Home » You Have The Power To Erase Up To Three Styling Trends From The Car Universe, Past Or Present. Which Get The Axe?

You Have The Power To Erase Up To Three Styling Trends From The Car Universe, Past Or Present. Which Get The Axe?

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Here’s the thing about being in style: it never lasts. It doesn’t matter if it’s cars or clothes, furniture or footwear, music or mustaches (I had trouble thinking of an m-thing): as soon as everyone agrees on what’s totally cool, that’s a pretty good indicator those cool things are rapidly approaching their expiration date. One minute you’re the guy with his finger on the pulse, the next you’re throwing your parachute pants in the trash and crying in your room, face buried in a beanbag chair.

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Now, for cars, styling trends can be particularly perilous. These are major purchases after all, so manufacturers are keen to make sure the new models look super fresh and modernly-styled, and naturally we consumers want our new cars to look all futuristic and rad and whatnot. But looking new and looking good don’t always go hand-in-hand, and time can be very unkind to what was once cutting edge. For example, remember when rectangular headlights were an absolute must-have? Round headlights were for squares, ironically. Heck, even motorcycles were wearing rectangular headlights. Gross.

Crosstrek Side

Today, car-styling trends are more diverse than ever. Some are tired but still innocuous (I can’t get mad at floating roofs), others were dubious when they first arrived and have only gotten dubiouser ever since. Plastic cladding, I’m looking at you. Literally, right now. I’m sorry, Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness, you look like a frickin’ sneaker. And what is the deal with giant, hideous grilles on trucks and SUVs? Sorry if you read that in a Seinfeld voice. They’re like parodies of alpha-toughness. Don’t get me started on phony cheek-intakes so large that they would look at home on an A-7 Corsair. Especially when they’re fake, I mean come on. I could go on.

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And so, The Autopian Asks: what are three styling trends, past or present, that you would select erase from history? To the comments!

Top graphic image credits: Subaru Crosstrek/Subaru; 1959 Cadillac Coupe Deville by That Hartford Guy/Wikimedia Commons; Lexus LX600/Lexus; Cylon Warrior by Klapi/Wikimedia Commons

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Ana Osato
Ana Osato
1 year ago

Erase
1. Fake vents
2. Crackle exhausts
3. BEVs

Ana Osato
Ana Osato
1 year ago
Reply to  Ana Osato

4. Four door CUV “coupés”

Box Rocket
Box Rocket
1 year ago
Reply to  Ana Osato

There’s been BEVs for well over a century now, what’s your issue with them?

Scaled29
Scaled29
1 year ago

I have one I’m sure of:
Erase split headlights, (the ones that have a line with the daytime running lights and then a separate one to all other functions because “style over function!”

Then, I would say simplify the lines, especially the front. A good example I feel, is the European RAV 4, with the grill split into three, and all sorts of crazy angles (and aggressive lights).

Then, there are cars that I think don’t look good, but nothing universal, so I won’t erase anything of those.

But, that said, there are two things which are more common, which I would choose from.

I would erase complex wheels, make them simpler, (and in some cases, smaller).

And cozyer interiors. Something that feels comfortable, but is simple, maybe not all leather, and some color accents, but not only wood like brown.

Last edited 1 year ago by Scaled29
Double Wide Harvey Park
Double Wide Harvey Park
1 year ago

Kill:

* red turn signals, where the entire brake/tail light turns off and on and off.
* disappearing door handles.
* overly complicated, gaudy wheels.

Bring back:

* huge long hoods like the cartoon Wolf’s car with the pipes showing. Like Excalibur type kit cars.
* popup lights.
* WAGONS with CAR ride height. Not XC/cross whatever. Cars with a big square ass.

Ricardo Mercio
Ricardo Mercio
1 year ago

I’m going all out on the present because the past had troubles, but they don’t affect me.

1) I’m killing huge unnecessary grills and vents, then:

2) ending the trend of trying to spruce up bland shapes with excessive graphics and surfacing, I’m sick of cars whose “body lines” are dented into the doors, sliced into the bumpers and penciled on with chrome strips, and finally:

3) allowing each manufacturer ONE angry face in production at any given time. Even if SOME cars look decent angry, nobody’s family crossover needs to look like it wants to beat me up in the Qdoba parking lot. The car’s facial expression will be determined by a panel consisting of the leading behavioral scientists (5 8-year-olds with iPads who vote by tapping an emoji they believe resembles the car. If it’s angry, the car’s design is scrapped).

Dennis Birtcher
Dennis Birtcher
1 year ago

Only three?

Well, my first instincts have been well trodden in the comments. This pleases me; I know I’m in the right place. I offer these instead.

Grayscaleification: Colors other than black, white, and silver exist. Use them.

Four door coupes: Yes, I’m aware coupé does not mean “two door”, but they look best as two doors.

Daytime running lights that are also the turn signal: Always looks like one of the headlights is out. Terrible look.

Ricardo Mercio
Ricardo Mercio
1 year ago

Ditto on 4-door coupes, they’re invariably uglier than both the 2-door coupe and 4-door sedan versions.

William Eby
William Eby
1 year ago

FIAT’s got you covered on #1:

https://youtu.be/uWLX94pzYVk

Last edited 1 year ago by William Eby
Unimaginative Username
Unimaginative Username
1 year ago

1. Modern BMW front clips. I’m going to drive my ’18 440iGC until the wheels fall off or until 3-4 years after the vomiting-out-the-nostrils style is retired. If I don’t make it til the latter I need a new favorite fun car.

2. Modern Lexus front clips. Not that I ever intend to ditch the old’ 04 GX470 that’s currently on indefinite loan to my college-age kid (when she’s old enough for her own car this becomes my toy), but even people who just want a driving appliance with leather seats don’t deserve to be subjected to these monstrous noses.

3. Bubble-Gen F150s (and for one year in ’98, the F250 too). Sorry to the stans on staff here, but the 1993+ Rangers wear this style considerably better and even those look worse than the pre-1992 models (this coming from a guy who has owned an 88, a 93, a 94, and currently dailys a second 94 [Rangers, that is]).

Beached Wail
Beached Wail
1 year ago

Past: the vinyl top. An excremental styling exercise to make mediocre coupes and sedans look like mediocre convertibles and funeral cars. Also the genesis of the little-known My First Rust children’s toy.

Present: tie between (1) making windows into narrow slits so that traveling in a modern car is akin to either riding in an armored personnel carrier or driving a pagoda, or (2) putting ridiculously large diameter wheels and corresponding rubber band sidewall tires on non-performance vehicles. Why does a typical family car or crossover need 19- or 20-inch wheels with 40-series tires? I mean, who doesn’t appreciate the extra noise, reduced fuel economy, and wheel damage from running over an acorn, plus the four-figure cost for replacing tires?

Future-ish: the “modernization” of the driver’s user interface to eventually move all controls to screen- or voice-based locations so we can’t use our God-given opposable thumbs or our muscle memory. Apparently the sense of touch is becoming “old school” and should be avoided at all cost. I’m looking, for example, at the bell-end designer at Tesla who decided that a screen is the best way to change the direction of freaking cabin air vents, or the “engineers” at other manufacturers who think that saying out loud “Car, please turn the heat up by two degrees” is better than silently turning a knob in a fraction of the time.

Double Wide Harvey Park
Double Wide Harvey Park
1 year ago

* landau roof. What were they thinking?
* big rounded bulbous everything with fins
* touch screens

Suggestion: follow-up story about design trends you wish would come back.

Ricki
Ricki
1 year ago

Nonfunctional “spoilers” above rear windows on SUV/crossover hatchback… hatches. All they do is harbor dirt, dust, leaves, and probably mice if you’re really unlucky. Like they actively make it worse to wash a car.

The most egregious example I’ve come across is my partner’s parents’ Nissan Murano, because not only does the above suck, it also jacks up the vortices in the rear just so that dust just… settles on the rear window. The entire rest of the car can be basically spotless, but that back window is FILTHY. ALWAYS.

Captain Zoll
Captain Zoll
1 year ago
Reply to  Ricki

they are at least functional, they help to maintain a clean aerodynamic separation edge on the back of the car, making a “kammtail” from the air, thus making it more aerodynamic (and spattering dust all over the back of the car).

Methane generator
Methane generator
1 year ago

Deleted because i just wanted to type some bullshit

Last edited 1 year ago by Methane generator
Stacks
Stacks
1 year ago

I think your bullshit was “I wish cars would stop blinding me for really dumb and avoidable reasons” which is a good opinion if I’m remembering the right comment.

Last edited 1 year ago by Stacks
Bob Boxbody
Bob Boxbody
1 year ago

Wow, huge slam on beanbag chairs, out of nowhere!

But as to the question, I imagine my answers are similar to many here. I’m assuming that we’re talking about original manufacturer styling, rather than idiotic stuff that idiots do in their garage:

  1. Fake air vents, especially big ones! Is that really cheaper than just putting a vent on?
  2. Not just the giant grills, but all the stuff on trucks to try and look tough. What always makes me laugh are the ones with the big fake rivets around the wheel wells.
  3. This is still a rising star in vehicle styling, but turn signals waaaay down at the bottom, away from all the other taillights. You give up functionality (anyone but the person right behind you knowing you’re turning), and gain no style points at all. It’s different for the sake of being different.
William Eby
William Eby
1 year ago
Reply to  Bob Boxbody

The bumper taillights are functional. If the hatch/tailgate is up, you’ll still be able to see turn signals.

Delorean859
Delorean859
1 year ago

1) Black plastic cladding on ALL models. I’d say that Subaru is the most guilty in this regard, but others weren’t free from this problem. I get that it looks “tough”, but no cladding should still remain an option for those that don’t want their car to be spoiled (seriously, what is up with the latest WRX with the trim?).
2) Visibility ruining hoodlines. Pedestrians aren’t going to get taller, so vehicles need lower hoodlines to allow drivers to see them easier. If a small car is almost able to hide from the drivers view, there’s a problem.
3) Lighting as a afterthought – I didn’t think that driver visibility would be as distant a concept as it is now, but it’s incredibly bad design to put the brake lights or turn signals in the rear bumper. Sure, back in the 60s/70s it was common, but combined with (2) above the trend is making people more blind to others.

Kody Dagley
Kody Dagley
1 year ago

Can we talk about interior design styling trends?

  1. BRING BACK PHYSICAL CONTROLS
  2. BRING BACK PHYSICAL CONTROLS
  3. SPOT PUTTING ALL THE G’DAMN BUTTONS ON NOTHING BUT A TOUCHSCREEN AND BRING BACK PHYSICAL BLOODY CONTROLS.
Tyler Durden
Tyler Durden
1 year ago
Reply to  Kody Dagley

This is the best comment for practical use design. Afterall, a car has a utility purpose at its core and the lack of physical controls is a lack of utility.

Cargeek!
Cargeek!
1 year ago

1) Stupid ass, oversized, compensating for something, pavement princess, bro-dozer, pickup trucks!
2) Fake air vents (Civic SI and Subaru)
3) Big ugly ass grills! (BMW and Genesis)

Unimaginative Username
Unimaginative Username
1 year ago
Reply to  Cargeek!

My work trucks (94 Ranger, 95 K2500) are really getting old and I’d love to replace both with something more modern, but the stupid bed height and size (who in the fuck that actually uses a truck to do truck things can tolerate a 5.5′ bed, and why should I need a tailgate step to get to my tools? ¡?) keep me loyal to gas guzzlers that were first sold before I was old enough to drive them.

JumboG
JumboG
1 year ago

I was original hater of extended cab trucks, because I thought they were goofy looking. I’m now the owner of a crew cab, 5.5′ bed full size truck. Guess what – it does everything that my 8′ bed did for me. I can carry the precious 4×8 sheet of plywood. I can carry boards up to 12′ long. I can carry yard debris or nasty engine parts. I can also carry 4 other people with me to the river when I tow my boat. I can carry a load of people to go tailgating before a sporting event. I also have dry storage inside the cab.

Double Wide Harvey Park
Double Wide Harvey Park
1 year ago
Reply to  Cargeek!

Genesis grilles are awesome. Fite me

Doug Jones
Doug Jones
1 year ago

On the GVs agree. On the sedans, too big.

FlavouredMilk
FlavouredMilk
1 year ago

Fake exhaust tips, and I’m going to say the closer your effort to make it look like an exhaust, the worse it is, though those silly chrome trapezoids with black plastic infills are still downright terrible.

Massive black cladding over wheel wells, Subaru is right in my crosshairs for this. The concept is fine if it is a dedicated trail vehicle or an aftermarket accessory, but as a base design? Never.

Pick ups with front ends that are taller than the ass end of a wagon. Those things are criminally dangerous. Y’all took away our pop up headlights over pedestrian safety, but you’ll let angry middle aged men drive a 400 horsepower brick wall around town?

Stacks
Stacks
1 year ago
  1. Turn signals that are right next to the headlights inside the same unit, so at night the only way to tell if that oncoming car is going straight or about to turn into you is by staring straight into their lights. It’s not like people around here use turn signals in general, but at least when they’re away from the lights I can immediately see signal or not and then keep an eye out for other clues. When they’re way up inside the headlights I’m blinded, I’ve got tunnel vision focus on this one thing, and I lose seconds of decision time.
  2. Not cladding exactly, but that thing everyone does now where they put kind of a black arch from wheel to wheel above the rocker panel. I assume it’s supposed to make the car look light and nimble or something, but to me it’s always like the designer is walking up to me and gripping my arm Torchinsky-style and screaming “I’M TRICKING YOU!!!” right in my face. It makes a car’s profile look like an incredibly short and fat man standing on tiptoes.
  3. Anything and everything intended to make a vehicle look scary. Giant pickups especially. I’m not as enamored with cute and friendly-looking vehicles as some around here, but rage face just makes me roll my eyes. Buddy, you’re not fooling anyone. You want to show me how big and tough and strong and brave you are, I dare you to do rush hour in a ’75 MGB.
MDMK
MDMK
1 year ago

My top choice is vestigial rear three quarter windows on CUVs which compromises visibility and are only there to fool people into believing they did not purchase an oversized lifted hatchback.

# 2 is lowered family sedans with less headroom which was apparently a decision by automakers to make them seem more “sporty” since families have largely abandoned them for half ton pickup trucks. All this does is get even more people into CUV’s because sedans have become more difficult to climb in and out of. Maybe the Toyota Crown will reverse this trend if it is sucessful.

# 3 is waning fortunately but upswept styling during the 2010s on vehicles on nearly everything, with the worst offenders including the Ford Escape and Chevy Malibu. The upswept body sculpting tended to make vehciles appear “nose down” as if their owners replaced the rear springs on an old car while leaving the front ones broken.

Gubbin
Gubbin
1 year ago

<Puts on my curmudgeon suspenders>

  1. High and tall trucks. If you’re doing Truck Stuff, you want a lower cab floor because you’re climbing in and out all the time, you want a lower bed for loading/unloading, and you want great forward visibility so you don’t hit stuff or people while maneuvering around all the other Truck Stuff going on. Our 90s bone-stock 4WD Ford is too dang tall and everything else is taller!
  2. The engine-displacement arms-race on motorcycles. A 250cc-750cc engine tuned for a flat torque curve on a 300-400# bike is the master recipe for fun. Or you can get something that weighs 760# and does much the same thing with 1800CC. (Triumph Rocket 3 excepted because it’s pure camp.)
  3. Crappy aftermarket stereos. There must be a single standard chipset used by erry dang single-DIN unit out there because they all have the exact same crappy UI and display. The only break from that monoculture I’ve found is with boat stereos, of all things.
Adrian Clarke
Adrian Clarke
1 year ago

Well, I think I’ve made my thoughts on this pretty clear, but once more for the cheap seats:
Black wheels (diamond turned are fine though – they have contrast)
Hidden rear door handles (you’re not fooling anyone)
Too many feature lines (that add nothing and fuck up the surfacing).

Gubbin
Gubbin
1 year ago
Reply to  Adrian Clarke

Engineer: Look, if you didn’t want a crease there, you wouldn’t have put a line there on the sketch.
Designer: That was hatching!

Adrian Clarke
Adrian Clarke
1 year ago
Reply to  Gubbin

Dashes off a barely legible doodle full of nonsensical lines and 30” wheels with no tyres.
Designer: Build this!
Returns to looking at watches online

FlavouredMilk
FlavouredMilk
1 year ago
Reply to  Adrian Clarke

Never thought I’d witness someone defending diamond cut alloys. It’s a trend I really wish would just put itself to bed already. We’re well beyond the need to rely on that to make wheels look interesting.

Jblues
Jblues
1 year ago
Reply to  Adrian Clarke

I think there should be an exception for certain colors of car, i.e, a yellow car NEEDS black wheels.

Viking Longcar
Viking Longcar
1 year ago

Erase? As in never happened?

This is probably heresy, but anything involving hexavalent chromium. Beautiful, but oh so toxic.

Captain Zoll
Captain Zoll
1 year ago
Reply to  Viking Longcar

I elect that we bring back brass and nickel trim. much classier.

JurassicComanche25
JurassicComanche25
1 year ago

Lets keep it simple and to OEMs in the current market-

-The front is ALL GRILL
-tacked on screens, not integrated, pop-up, or anything
-Stripper model? Oh no, thats a limited edition and costs more than one with all those options

Trend Crimson
Trend Crimson
1 year ago

Unintegrated screens on the dash/instrument panel.
Angry Jeeps.
Bangle Butt.

Duke of Kent
Duke of Kent
1 year ago

I’m not going to rail against anything that’s purely an aesthetic choice. There are plenty of design details out there that are not to my tastes, but other people may like them, and it doesn’t hurt me at all for them to be out there in the world even if they wouldn’t be my choice. So Predator grilles, sedans that look like coupes, and nonfunctional spoilers are all fine in my book.

Instead, I’m going to go after things that could hurt me. The design details I’d banish are chonky A-pillars and needlessly high beltlines that impede visibility. In those cases, the design choices are making cars more dangerous by increasing blindspots*.

*Yeah, yeah, I know those design choices make cars safer in a collision, but I’d rather prevent crashes in the first place.

Spikedlemon
Spikedlemon
1 year ago
Reply to  Duke of Kent

High belt lines and poor visibility don’t just make it miserable to see what’s around you like you’ve got gun-slit windows – but a danger on the road.

I do miss my VW Golf.

Ranwhenparked
Ranwhenparked
1 year ago

Floating roof pillars, fake plastic windows, gigantic wheels with zero sidewall tires

NotSpanky
NotSpanky
1 year ago

I think the comments have made clear everyone’s view on giant grills, and I can only agree.
Likewise crossovers, but particularly the new trend of literally dropping all models from the market except crossovers.
And fake grills/vents. I guess it’s been happening so long it’s barely definable as a trend, but with aero making practical vents less relevant, or certainly seems to be more common now.

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