QOTD: What Styling Quirk Gets Under Your Skin?

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

The other day, we talked up the things that annoy us about the cars we own; today, we delve into minor annoyances seen only in a few fleeting seconds. The model you don’t own, but are forced to live with on the roadway. Perhaps you’ve never even driven one.

While those other drivers may have a laundry list of gripes with their vehicle, it’s likely of no concern to you. You didn’t drop money on it. You’re just observing from afar — and not liking what you see.

Specifically, we’re talking styling gripes. Everyone’s a critic, and automotive design teams have provided each of us with a buffet of decisions worthy of criticism.

It doesn’t have to be big — just something that annoys you each and every time you see the offending car.

For the record, this writer takes no issue with the styling of Ford’s Ranger pickup. It’s quite attractive. No, in this case, a new addition to the crossover landscape is a prime candidate for scorn: the BMW X2. A number of drivers in the snooty neighborhood to the north have decided this subcompact CUV is just the thing to advertise their inclusion in the six-figure club.

And boy, does it advertise.

In addition to the usual propeller badges adorning the front fascia, liftgate, and each wheel, for some reason Bimmer decided to slap a couple more on the C-pillars. From afar, they look like the world’s smallest opera window. Up close, it’s an overload of badging. It seems the brand’s entry-level crossover is insecure, requiring it to loudly proclaim its German pedigree. How gauche.

All right, B&B, what model currently on the market is worthy of a little design denigration?

[Images: Ford, BMW]

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

More by Steph Willems

Comments
Join the conversation
2 of 187 comments
  • DweezilSFV DweezilSFV on May 26, 2019

    The universal tail light. Those horizontal strips that first appeared on the Edsel, then the mid 90s Contour, Cavalier,Corolla,Buick LeSabre, Sonata, Optima, Focus, Fusion, Lincolns, Acuras, Nissans, Mazdas. Continuing it's incomprehensible riot of lines, angles, curves, horrible roof line and DLO fail + and overall hideousness: the Hyundai Veloster. Add that new Toyota thing and the Prius. Eye sores, total eye sores.

  • HotPotato HotPotato on Jun 04, 2019

    1. Any car with red rear turn signals. STOP IT. It's garbage design that reduces safety. Germans, I'm looking at you...you actually KNOW better and you would never do this crap in your home market. 2. Even worse, any car with f-ing FAKE clear or amber rear turn signals that are NON FUNCTIONAL, with turns actually being indicated by the red stop lamp. STOP IT! It's garbage design that SERIOUSLY reduces safety and it should be illegal. GM, I am looking at you. Absolutely, completely, scandalously 100% inexcusable. 3. Any car with turn signals integrated into the headlight housings, such that the glare of the headlights or DRLs obscure the flashing turn signal. COME ON, MAN. It's garbage design and it reduces safety.

  • MaintenanceCosts Poorly packaged, oddly proportioned small CUV with an unrefined hybrid powertrain and a luxury-market price? Who wouldn't want it?
  • MaintenanceCosts Who knows whether it rides or handles acceptably or whether it chews up a set of tires in 5000 miles, but we definitely know it has a "mature stance."Sounds like JUST the kind of previous owner you'd want…
  • 28-Cars-Later Nissan will be very fortunate to not be in the Japanese equivalent of Chapter 11 reorganization over the next 36 months, "getting rolling" is a luxury (also, I see what you did there).
  • MaintenanceCosts RAM! RAM! RAM! ...... the child in the crosswalk that you can't see over the hood of this factory-lifted beast.
  • 3-On-The-Tree Yes all the Older Land Cruiser’s and samurai’s have gone up here as well. I’ve taken both vehicle ps on some pretty rough roads exploring old mine shafts etc. I bought mine right before I deployed back in 08 and got it for $4000 and also bought another that is non running for parts, got a complete engine, drive train. The mice love it unfortunately.
Next