The Pontiac Aztek is categorized by almost everyone as the ugliest car ever made. It has a somewhat disproportionate profile and an unnecessary double-layer front that made this crossover one of the weirdest designs of the last decades. However, the Aztek was kind of ahead of its time when it came to practicality and its overall shape. It made a statement, and although it may look ugly now, these are the kinds of cars that prevail in history.
Nowadays, most cars look the same; they have big grilles, aggressive headlights, and overly sporty appearance. They offer nothing new. We celebrate when automakers take risks and try to re-invent styles. Weird vehicles are fun. However, there's is a fine line between being weird and being plain ugly.
It's easy to find Chinese SUVs that are hugely disproportionate, cheap-looking and ugly, but that would be too easy. We took the challenge to find ugly SUVs sold by major automakers, most of which were/are sold in the United States. Here are the 15 ugliest SUVs of all time.
15. 2011 Infinity QX80
via thecarconnection
This full-size luxury SUV is based on the Nissan armada, and it comes with a 5.6 L V8. Although this is not the ugliest SUV, the QX80 is for sure no beauty. The main problem with this vehicle is that the grille has a weird shape, the headlights sit way too low, and the D pillar is not cohesive with the overall styling.
14. Nissan Juke
via caradvice
In the US, this crossover was introduced in 2010 and sold until 2017. The Juke might look nice when you first see it, but this kind of design goes out of style quickly. This styling also compromises a lot of practicality and interior design. The second generation of this crossover was recently introduced, but there are no plans to bring it back to the US.
13. Buick Rendezvous
via drivespark
The Rendezvous was introduced in 2002 with a V6 engine; it shared assembly line with the Pontiac Aztec. This crossover was basically the same as the Aztek, but with a more toned-down styling, although it was still ugly, it did better on sales, and it was discontinued in 2007 (the Aztek was discontinued in 2005).
12. 2015 Jeep Cherokee
via ford montmorency
The new Jeep Cherokee is a decent vehicle, but when it was introduced in 2014, the front end had a somewhat polarizing design. The Cherokee's split headlights made the front look a little off. In the 2017 model year, Jeep fixed this issue by putting both front headlights and DLR into one piece.
11. 2004 Subaru Tribeca
via autoevolution
The Tribeca was not a bad looking vehicle, especially for its time. However, the first year it was introduced (2006), the Tribeca had a triangular grille that was a little unconventional. It was the same grille styling that the Impreza had at the time. Since this design choice wasn’t well-received, Subaru made an early facelift to get rid of it.
10. 2006 Jeep Compass
via autoevolution
The compass was first introduced in 2006, and after five years of slow sales, in 2011, this crossover got a mid-life facelift that introduced a more traditional styling, making it a lot more appealing to the general public. The compass is now on its second generation, and it's selling like hotcakes.
9. Lincoln MKT
via car.info
The MKT was sold from 2010 to 2019; it shared its platform with the Ford Flex. There are two problems with the styling of this vehicle; the main problem it’s its shape. It’s not clear if this is trying to be a minivan, an SUV, or a wagon. The other problem is that large, weird-shaped grille.
8. Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet
via caranddriver
This convertible crossover was introduced in 2010, and it was discontinued in 2014. The idea of a convertible SUV/crossover is pretty good since it makes sense to combine the advantages of a bigger, higher vehicle, and the fun of a convertible. The Nissan Murano’s styling just wasn’t the best for this.
7. 1999 Honda HR-V
via australian car reviews
The new HR-V is a very handsome crossover, but this wasn't true on its first-generation; introduced in 1999 and sold until 2006, Honda offered the HRV in two-door and four-door options, it had a unique styling that wasn't well-received by consumers. The main problem was the weird shape of the headlights.
6. Ford EcoSport
via motor1
The EcoSport was introduced in 2003, and it was aimed at emerging economies. It offered a simple boxy styling in a compact-sized vehicle. It was a sales success. In 2012 a new generation of the EcoSport came with a controversial styling that resembled the Ford Fiesta but out of proportion. This generation is offered globally, including the US, where it struggles to get a share of the market.
5. Lexus LX
via Lexus
The LX is a great vehicle, it's based on the durable Land Cruiser, and it has all the luxury features you can find in a German car. The only problem it has is that gigantic grille, in general, Lexus has the worst grilles, but it's even worse on the LX, where it's not cohesive with the overall styling of the vehicle.
4. All ‘’Coupe SUV ’’
Via autoevolution
This is one of the worst trends in automotive design. If you want a coupe, just buy a coupe. It doesn’t make any sense for an SUV to have a sloppy roof that compromises capacity and comfort just for looks. Which by the way, it doesn’t look good. The worst examples of this trend are the BMW X6 and the Mercedes-Benz GLE.
3. Isuzu VehiCROSS
via favcars
The VehiCROSS was a Japanese two-door crossover offered in the US market from 199 to 2001, it sold 4135 units, and it was offered with a 3.2 and a 3.5 V6; it had a funky design that used black plastic cladding all around the vehicle. One good thing can be said about the VehiCROSS; it was very original, you won’t see anything like it on the roads.
2. Toyota CHR
via motorpasion
This hybrid crossover launched in 2016 featured a very sporty design that, until this day, remains controversial. It has a ‘’coupe’’ like profile, with a tiny back window to offer the perception that this is a two-door vehicle. This styling choice makes the back seat feel cramped and claustrophobic.
1. Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross
via cars.com
At least some of the vehicles on this list are original. The Eclipse Cross is not; it offers nothing new. It looks just like a Pontiac Aztek but without its personality. It would be fine if this crossover used a different name (although it would still be hideous), but using the name ''Eclipse'' and all the history that had attached to it makes it 10x worse.
Sources: cars.com, autoblog, jalopnik
