# Ugliest Car Ever!
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugliest-car-ever/313316
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [July 20, 2005, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugliest-car-ever/313316 "2005-07-20T16:50:38Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2005, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugliest-car-ever/313316/1 "2005-07-20T16:50:38Z")
My son thinks it’s the Pontiac Aztec and for long time I thought it was the car that looked like a bug-- a Gremlin, I think it was called. But now there’s a new kid on the block and he is hideous. He is called the Scion.
An LJ friend of mine nailed it perfectly-- If you get it in white, it looks like a washing machine on wheels.
Is there a car that can beat this monstrosity in an ugly contest?
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### Author:  [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2005, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugliest-car-ever/313316/2 "2005-07-20T16:55:04Z")
There are a few different models of Scion, but you are no doubt thinking of the Scion XB. To me, they look like the feet of the giant Japanese robot Voltron. Very plain, boxy-looking. Strangely enough, they are marketing them heavily to people in their 20s, and they’re catching on in the hip-hop “scene.”
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### Author:  [@Caricci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caricci)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2005, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugliest-car-ever/313316/3 "2005-07-20T16:56:16Z")
They are truly hideous. I think they look like they’d roll over easily.
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### Author:  [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2005, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugliest-car-ever/313316/4 "2005-07-20T16:56:44Z")
I was at the Detroit Auto Show last year, and I must agree that the Scion xB (which is the model that you’re thinking of) is absolutely the least attractive vehicle I’ve ever seen. I mean, jeez, don’t Japanese design students learn how to draw curves anymore?
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### Author:  [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2005, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugliest-car-ever/313316/5 "2005-07-20T17:11:22Z")
The Scion xB bears quite a resemblance to the Nissan Cube, a popular car in Japan (though unavailable here), and the Honda Element bears a resemblance as well. Car manufacturers are monkey see, monkey do. The HHR is Chevy’s version of the PT Cruiser, which in turn inspired the Mini and the Mustang by proving retro works.
As far as cars hit with the ugly stick, this has been done to death and I’m sure that someone’s going to pull out that one weird looking European car with the double decker nose, but the Citroen 2CV is, for my money, the ugliest of the ugly.
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### Author:  [@SuperNelson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuperNelson)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2005, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugliest-car-ever/313316/6 "2005-07-20T17:22:26Z")
Now I’m thinking a Scion would look pretty cool with refrigerator magnets on it. Maybe a shopping list, coupons, pictures of the kids…
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### Author:  [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2005, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugliest-car-ever/313316/7 "2005-07-20T17:46:26Z")
The XB looks like one of those Post Office delivery vans.
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### Author:  [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2005, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugliest-car-ever/313316/8 "2005-07-20T18:00:21Z")
I think the Hummer H2 holds the crown: it’s just so fake, and that compounds the inherent ugly.
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### Author:  [@NE\_Texan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NE_Texan)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2005, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugliest-car-ever/313316/9 "2005-07-20T18:16:40Z")
All of the above are ugly, but the Scion, Element, and Hummer are just kind of a boxy, unfinished, we-can’t-be-bothered-to-take-the-time-to-design-this ugly.
The Aztek, to me, takes the cake because it’s a carefully crafted ugliness.
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### Author:  [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2005, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugliest-car-ever/313316/10 "2005-07-20T18:23:19Z")
I’m probably going to offend a handful of my favorite dopers here who’ve owned one and apologies in advance if that happens but is the Scion actually uglier than a Dodge K-car? I was always wary about passing one too quickly lest I cause some body part fall off.
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### Author:  [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2005, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugliest-car-ever/313316/11 "2005-07-20T18:27:43Z")
I rather like the xB. I think it’s hideous, but in such a way that it becomes rather neat. I wouldn’t want to own one, mind you, but I smile when I see them on the road.
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### Author:  [@EleventyOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EleventyOne)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2005, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugliest-car-ever/313316/12 "2005-07-20T18:29:27Z")
> [@NE Texan](#):
>
> All of the above are ugly, but the Scion, Element, and Hummer are just kind of a boxy, unfinished, we-can’t-be-bothered-to-take-the-time-to-design-this ugly.
>
> The Aztek, to me, takes the cake because it’s a carefully crafted ugliness.
I tend to agree with both these statements. The [Tupperware Aztek](http://www.pontiac.com/aztek/?seo=Pontiac_Aztek&pl_code=MGMC9SRC4076P486971B486911S0&cp_keyword=2023093#) is one of my least favorite cars of all time.
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### Author:  [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2005, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugliest-car-ever/313316/13 "2005-07-20T18:32:01Z")
God, I HATE those cars. They look like they belong in a freakin’ cartoon. A badly-drawn one.
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### Author:  [@Emony\_Dax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emony_Dax)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2005, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugliest-car-ever/313316/14 "2005-07-20T18:55:52Z")
We love our Scion. People stop us all the time to ask us about it. It was cheap (I understand they’ve raised the prices a bit now that they’ve become more popular), gets great gas mileage and is comfortable for me (5’2"), my husband (6’3") and our two kids in car seats. It took a while to get used to its appearance, but apparently we’re not the only ones who like it. I counted 4 Scions within a 4-block radiius of our house the other day.
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### Author:  [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2005, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugliest-car-ever/313316/15 "2005-07-20T19:55:51Z")
> [@NE Texan](#):
>
> All of the above are ugly, but the Scion, Element, and Hummer are just kind of a boxy, unfinished, we-can’t-be-bothered-to-take-the-time-to-design-this ugly.
>
> The Aztek, to me, takes the cake because it’s a carefully crafted ugliness.
Nah, the carefully handcrafted ugliness award has been passed over to the Subaru Tribeca.
So glad they’re STILL making ugly cars.
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### Author:  [@Mr.Goob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Goob)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2005, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugliest-car-ever/313316/16 "2005-07-20T20:01:02Z")
I guy I work with has one. We threatened to make two giant pieces of bread out of foam rubber. We want to glue them on the roof to complete the toaster look.
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### Author:  [@Joe\_Mahma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Mahma)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2005, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugliest-car-ever/313316/17 "2005-07-20T20:02:57Z")
The comment that I read on [cartalk.com](http://cartalk.com) about the Scion xB was that it looks like a Soviet ice-cream truck. 🙂
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### Author:  [@AndrewL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndrewL)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2005, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugliest-car-ever/313316/18 "2005-07-20T20:07:05Z")
THe first time I saw a Scion, my wife and I were just coming out of a movie theater and walking through the parking lot. We had to stop and stare at it, marveling in awe that any car company would have the bravery to build such a breathtakingly ugly car, and that anyone else would actually willingly buy and drive such a vehicle.
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### Author:  [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2005, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugliest-car-ever/313316/19 "2005-07-20T20:11:42Z")
> [@Joe Mahma](#):
>
> The comment that I read on [cartalk.com](http://cartalk.com) about the Scion xB was that it looks like a Soviet ice-cream truck. 🙂
In Soviet Russia, ice cream truck _you!_
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### Author:  [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2005, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugliest-car-ever/313316/20 "2005-07-20T20:18:06Z")
The Scion XB and AMC Gremlin are both worthy contenders, but the Aztec takes the prize. The Scion and the Gremlin sort of dare you to like them. They’re butt-ass ugly, and they’re proud of it, dammit.
The Aztec is just a mistake. It’s simply a colossal error in judgement on the part of some marketing exec. or some other higher-up so misguided he takes the pulse of America by grabbing her left knee, thinking he copped a cheap feel.
Oddly, I must admit it bears something of a resemblance to my Prius, which, while not a terribly attractive car, somehow avoids the Aztec’s repellant hideousness. Must have something to do with proportions.
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