It’s very hard to make a truly innovative car. Innovation in the motor industry costs billions of dollars and takes years of research. Innovation is a gamble because if it doesn’t pay off, it can land a company in serious trouble. Over the years, there have been many new cars that incorporate unprecedented technology. Many of which have been supercars like the Porsche 918 e-Hybrid or the BMW i8. It’s not often that you find many generic cars that are really innovative, but it has happened.
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Unfortunately, for many of these generic cars, the need for something new has taken precedence over the exterior design. These ten cars are innovative, but they’re ugly. Some are so bad that they are known more for their poor exterior design than they are really trying to change the industry. Here are the ten most innovative yet ugliest cars of all time.
10 Fiat Multipla
Via: Definitely Motoring
The Fiat Multipla is definitely not a good looking car. Many people call this car one of the ugliest cars in the world, but the design is very innovative. The multipla seats six people, three in the front and three in the back. All the seats are very wide and very comfortable, which makes this car a lot more practical than you might think. Although it is one of the strangest European cars of the 1990s.
The Multipla is actually quite a small MPV. It’s probably about as tall and wide as the regular hatchback, yet the interior and boot space is really huge. The dashboard is also pretty awesome but like the exterior, it is for good reason. If you want an affordable family car, and you are not interested in the looks, then the Multipla is the perfect car for you.
9 Toyota Prius
Motofakty. Through
No car enthusiast is a fan of the Prius. However, it is a great car for Uber drivers. The Prius was launched back in 1997, but it was launched in the USA in 2001. The Prius is now in its fourth generation, and things are still the same. There hasn’t been a Prius generation to watch, but that’s not the point.
Forbes.com. Through
Toyota will invest in the technical side of things with the Prius rather than the exterior design. You don’t buy a Prius because of its looks, you buy it because it’s cheap on gas.
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8 Chrysler Airflow
via wikipedia
The Chrysler Airflow was the most aerodynamic car in the world when it was launched in 1934. Its streamlined aerodynamic design was a first for a full-size luxury car. Trouble is, it was terrible. The grille was so big that it made the grille of the BMW 7-Series look normal. Also, the overall shape of the car resembled that of the VW Beetle.
via leblogoto
This car certainly wasn’t good, but it served a purpose. In the end, it was a flop, and the car was canceled in 1937 without a successor.
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7 Dodge Caravan
BusinessInsider. Through
The Dodge Caravan is the first minivan ever produced, and it revolutionized the motor industry in America. The Caravan was launched back in 1984, and was a boxy van-like car that was marketed to families. You can buy one of seven of these seats, which was a huge bonus for larger families. Also, even with the third row up, the boot space wasn’t too bad.
Via: Youtube
The Caravan has always been an ugly car, although the design makes the car more practical. The long roof line adds to the overall headroom. This is a car that we have a soft spot for, because so many people have so many great memories associated with this car. It is unfortunate that Dodge has stopped making these cars.
6 Renault Espace
renault
The Espace was the Dodge Caravan of Europe. It was launched in the same year, and was essentially the same car, though there were some major differences. Unlike the Dodge Caravan, the Espace was a flop at first. It took a while for this car to start selling well. Eventually, it did, and many families brought one.
through auto evolution
Espace is a box on wheels. It’s disgusting, but the shape of the whole body accommodates a lot of interior space. The seats can be moved to multiple positions. The interior is very practical, and the overall ride is extremely comfortable.
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5 Renault Twizy
The Twizy is a perfect car for the city. It is an electric quadricycle that can seat two people. However, it looks downright ridiculous, and the doors are an optional addition. Twizy was launched in 2012 and is still in production today. It is known as Nissan New Mobility Concept (NMC) in some parts of the world.
via wikimedia commons
The Twizy is a fun car to drive, and it certainly breaks many people’s necks. However, it’s a pretty embarrassing looking car, and we can assure you we’d never want to look dead in one of these things. It is also the smallest car in Renault’s lineup.
4 Peugeot 1007
via wikimedia
The 1007 Pegueot is a very innovative car. The side doors are perfect for cramped cities, and despite the size of the car, the interior is very spacious. This is due to its width and height. The seats are very comfortable and the driving conditions are great.
via reddit
1007 is disgusting though. The whole shape of the car resembles a shopping trolley, and the small wheels make the car look like a joke. It’s one of the ugliest cars ever in history, and it’s certainly not something we’d ever want to adopt. How can a car manufacturer make such a bad looking car?
3 Citroen 2CV
Via: Flickr
The Citron 2CV was a cheap car from France. The suspension was very soft, the ride was comfortable, and the car was very spacious. In addition, it was cheap and easy to maintain. Unfortunately, it was absolutely terrible, and it looks like a snail. It runs slower than the Snail thanks to its air-cooled 2-cylinder engine, which only pushes 9hp at launch.
via pinterest.com
The 2CV lasted 42 years, however, with production going on from 1948 to 1990. It is a French icon and over a million were sold. The 2CV is a much sought-after classic now, but that doesn’t distract us from the fact that this thing is disgusting.
2 Toyota iQ
via top gear
The iQ Toyota is as wide as a regular car but as small as a smart car. In fact, when launched back in 2008 it was the smallest 4-seater car for sale. It’s a very intelligent car, and it’s great to drive. In the States, it was known as the Scion IQ, and it’s perfect for city driving.
favcars.com
Unfortunately, the IQ looks like a dishwasher. It’s disgusting and things get even worse when you find out that Aston Martin made a badge-engineered version of the car called the Signet that was even worse. This is a car you’ve never seen Mr Bond drive.
1 BMW i3
Via: press.bmwgroup.com
The i3 was one of the best-selling electric cars of the last decade. It sold over 200,000 units worldwide, which isn’t too bad. The i3 is an MPV-like tall hatchback with some pretty cool ideas. The rear doors are suicide doors like those of the Mazda RX8. This makes the car more streamlined. The i3 is also made entirely of carbon fiber which saves weight and increases the overall rigidity of the car, which helps with handling.
M 93
Inside, the car is very spacious, and the driving conditions are superb. However, the i3 is probably the worst looking BMW ever. It looks like a fat bear on wheels, and the front door window is smaller than the rear one, so you get this droopy effect. This is not a great design.
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About the Author
Aran Mehtam (218 articles published)
Aran Mehtam, is a reader, blog writer, content creator and car enthusiast based in Birmingham, UK. He has his own e-commerce business, his own car blog, his own Etsy store, and now he writes for Hotcars. Arran is a passionate petrol, which appreciates all car styles. Arun is currently studying in UK.
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