For those of you who still read books, a wise person once said never to judge one by its cover. The same advice applies to vehicles, too. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, of course, but cars cannot be judged solely on the exterior design. There are many important factors, such as performance, handling, and overall build quality that you should consider.
Don't get us wrong; we aren't suggesting you should go ahead and buy the Fiat Multipla. When you spend thousands of dollars in a car, they should, at the very least, be bearable to look at. But many other vehicles have been laughed at because of their looks while being amazing. Whether they are fuel-efficient or fast, suddenly the so-called-ugly cars become beautiful to us. That's why we tried to compile a list of 15 ugly cars that are incredible. Now, remember there's no right or wrong answer, so without any further ado…
15 Mercedes-Benz B-Class
Although the new Mercedes B-Class looks much better than the previous generation, taller, longer, and more in line with the current Mercedes styling trend, to some people, it's still ugly. The sharp edges and straight lines that push back to the side of the fender is what caused most of the criticism. But, finding the absolute standard of beauty in a minivan is almost impossible. However, if you never mind the exterior, the Mercedes B-Class has a fantastic interior, excellent handling, and the newest technology. If you ask us, it's worth the shot.
14 Audi A2
A bubble with wheels. That's how the Audi A2 has been described. Hated by almost everyone and regarded as unreliable, the truth with the A2 is quite different. When it came out, it was a car ahead of its time. Back then, prestige brands didn't make small hatchbacks, and that's why the A2 confused people so much. Nonetheless, it has a roomy interior, and handling isn't bad either. In fact, because it's built by lightweight aluminum, it feels controlled on back roads and fuss-free on cruising.
13 Ferrari 400
The conversations about the Ferrari 400 are usually centered on the opinion that 400s are all ugly, and you should avoid them as much as you can. But, the 400 family was in production for the whole 16 years. And it wasn't just pure blindness from Ferrari to keep making them, because customers were still buying. But why is it regarded as ugly today? It's because it doesn't look like a Ferrari. Change the badge to a Mercedes, and people will love how elegant and simple it is. Not to mention its performance, speed, and handling.
12 Suzuki X-90
The X-90 is known for being shamed and called a weird creature. We don't deny it is. But, it's also different, quirky, and it grabs attention. It's not the typical small SUV you would expect, but at the same time, it's fun to drive. It's cheap to run, fuel economy is excellent, and the two small seats almost feel sporty. So before hating how the X-90 looks, try driving it.
11 Chevrolet Cobalt SS
GM executives might've admitted that the Cobalt SS is horrible, but that doesn't mean it is. Or at least was. Back in 2005, when the Cobalt SS was introduced, it was responsive, quick, and one of the best sports compact vehicles that you could buy for very cheap. Unfortunately, today it doesn't get the respect it deserves, mostly because of its outdated look. But, our standards for cars have changed too. So maybe that's the catch.
10 Honda Civic Type R
The Type R is probably the car everyone loves to hate, but as soon as they are behind the wheel, they just can't hate it. We admit it's not a car for everyone. It's enormous, overly complicated, fat, and looks a lot like a Tupperware plastic product. But at the same time, it's the kind of car that's made to be embraced in its own excessive glory. It's ridiculous. But driving it feels ridiculously good too.
9 The Eliica
It takes a particular talent to design a car that people are going to hate how ugly it is, but love it for the same reason. The Eliica is the exact type of car. It has eight wheels, and it certainly doesn't look or feel like a car. But before you classify it as a hybrid train-car or any other creature, remember that it is one of the fasted pure electric vehicles. It's quicker than your favorite Porsche 911 Turbo. That sentence alone should make you yearn for it.
8 Beck LM800
The LM800 wasn't designed by a six-year-old if that's what you're thinking. In fact, it's Switzerland's first supercar. It's undeniably ugly, but at the same time, it's fast, different, aerodynamic, and extremely lightweight. It seems like all the teams' effort went into the engineering of it, neglecting the looks entirely. Nonetheless, the LM800 deserves a chance to be on the road.
7 Lamborghini Egoista
It's ugly. I want my eyes back. It's so gross. What are all those angles? These are some of the most common comments you might've read about the infamous Egoista. But the truth is, the Egoista is the Black Swan of the automotive world. Yes, it's outrageous. But that's the point of it. Lamborghini itself stands for being loud and getting all of the attention there is. Not only Lamborghini but supercars, in general, are made to be outrageous. It's a car made without any restrictions. And we don't see how there's a place to whine about it still.
6 Tesla Cybertruck
We aren't going to tell you how ugly or weird the Tesla Cybertruck looks. Everyone has said enough already. But, first of all, we are going to acknowledge the design of it. It's easy to make improvements on a product, but creating it from the ground up. That's something else.
If the Cybertruck weren't designed this way, it wouldn't get so much attention and pre-orders. Maybe Musk took the Cybertruck design to the extreme, but at the same time, he opened up the way for other manufacturers to innovate for its sake, without fear of shocking the market. Let the Cybertruck sink in, consider its utility, and it will progressively become better looking.
5 Nissan Juke Nismo
The Juke Nismo is the type of car you either love it or hate it. There's nothing in between. For some people, the look, sporty handling, and 188 horsepower represent a unique attitude. But, many people disagree and instead call it an alien who doesn't belong here. Nonetheless, the Juke is loud, very unrefined, gas-friendly, and surprisingly great. That's what makes it so fun.
4 Covini C6W
The Covini C6W is one of those cars that no one talks about. That's because it's perceived as ugly and unworthy of any discussion. But, let us open the C6W conversation. It's cool. Yes, it has six wheels, but that's because there are advantages. There's less risk for front tire deflating, better braking, better grip, and absolute comfort. You can hate it all you want, but it's one of those rare automotive designs, which is undeniably incredible.
3 Mitsouka Orochi
Honestly, we should give the Japanese a break from all the criticism about their automotive design. Sometimes, their cars are awkward and different, but the automotive design isn't set in stone, and people should stop behaving like it is. The Mitsouka Orochi is a wild car by all definitions. It stands out more than a Ferrari, and it almost drives and handles like one too. Plus, if you're tired of the extreme exterior look, take a peek inside. You'll rest.
2 Kia Soul
If the Kia Soul is ugly, then ugly means cool and practical because that's precisely what the Kia Soul is. While we admit that the Soul isn't memorable or shaped nicely, it's still a car that's worth the shot. It's cheap, impressive; it has an accommodating interior space and runs on decent gasoline mileage. It's an unpretentious and spiritual car that doesn't deserve all the hate.
1 Toyota Prius
We aren't going to deny that Prius is an ugly car, no matter how open-minded we seem to be. It takes one peak to understand that it looks like an angry puppy, and not a cute one. Nonetheless, Toyota finally managed to design a car that people will notice. It's a sort of a statement car. At the same time, especially the new generation Prius, offers a comfortable ride quality, a lot of room seating and cargo space. After all, it only costs $25 000. Sometimes you get what you pay for. And in this case, you get an ugly car that drives and handles well. It's a Toyota after all.