Civic Fugliness Crosses the Ocean

I was a huge fan of the last generation European Civic. It was odd, but in a funky spaceship kind of way. Like it was sent from the future. The 2012 European Honda Civic takes a page from the 2012 North American Honda Civic, in that it's an evolution of the last generation more than a complete reboot. Although in my eyes, it's a bit of a de-evolution.

Where the previous generation was a sleek little space pod, the new one looks like it melted a bit on re-entry. The chiseled lines are now smoother and more organic, but unfortunately now it looks more like a crouching frog than something from outer space.  The taillights have also move vertically, which makes it look a bit tall and narrow when viewed from the rear.  It's almost as if Honda took the worst part of the CRZ and the Hyundai Veloster and called it a day...

Aston Martin V12 Zagato

I don't think the Aston Martin V12 Zagato is fugly, or even ugly.  But it does look a bit chubby for an Aston - less sleek and more bulbous.  I suppose it's kind of attractive the way a plus size model is, when compared to non-plus size models.

But the most unsettling thing about the design is how similar it looks to a Nissan GTR in the side view.  Sure, the rearmost angle of the side windows goes the opposite direction, but the air intake and blacked out "helmet visor" appearance of the A-pillar bear more than a passing resemblance.

2012 Opel Combo

Opel recently released pics of it's new Cargo / people van, and it's surprisingly hideous.  While Opel has produced some very attractive cars lately, this mix of Fiat Doblo, Opel Corso and Kia Soul is not.  Also, it looks way to happy for looking how it does.

2012 Chevrolet Impala

Behold the 2012 Chevrolet Impala facelift, meant to revitalize the car until it's replacement comes in the "near future". Basically, this is the facelift equivalent of shaving. Or growing stubble, if chrome mesh equates manliness.

Not fugly in the truest sense of the word, but if the automotive design world evolved at the same rate as the Impala cars would still have fenders separate from the body(no offense, Caterham). At least the car also gains some much needed improvements under the skin, including a more powerful and fuel efficient V6 3.6L engine that makes similar power to the previous V8 SS, and two extra gears in the automatic transmissions (bringing the number to a finally current 6 gears).

Drive one today at your nearest Hertz rent-a-car.

Volkswagen Passé

The new for 2012 VW Passat also follows Volkswagen’s new North American strategy of offering more for less. While the Jetta is basically them same car they get overseas (with a much worse interior), the Americanized Passat is an entirely different beast. While they get a reworked version of the current Passat, we get a completely new supersize version - presumably for our supersized, McDonald’s feed American (and Canadian) asses.



While the interior doesn’t suffer the same air of cheapness of the Jetta, the exterior does share a family resemblance. And in doing so, this is a very generic looking car. It’s not hideous, but there aren’t many positive adjectives that can be used to describe it either. From it’s vaguely Accord looking face to it’s vaguely Chevrolet Impala looking greenhouse, the look comes off as inoffensive (and a bit dated) looking clone hoping to gain sales by looking enough like the big sellers. Plus they might be trying to morph this apple strudel into looking enough like an apple pie to warm over some of the more jaded buyers that tend to only buy American.



Still though, it’s classy in a very retrained way and far from fugly. Had the 2008 Accord looked like this when it debuted instead of having it’s quasi-Bangle-butt, it would have been commended.

2012 Honda Civic

Again, not exactly a case of fugliness, but a case of moving backward, not forward. Or one might argue maintaining status quo. Still, one would think a major revision to a car would involve making it a bit more desirable.


The 2012 Honda Civic is only remarkable in how much it looks like the current model. The biggest change can be seen on the sedan, which abandons the old hockey stick taillights (aka: controvertial; fugly) in place of some more generic, previous generation Camry type taillights. While they aren't as strange, the also manage to make the car look older.


The revisions to the coupe look even less drastic - but somehow manage to make the look of the previous sleek little coupe a bit more chunky and ungainly.


Although occasional mild redos may be typical Honda fashion, this segment is suddenly en vogue now that gas prices have been and are still rising. Competition is only going to get more fierce, and it's competitors know this. Kia's recent Forte and Forte Koup are lookers, and Hyundai's Elantra is a bombshell. Ford's Fiesta and the Chevrolet Cruze are also substantially better looking and have upped the bar for interior refinement. Hyundai is also planning an Elantra coupe and hatchback/wagon (something Honda doesn't even offer). This might be the wrong time for a mild redo.