Looks play a huge role as a selling point in the auto industry today. That’s why automakers spend so much money and research on making a car’s exterior look attractive. If they don’t get the outside right, the public won’t want to buy it. They also have to consider other factors, like making sports cars more aerodynamic. A car’s outside—no matter how good it looks—doesn’t always reflect the inside though.
Even among automobiles, the old adage “looks can be deceiving” still applies. Some cars instantly win us over with how they look; we don’t even have to get behind the wheel to love them. The design alone is enough to make us want one. Yet in spite of all the flair and appeal on the outside of the car, there’s an ugly flaw underneath its beautiful facade. Standing in contrast to the car’s outside are problems that make driving it harder to enjoy.
Automobiles that fit this description make owners feel cheated. These issues can vary across the spectrum from a minor annoyance to a frustrating defect that makes a car undriveable.
All cars have problems in some shape or form and none are perfect. Although the ones that look amazing on the outside but have problems on the inside seem to sting even more. These are some of the best looking vehicles out there, yet in spite of all their good looks, have at least one major flaw that makes owners wonder if they should've gone with something less eye-catching. While all the cars on this list have major upside, it’s up to owners to decide whether the good outweighs the bad.
25 Ferrari 458
If it’s a Ferrari, it’s going to be attractive. Even more, they’re going to perform well. One design flaw in the 458 models got the company in a little trouble though.
According to The Daily Mail, a defect in the wheel arch of the Ferrari 458 models forced the company to recall 1,200+ models.
It was a flaw so bad, five of the Ferrari cars at the time of The Daily Mail’s reporting had gone up in flames. This is not the classic Ferrari standard we know the company for.
24 Nissan 240SX
Few classes of vehicles look as good as sports cars. They’re usually the prettiest of the bunch while offering performance. The Nissan 240SX is a clear example, while also offering tuners with a dream car to modify.
Not everything that glitters is gold though. According to Jalopnik, there’s an issue with models from the ‘90s where the trunk has a habit of getting sucked in and stuck. Having both the sunroof and driver’s door closed causes this, which is something of an inconvenience to say the least.
23 Lamborghini Murciélago Roadster
There probably isn’t one person on the planet who’d turn down a Lamborghini Murciélago Roadster if money, storage or maintenance weren't factors. As beautiful as the car is though, it doesn’t mean there aren't flaws.
One of the major hang ups facing those lucky enough to own a Murciélago has to do with its canvas roof. Lambo Cars reports that not only is it unattractive, but it’s also difficult to mount on. Should someone go driving around in one, putting the roof on is no easy task.
22 Porsche GT3
This next one is less an actual problem with the vehicle itself, and more a flaw in its design. The Porsche GT3 is a stunner in every way, from looks to performance to luxury.
Jalopnik reports that the GT3 only comes in PDK, which is Porsche’s unique and innovative approach to transmissions. While the seamless shift into new gears without sacrificing power or unnecessary fuel is appealing, Car and Driver notes that PDK will engage the next gear as soon as drivers let off the clutch of the previous gear, which turns some drivers off.
21 Mercedes-AMG GT R
There’s a lot to like about the Mercedes-AMG GT R, enough to where the good just might outweigh bad. While loud engines are what many drivers live for, Telegraph reports that the AMG GT R’s engine might be a little more than desired. They note that over time, it can start to have a toll even, which is going to negatively impact the driving experience.
For a car that comes packed with a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 though, loudness comes with the territory.
20 Subaru WRX
The Subaru WRX is a sportier sedan that’s attainable for less than $30,000 new. It’s also a good looking car that Car and Driver confirms can do an impressive 268 hp with a top speed of 144 mph. As is consistent with the list however, there’s one flaw that will turn owners off.
According to Jalopnik, the car is prone to rattling and making noise while driving.
There’s nothing like a noisy interior to dampen the driving experience on the road.
19 Ferrari F12tdf
As a preface, this relates specifically to the Ferrari F12tdf edition. According to Motor Sport Magazine, this is a flawed car that reflects poorly on one of the world’s most popular car brands. One of the problems that source notes has to do with a “wet” setting the car has to be used while driving in rain.
Motor Sport Magazine reports that the wheels can unexpectedly spin and put the driver in a precarious situation. Even Ferrari is capable of creating a flawed vehicle from time to time.
18 Ford Mustang
The Ford Mustang is a household car and popular lineup that’s still going strong today. With such a long legacy, it’s hard to pick on such an illustrious automobile. The Fourth Generation though, which was in production from 1994 to 2004, may have had a design feature that annoyed drivers.
According to Jalopnik, the shifter on these cars was slightly out of reach and made it hard to shift into third or fifth gears.
It may have just taken an adjustment to how a driver sits to accommodate the issue.
17 Rolls-Royce Phantom
Rolls Royce is something of a status symbol among cars. It’s appropriate to expect a lot out of these luxury vehicles that look and drive great. That doesn’t mean they’re flawless though.
According to Autotrader, it’s common for the Phantom edition to have issues related to the air ride suspension and window regulators. Those who buy one better know a thing or two about fixing cars—or someone else who does—or else they could end up paying the price, literally.
16 Nissan GT-R
When people buy a car, they expect it and all its features to work. Despite looking good and rating high in performance, early Nissan GT-R models had an issue.
According to Jalopnik, instead of helping the GT-R to accelerate from the get-go, the “launch control" feature damaged transmissions instead.
It didn’t help either when Nissan ignored owners who reported the issue. While Jalopnik reports that owners did eventually take legal action, it proved to be another great looking car with a flawed feature.
15 Jaguar XJ-S
Jaguar managed to get a second car on this list by way of the XJ-S. Although good looking and classy on the outside, this car had a myriad of problems.
The website Classic and Sports Car reports that the suspension had stability issues while other parts were susceptible to rusting over. While the car came packed with a V12 engine, tuners would have trouble making tweaks to the spark plugs since they were hard to reach and took lots of time to replace.
14 Audi TT
The worst kind of issues to plague an automobile are the ones that put lives at risk. Even some of the best automakers, including Audi, falls victim to this at times.
Jalopnik reports that the Audi TT compromised when it came to rear-end handling. The cars most affected were in Europe and Audi had to make some upgrades as a result. In spite being another luxury offering from Audi, the TT’s rear lacked the quality the automaker had become known for.
13 Alfa Romeo 4C
Owners expect certain tasks to be simple, like filling up a car with gas or replacing its washer fluid. That may be asking too much though of even a beautiful-looking car like the Alfa Romeo 4C.
According to the blog Auto Moguls, owners need to go to extra lengths to do something as simple as locating the washer fluid reservoir. It’s even a process owners need a special tool to do.
While many owners don’t mind going to extra lengths, it suggests the designs forgot about convenience.
12 Porsche Cayman
Engine problems in a car can cause all kinds of havoc owners don’t want to deal with. Older Porsche models, including Caymans, garnered a reputation for these issues if it wasn't driven on a regular basis.
According to Jalopnik, these cars were susceptible to corrosion if the car remained immobile for too long. The same source goes on to note that this was due in part to using a sealed ball bearing in older Cayman motors. As attractive as a Porsche is, engine problems on these older models is an unpleasant surprise.
11 Aston Martin V12 Vantage S
The more someone pays for a car, the more they expect to receive in return. The 2016 Aston Martin V12 Vantage S is a beautiful and limited car that Automobile Mag reports that only 100 made it to the United States.
Although it’s capable of doing 563 hp, there’s some quirks that are hard to accept. The same source points out some imperfections in the transmission, including difficulty moving the shifter back to first gear. Ultimately, it’s up to consumers to decide whether $184,995 is worth the mechanical pains or not.
10 Dodge Viper SRT
The Dodge Viper SRT is going to have fans no matter what its flaws are. It’s a powerful car, make no mistake—though the Viper SRT itself may not have been made to handle its own power even.
According to Jalopnik, parts of the car broke off in test runs including a hood vent. That doesn’t instill the highest level of trust consumers are looking for, especially in a vehicle that looks so promising on the outside. The same source even puts it at a steep price tag of $114,000.
9 Pontiac Solstice
For a car that’s able to make observers fall in love at first sight, the Pontiac Solstice looked like the ideal car.
Unfortunately there were some issues and the Solstice failed to live up to its attractive exterior. One such issue, detailed by Stuff.co.nz, was the detachable roof. Instead of collapsing inside, the roof was its own separate piece.
That left owners with the challenge of finding a place to store it. While the outside of the car looked nice, the detachable roof was not a feature that shared the same sentiment.
8 Mercedes SL63
This might seem a little nitpicky, but cupholders matter. They may not provide the most eye-catching feature in a car, but good cupholder design is something many drivers take for granted.
Jalopnik argues that the cupholders in several manual transmission cars from Europe are not conveniently located. One of the many cars they fault with this issue is the Mercedes SL63. This may have caused headaches for owners who enjoy a cup of coffee while driving, yet continually knock the beverage shifting gears.
7 Jaguar E-Type
Many of the flaws on these vehicles aren’t big enough to turn prospective owners away. The Jaguar E-Type is a car people that will make prospective buyers torn about owning one.
Jalopnik reports that the electronic system of the Jaguar E-Type isn’t known for having the best quality. With Jaguar now looking to make electric E-Types, as per The Truth About Cars, one can only hope they give the electronics a new makeover. Despite the Jaguar E-Type’s supposed problems, the car remains appealing as ever.
6 Lamborghini Countach
It’s not really fair to pick on a Lamborghini—least of all the beautiful Countach—which compromises in some areas for the sake of looks, status and performance. If you own a Lamborghini, owners are probably willing to accept whatever inconveniences there are in exchange of all its perks. The interior, for one, has many oddities.
Autoweek notes that the power window controls move windows in the opposite directions of how they're labeled. Even more, the sun visors don’t have mirrors built in, but includes removable ones.
The sun visors will even block a driver’s view of the road once they’re folded out. This is one goofy interior.