Before the advent of computers, a team of designers would hand-draw the desired car—several designs—and then, higher-ups would decide based on those sketches which ones should be taken to the next step and be made into 3D clay models. And then, one or few real cars would be produced as prototypes. This entire process was time-consuming.

But with the advent of computers, all that changed. New software programs allowed designers to sketch the car on computers and gave them access to every angle and orientation. With software programs, it became possible to do minute things, like the addition of colors, but also important things, like the prediction of the aerodynamics and safety features. The final design is now simply sent to a milling machine that prints a 3D car.

Let’s keep one thing straight, though: it doesn’t necessarily cost more money to make a car look aesthetically sensible. Now, of course, some people might have to work harder, and if the culture of the particular automotive manufacturer isn't appropriate, they’ll end up with a car that cost a lot more than it should. But there are some companies—like Aston Martin—that do their job properly and don’t dismiss the ideas and comments of the designers, thus making cars look nice.

So, let’s take a look at a few of these. By the way, this article focused on cars with prices in the range of $30-70K, except for a few outliers.

20 2018 Toyota Mirai

via fortune.com

Unveiled in 2014 at the Los Angeles Auto Show, the car hit the market in 2015 with an innovative powertrain: hydrogen fuel cell. While the concept of the hydrogen fuel cell—hydrogen combining with atmospheric oxygen to directly create the electricity needed to move the wheels—isn't unique by any means, the Mirai did take this field further by being the first one to have this technology at such a large level. It has a range of 312 miles and fuel economy of 66 mpg-equivalent in the US, meaning the Mirai, standing for “future” in Japanese, is quite possibly the future of EVs. But this future has to improve if Mirai or Toyota is to get ahead. With a hefty price tag of $58K, you can’t expect people to drive a car with a front that's misshaped.

19 BMW 7-Series (E65)

via bmwblog.com

The 7-Series, produced from 2001-2008, was not liked by people at all. There were several factors at play. Right from the get-go, people had trouble starting the car. While now, you have the remote-start key (press the button from your home, and the car starts) and the keyless start-stop system (press the push-button with the key fob nearby) before that, you had a semi-keyless start-stop option in these cars.

You started the car by pressing the push-button but still needed to insert the key fob, just not the traditional metallic key.

And then, there were issues with adapting to the infotainment system. Worst yet, the headlamps looked crooked on this car. All that left a negative impression on the exterior, making the expensive ride look cheap.

18 2015 Acura TLX

via latimes.com

Given the current trend of ridiculously awesome-looking grilles, the TLX lags behind. It’s just the nature of the game unless Acura plans on making some other aspect world-famous. And all that fault is present in the current model year. This entry is for the first generation… brace yourself.

With a base price of $30K and an upscale price of $45K, Acura was committing highway robbery with its TLX model.

I’m saying this despite liking Acura. The exterior simply looked like its more reasonably priced ILX. So, what were you paying for in the base model of TLX? After all, it was the upscale version of TLX that was equipped with the performance goodies, right? So, you paid those few hundreds (or even thousands) for some petty changes to the interior?

17 2018 Nissan Altima

via sheridannissan.com

Starting off the list is the Altima. It’s not that bad of a car, but compared to what some of the competitors offer in the same price range, it does fall a little short. There are some people who think that besides the sports cars, whatever Nissan makes is bland and boring; some models are outright comment inducers (talking about the Nissan Cube). Some people think the Altima is uninspiring and emotionless, and that’s true to a certain extent when you line it up against the rest of the Nissan cars. While Toyota offers pure reliability and Honda, reliability with a hint of lucrativeness, Nissan offers reliability at a cheaper price. However, savings of a few hundred bucks come at the price of a bland exterior.

16 2001-2010 Chrysler PT Cruiser

via commons.wikimedia.org

The PT Cruiser certainly isn't the most expensive on this list, but it was still within the average price range at its time (for example, in 2005, $13K-27K, depending on what you got). And before I dive into the ugly, the car had some things to it. Some people liked the design of the car—it represented novelty. But then came a point when the novelty wore off, and even those who had moderately liked the car stopped. There are a few souls commenting around online on how they like the PT Cruiser, but they’re very hard to find. The interior was poor, and it wasn’t exactly meant for four adults; the rear seats were tight on space. Eventually, sales plummeted, and Chrysler let go of it.

15 2016 Lincoln MKS

vai youtube.com

There was a time when Lincoln cars used to be great—they meant a lot. But now, it’s kind of hard to believe that Lincoln is Ford’s luxury division. Most of Ford’s economy cars do better than the high-priced Lincolns. Take the MKS, for instance. The car tries to have a unique grille, but that definitely needs more work—or else, only the Chinese will continue to buy this car. The overall design is a bit tough on the eyes, too. And if you were counting on the design of the cabin, don’t get ahead of yourself—nothing to see there, folks. The worst part is the horrible safety features. Its only saving grace is perhaps the good suspension system, but it’s hard to convince one to buy a car just because of that. What’s the price of this “luxury?” Over $30K.

14 Hummer H2

via tractors.wikia.com

Amidst the craze for bigger and bulkier cars—when SUVs rose in the market like the current Amazon stocks—the Hummer stood out like an angel waiting to help you. We were fascinated by the idea of a “civilized” military vehicle. The Humvee used in the Gulf War had given some the idea to convert it into a civilian truck. And people were ecstatic. One thing led to another, and the Hummer got produced. It was all “cool…”—until you realized what you were actually doing. You were just driving a behemoth vehicle that didn’t have the powertrain needed to keep up with the pace on highways (off-roading was fine to a certain extent) but sucked gas like there was no tomorrow. And the price for all that? North of $50K.

13 Mercedes A-Class (First & Second Gen)

via dsf.my

If you look at the current Mercedes A-Class, you’ll realize that even compact cars can look tantalizing from the outside. The grille and the Mercedes logo keep things lively in the current A-Class, and those struggling with looks in their compact lineups should take some lessons from Mercedes, the master that had to learn once upon a time, too. What am I talking about? I’m talking about the first- and second-generation Mercedes A-Class. These cars were notoriously shaped, reminding you of a miniature minivan. We just couldn’t take the Mercedes logo on such a disproportionately shaped car. Now, we can give the early models some concessions, as they were subcompact back then—and sold surprisingly well in Europe, where streets are as narrow as an end-stage clogged artery—but still could've done a little better. The car devastated Mercedes fans in the US.

12 Range Rover Discovery 3 (Second Gen)

via pinthiscars.com

At one point, this car became synonymous with the word “unreliable.” The car that was supposed to withstand the ruts of the wild, the car that was supposed to brace the wilderness, the car that was supposed to give you the luxury to go off-roading with peace of mind was simply beaten by the roads of its owner's neighborhood. Sign after sign, breakdown after breakdown, leak after leak—it showed them all like there was no tomorrow. It seemed to hold the most potential—for all that could go wrong on this planet.

Consumer Reports got fed up and rated the one in 2009 as the most unreliable car on the planet.

The car looked okay, but who knew what the interior was hiding? It was only when you drove it that you realized what failure tasted like at a price tag of $60K.

11 2018 Buick LaCrosse

via pinterest

Unfortunately, Buick probably has enough material, to the point that I can write a whole article on their lineups and how they don’t fare well in the market. The LaCrosse—Buick’s flagship sedan—is simply horrendous. The car is just too bulbous. Novelty is a good thing—you can’t succeed if you aren’t bringing anything new—but that also entails failures. Buick has become a master of It.

The only reason GM keeps Buick around is for its market presence in China. The Chinese love the Buick and will keep the brand alive.

“Why?” you ask. The reason is historical. Buick was portrayed as the “prestige car” in much of the Chinese cinema in the 1930s and the 1940s, and Buick continues to market itself as a rich Westerner’s car. If only the Chinese knew of our side of the story...

And now, off to expensive cars that won’t make you look cheap.

10 2018 Cadillac CTS 

via roomcam.info

When an industry emerges, hundreds of others follow suit. But only those who evolve with a determination to succeed make it. The same was the case for Cadillac. Cadillac faced severe challenges during the Great Depression but bounced back with the help of innovation. Adversity hit again, but Cadillac recovered. The phase of the Cimarron also came and went away, with that period being one of the worst for Cadillac. But since the last two decades, Cadillac has come back in the game. Take a look at the CTS, for instance. Launched in 2002, the car has only done well ever since. The rigid yet light body, a classy interior, and the perfect handling led to it winning several awards in the last decade.

9 2018 Audi A4

via eatontownaudi.com

This lineup of Audi has been in production since 1994 and has done well so far. The compact executive car is in the hearts of Audi fans. Probably one of the simplest cars in the Audi lineup, the car stays humble in terms of price but delivers performance like an eager child. The 2018 model year gets new alloy wheel and red brake calipers in some of the packages, giving it a sleeker look.

The exterior looks aggressive yet has that gentle effect of an Audi.

The standard features are plenty, although that’s the case in any good car, so I won’t boast much about that here. The optional virtual display in the compact lineup is a huge plus, though. Overall, it’s worth the money.

8 2018 Mazda CX-5

via caranddriver.com

Mazda has been doing well in the market recently. With the “KODO—Soul of Motion” attitude, the SUV looks daunting from the outside. No one particular feature can be singled out for that.

The grille, the edges of the hood, and the curves of the side all combine to give it a dominant, rugged look.

Whether that’s exactly what “KODO—Soul of Motion” means is in the air, but the fact of the matter remains that the SUV looks aggressive. Supporting that powerful look is the excellent handling of the car. A lot of people learned of this when they got the CX-5 as a loner. The CX-5 outsold all the other Mazda models combined in January of 2018; undeniably, the sales of the CX-5 have been helping Mazda tremendously.

7 2018 Porsche Cayenne

via autoevolution.com

Ah, a Porsche! Generally, you might not accost a Porsche because of the price tag, but with a price tag of $60K, it’s not that difficult to approach this car. The Cayenne is a good-looking SUV, but that didn't just happen with this model year. It had been a good-looking car, despite the grille being not the most extravagant piece of art on this planet. And the interior—the interior of the Porsche has something that a lot of other SUVs don't have. In terms of room, it's luxurious; in terms of handling, it's sports-like. Cars like the Cayenne are more like Audi, BMW, and Mercedes, rather than likes of the Ferrari and the Lambo, although just a tad bit higher than the former set of cars, in my opinion.

6 Tesla Model 3

via insideevs.com

It’s probably the only EV that could manage to make an appearance on this side of the list. It’s an amazing car in all aspects, whether you’re talking about the looks or the interior or the fuel economy. Now, there are several things that you need to get used to before driving this car, but they’re not insurmountable. And the benefits are tremendous. The Model 3 seems to have checked off all the boxes—even safety is good in this car. And the best part is that the CEO of the company is ready to consider your feedback. I remember reading about a case where one of the motorists got into an accident with his Model 3. Well, CEO Elon Musk listened to the criticisms of the car and took actions to improve rapidly.

5 2018 Lexus RX

via nydailynews.com

Here's another SUV. While not generally associated with the likes of Porsche or Audi, the RX has some charm to it. People would shoot for this car because they like the reliability of Toyotas, in addition to having a car that looks good from and in all corners. This is one of the SUVs in the Lexus lineup that actually looks good with their spindle grille (besides the LC 500). Not a lot of cars can pull off that spindle grille, especially the sedans, but the SUV seems to wear that grille so nicely that it seems like the grille was made only for it. Also, the interior is elegant in this luxurious SUV. Various types of safety features and a good infotainment system make the car look even nicer. It’s a good ride.

4 2018 Volvo S90

Silver 2017 pale blue volvo s90 on the road
Volvo

See, the grille and the front aren't everything on a car. While we appreciate an amazing beauty from the front, nothing too complex is needed to get the car to look respectable. Take the Volvo S90, for instance. At no point do you look at the grille and think to yourself “Wow, that’s the most convoluted grille that I’ve ever seen.” But neither do you go criticizing the look of the car due to the simple grille, unlike the Lincoln listed elsewhere in the article.

The S90 has that classic Volvo look, and at no point do you think the car looks cheap.

If anything, the Volvo name has probably become synonymous with safety, meaning the car is looked favorably upon—and rightfully so, as this lineup has good crash score also. Plus, the S90 is a new model, so all else looks fresh.

3 2018 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

via caranddriver.com

The current E-Class looks just amazing. This is Mercedes’ midsize luxury sedan, available at a decently reasonable price of $50K. The E-Class has been in production since 1993 and has seen several markets across the globe. Mercedes has many grille options available, but I think the one shown here is probably one of the best. The E-Class has pretty good features inside—for instance, one E-Class car can talk to another E-Class—that makes it more lucrative and will make other lineups lucrative as well, as they'll get some of the technology endowed to the E-Class. The newest generation (W213) is a little longer and a little wider than the outgoing model yet weighs less. And of course, it looks a lot better than the outgoing generation. It’s a very sensible car.

2 2018 Lexus LC 500

via lexus.com

Although you might think that various automotive websites are trying to advertise the new LC 500s (via article content), be assured that they, including us, probably are not. It’s just that the Lexus LC 500 is an extremely good car. The exterior speaks for itself—just look at the dashing car from any angle, and it’d be hard to say anything negative about it. It rivals the Porsche 911, the BMW 6-Series, and the likes very well in the market. The attention to detail in this car is just mesmerizing—the minute things that matter are available in this car. For instance, the way the doors lock from the inside is unique, being governed by a car-lock symbol and color scheme. And the engine is powerful, sounding like a muscle car, yet boasting a luxurious interior. This is the priciest item on the list with a price tag of $100K.

1 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia

via autoguide.com

This is probably one of the best cars that come to my mind on this side of the list. The car was second in the Car of the Year 2017 competition, meaning it was right on the verge of winning. Alfa Romeo continued to push harder and stole the Motor Trend Car of the Year award the next year. The car has many unique features. The grille, for instance, is rather tantalizing, despite not being what some of the top American manufacturers produce. Added to this is the fact that it’s a compact executive car—so no advantage of more exterior space to look nice. Atop, the interior delivered equally. Everything is as posh as you can imagine. The handling, the cabin, and the back seats are all world-class. I guess the Italians got this one down for sure—in addition to dominating the high-end sports-car market.

Sources: usnews.com; wikipedia.org