Top 10 Automotive Design Flops That Still Make Us Laugh

Image: Pontiac Aztek, Alexander Migl, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

1. Pontiac Aztek - The Car That Couldn’t Decide What It Wanted to Be

You know when you’re trying to combine too many things at once, and you just end up with a bit of a mess? Like mixing curry, ketchup, and ice cream because you thought it might work? That’s kind of what happened with the Pontiac Aztek. It was like the designers couldn’t pick a lane - is it a family car, an off-roader, a futuristic SUV from a sci-fi film? Nobody really knew. The Aztek had this weird, slanted back end that looked like someone gave up halfway through designing it. The front was all angles and random bits poking out. It honestly looked like it was made out of leftover parts from three other cars that had nothing in common. What’s mad is that this car actually made it into production and was supposed to appeal to young, active drivers. But what it really appealed to was... absolutely no one. People in Manchester and Stockport might’ve seen one once or twice, probably thought, “What on earth is that?” and carried on walking. It didn’t help that the inside was just as strange, with odd plastic colours and shapes that didn’t feel like they belonged in a car made after 1995. The thing is, we get what they were trying to do. Make something different. Stand out. But instead, they made something that looked like a boot sale on wheels. Still, at least it gave us all a good laugh. And hey, it got famous thanks to Breaking Bad, so maybe it’s not all bad, right?

2. Fiat Multipla - Bless It, But What Were They Thinking?

Image: Andrew Bone from Weymouth, England, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Ah, the Fiat Multipla. If cars could talk, this one would probably apologise to you the moment you walked up to it. It’s the one car that regularly makes people stop, stare, and just… laugh. Not because it’s meant to be funny, but because it just looks so completely wrong. The top half looks like it’s been plonked on top of a different car. That weird bulge under the windscreen? What even is that? It’s like someone stuck a backpack to the front for no reason at all. If you ever played with LEGO as a kid and slapped bricks together without a plan, that’s pretty much the vibe here. Thing is, underneath all that oddness, it wasn’t actually a bad car. It had loads of space and six seats, which was super practical for families. But most people couldn’t get past the looks. Imagine parking one of these on Market Street in Manchester or outside the Trafford Centre - you’d definitely get some looks. Not admiring looks, but still. It’s the kind of car you drive because you’ve given up caring what people think. And honestly, that’s kind of cool in its own way. It’s so ugly, it almost loops back round to being interesting again. Almost. But let’s be honest - even your gran would probably say, “That’s not for me, love.”

3. SsangYong Rodius - A Bus? A Boat? Who Knows

Image: Benespit, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Now this one... this one is special. The SsangYong Rodius looked like it was designed by someone who had never seen a car before. It’s big, it’s chunky, and it kind of looks like a cruise ship crashed into the back of a van. And then someone just said, “Yeah, that'll do.” If you've ever spotted one on the A6 near Stockport, you'd remember it. Mostly because you’d probably stare at it for way too long trying to work out what’s going on with the back end. It slopes, it curves, and then... it doesn’t. It’s a weird mash-up of straight lines and random swooshes that make you feel a bit seasick just looking at it. It had loads of space, which made it a good choice for big families or people who wanted to carry, like, five dogs. But that’s about it. Most people wouldn’t be caught dead in one unless they were being paid, and even then, they’d probably wear sunglasses and a hoodie to hide. We get that not every car has to be pretty. Some are about function, not form. But this one missed both somehow. It’s like the design was scribbled on a napkin during a bumpy flight and then just sent straight to production. Still, if you want a car that nobody will steal (because nobody wants it), the Rodius might be perfect for you.

4. Nissan Cube - Boxy and Proud of It (Too Proud)

Image: Tennen-Gas, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Alright, so picture a fridge. Now picture that fridge with wheels. That’s basically the Nissan Cube. It’s a little box on wheels with windows and a steering wheel. And the weird thing is, it’s not even trying to hide that it’s boxy - it’s leaning into it. The Cube looked like someone took a square and just... added bits until it could drive. Even the windows weren’t symmetrical. One of the back windows wraps around the side like it’s peeking out to see what’s going on. It's quirky, yeah, but also kind of confusing. You’d probably see a car like this in places where people wear sandals all year round and shop at organic markets. Not so much outside the Asda in Hulme. It just didn’t really fit in over here. To be fair, it was quite comfy inside and had some clever design touches. But it also looked like it might transform into a toaster at any minute. It's one of those cars where if your mate pulled up in it, you'd have questions. “Why though? Did someone dare you?” You can't help but smile when you see one - not because it's cool, but because it's just so... odd. And honestly, fair play to anyone who drives one with pride.

5. Chrysler PT Cruiser - Trying to Be Retro and Missing the Mark

Image: Charles01, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

You ever see someone trying really hard to look vintage, but end up just looking like they raided their nan’s attic? That’s the PT Cruiser. Chrysler wanted to make something retro and fun, and somehow ended up making a car that looked like it belonged in a cartoon gangster film. It’s got that rounded front, weirdly tall shape, and strange little grille that looks like it belongs on a 1930s delivery van. It wanted to be cool. It really did. But it tried so hard, it kind of went past cool and landed in “what were they thinking?” territory. People either loved it or hated it. And most leaned towards the second one. It became a bit of a joke. You’d see it parked up in Stockport town centre and think, “Who let that thing out?” The interior wasn’t much better either - lots of plasticky bits and strange colour combos. The thing is, it wasn’t totally terrible to drive. But it was hard to take seriously. It felt like it was playing dress-up, pretending to be something it wasn’t. Like a school play version of an old American car. Still, it stood out. You’ve got to give it that. Not always in a good way, but still.

6. BMW i3 - Future Tech, Awkward Looks

Image: Pierre-Selim Huard, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Now, we’re big fans of BMW at Dace Motor Company. We’ve got loads of them in stock and they’re solid cars. But even the best brands sometimes go a bit off-piste. Enter the i3. BMW wanted to show off its electric future. And fair enough, the i3 was packed with clever stuff. Lightweight materials, eco-friendly this and that, and it zipped about nicely. But it also looked... weird. It had tiny wheels for its size, a chunky body, and back doors that opened the wrong way. The front was kind of sharp and sporty, but the back looked like someone forgot to finish it. Like they got tired halfway through and said, “It’ll do.” It was a car for early adopters - the people who buy gadgets before everyone else and don’t mind looking a bit odd. But for regular drivers in Manchester or Stockport? It just looked out of place. Like it’d time-travelled from a future where style didn’t exist. It did have a proper fanbase though. Some people loved how different it was. But for everyone else, it was just a bit… funny-looking.

7. Renault Avantime - Coupe? MPV? Neither?

Image: Vauxford, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

This one’s a proper head-scratcher. Renault looked at the big family MPV and thought, “What if it was also a coupe?” The result was the Avantime - a car that confused absolutely everyone. It had massive doors, a weirdly upright rear window, and a body that looked like two separate cars had been squashed together. You know those kids’ drawings where they mix a sports car and a bus? It was kind of like that. Nobody really knew what to do with it. Was it meant to be sporty? Luxurious? Practical? It didn’t quite nail any of those. And because it was so unusual, you hardly ever see one on the roads around here. And that’s probably for the best. Still, it was brave. Weird, but brave.

8. Toyota Previa (Egg Version) - A Rolling Omelette

Image: IFCAR, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Back in the ‘90s, someone at Toyota thought, “Let’s make a people carrier that looks like an egg.” And so, the Previa was born. Big, round, and completely bubble-shaped. From the front, it kind of looked like it was smiling at you. But not in a friendly way. More like a creepy doll in a horror film. The dashboard was halfway to the bonnet, and the gear stick was sticking out the dashboard like a joystick. To be fair, it was roomy and solid. But you couldn’t ignore the looks. It was one of those cars you park miles away from the entrance just so nobody sees you getting out of it.

9. Suzuki X-90 - Two Seats, No Sense

Image: Kevauto, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Suzuki X-90 is one of those cars where you really have to wonder what the brief was. It had the front of a mini SUV, the body of a compact car, and the roof of a coupe. It made no sense. It only had two seats. No real boot space. And looked like something a toy company would make. People genuinely didn’t know if it was a joke or not. You’d probably only see one at a classic car meet in Bury, and even then, it’d be the one parked furthest away.

10. Honda Crosstour - The SUV That Couldn’t Quite Commit

Image: Dinkun Chen, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Honda Crosstour tried to mix a hatchback with an SUV, and the result was... strange. It had a long, sloping back that made it look a bit like a stretched Accord that’d melted in the sun. It wasn’t quite tall enough to be an SUV, but not sleek enough to be a saloon either. It was stuck in the middle. People didn’t know where to put it. Literally and figuratively. If someone showed up in one around Didsbury or Stockport, the reaction would probably be, “Wait, what is that?” followed by a polite nod and a silent vow never to buy one.

Let’s be honest - cars are like people. Some are good-looking, some are... less so. But they all have their place. At Dace Motor Company, we’ve seen pretty much everything roll through our doors. If you're after something smart, practical, and not shaped like a spaceship, pop into one of our showrooms in Stockport or Manchester. We’ve got over 600 proper used cars - no flops included.