Protecting the investment, as it were
I’m starting to think that the Obama administration’s plans to keep the US auto industry afloat include jawboning the Japanese into turning out some seriously fugly vehicles:
This misshapen beast is the new Acura ZDX, yet another “luxury crossover” intended for people who wouldn’t be caught dead in a wagon.
(Aside: Which reminds me: Saturday I spotted a nifty E500 wagon at 36th and May. I suppose we should consider ourselves fortunate that Mercedes still mails us a few of these each year, but I see about fifty GLs and GLKs and MLs for every one of them.)
Now Hondas in general are spiffy, and high-end Hondas, which is what Acuras are, should be even spiffier, but the new “design language” they’re trotting out is seriously WTFed; they recently showed off an Accord wagon “crossover” on Facebook, of all places, and its sheer ghastliness drew derision from around the globe.
Perhaps Chevrolet will benefit from Honda’s blindness: the Equinox, albeit smaller, is much better-looking, if a tad girly to some.
(Many more fugly ZDX photos here.)
fillyjonk »
23 November 2009 · 10:33 am
I’m guessing, that like on Priuses (Priusim?), there is no real view out the rear window, and you’re dependent on a camera and video screen to know you’re not backing over your next-door-neighbor’s kid’s bike.
Charles Pergiel »
23 November 2009 · 5:38 pm
Sometimes I think ugly is the new chic. I mean, what’s the deal with the Chevrolet Avalanche? It was hideous when it first came out, and here it is several years later, they are still making, and presumably selling, them, and they are still hideous. And Lexus. Bah. They had a two place sports car recently that managed to be all curvey and hideous all at the same time.
CGHill »
23 November 2009 · 5:55 pm
The Av, at least, has some additional functionality to (somewhat) compensate for its looks. For that matter, the Consumer Reports guys prefer it to GM’s more normal-looking trucks. (Which may explain their fondness for Honda’s Ridgeline.)
Then again, as Heather and Jessica say, “Fugly is the new pretty.”
fillyjonk »
23 November 2009 · 7:05 pm
What was that thing a few years ago? The Aztek?
IMHO, that’s the ugliest car in recent years. Especially in that bright yellow color that so many of them seemed to come in.
I do think in some cases “ugly is the new pretty.” A lot of what passes for High Fashion these days seems made specifically to make most women look as unattractive in it as possible.
CGHill »
23 November 2009 · 8:13 pm
The Pontiac Aztek was something else. Its awkward proportions were the result of trying to build an SUV off what essentially was a minivan platform — GM’s U-body, a.k.a. the Dustbusters — but Buick’s version, the Rendezvous, was merely ungainly; add the standard Pontiac simulated-excitement gunk, and you have something truly hideous.
unimpressed »
25 November 2009 · 7:04 pm
I agree that the RIdgeline is a bit below average in appearance but, I DO like the under-bed locking storage compartment(s). I’m surprised that someone hadn’t thought of–and implemented–that particular feature years and years earlier.