Ugliest cars in India - Mahindra Xylo

If there is one car which will give a manatee good company on land, then it's the Mahindra Xylo. No complaints on the kit that the sedan-(b)eater has on offer, no issues with the fit and finish and the price is really tasty. But as a looker it still is miles away from what is perceived as a good looking MUV. I do understand that it's a cruel comparison, but it looks as if it's been inspired by a manatee. Cruel as in cruel to the gentle sea mammal.

The front end is neat and classy. But as we go beyond the front door, things start losing way. Designers, haven't you heard of a space filler called a wheel arch? The plain and almost creaseless section under the third row window is dull. It's like a huge blank on a poorly done magazine page, equivalent to a white space. The resulting effect is that of an over-blown balloon. Just like it's tough-guy brother Scorpio, the rear end is where the plot is completely lost. The creaseless theme continues below the rear license plate as well. The single ridge isn't the solution to the clean metal sheet treatment.

Sedan-beater? I'll say yes, considering the 17,000 bookings in the register. Best-looker, definitely no.

Ugliest cars in India - Tata Indigo XL

Two reasons - the rear door and the boxy boot. The Indigo was not the right follow-up to the the beautifully designed Indica hatchback. The boot of the Indigo looked more like an attempt to add more luggage space, by someone who had no idea on the looks of the parent car. However the car was a wise move from Tata as it became a huge hit with its low price, cheap maintenance and practicality.

The rocking success made Tata go one step further and do the unthinkable. An increased wheelbase, luxury amenities, a name which obviously refers to its size and it was time to say, "Hi XL". The misproportionate looks continued, but this time with more vigour. What's with that mile-long rear door? They could have added a panel in between the two doors which is the standard design feature of most limos. Sprinkle some creases, curves and plastic inserts on the panel and that will make it less boring. That requires re-tooling, but of course not as much as what was done for the rear door which can also double up as a fortress gate.

I'd rather choose to say "Bye XL". The manufacturer chooses to call it a luxury limousine. It has acres of space inside and the luxury car ingredients. Still, it doesn't qualify as one. Point acknowledged, that it's cheaper than many sedans in the C-segment. Will that part make the brand conscious buyer turn to the XL? The answer is a big NO. Or an over-ambitious "may be".

"Look ma, a long Indigo" looks don't help. Who'd choose to pay a premium for a luxury car which hasn't got too many distinguishing features from the so-so budget sedan next-door? Or let's make it worse, it looks exactly like the city cab at the next intersection.

A word to Tata. Either make a proper stretch limo or don't make it at all. A "limo" which is mid-way between a short wheelbase sedan and an executive class saloon isn't the right way to (Indi)go.

Ugliest cars in India - Honda CR-V

Another Honda and this is something that I really hate to do. I have said this before. Honda makes the best engines. But one way or the other they give the rest of the world lots of arguments against their sense of style. Some automobile mags call the new CR-V a revolutionary design. I agree. It is revolutionary, but only if it means tasteless. The softroader which it replaced was a conventional looking city slicker which had the stance of an SUV and the mannerisms of a sedan. That design was in need of replacement and the one which came to fill its shoes made us all pray that Honda hadn't replaced it at all.

Now let us get down to business. What is that front end all about? To be specific, the grille which comes right below the Honda emblem. Is it a space filler which the designers chucked in to fill up the plain space between the bumper and the headlamps? Looks so to me. The glass house is another distraction. The slanting profile of the third window isn't exactly a tasteful touch. May be it is a match which suits a car with a styling package like this. I don't wish to say anything at all about the rear end.

But here's the catch, it's a Honda. For buyers who know the reliability which comes free with that insignia, that pretty much ends all doubts and comments on its styling.

Ugliest cars in india - Tata Indica Vista

I celebrated with all my heart when Indica hit the roads way back in 1998. It was a moment of pride for Tata and the entire Indian automotive community. The first car made in India and made for India, this spacious hatch was styled by the Italian design house I.DE.A. They did a remarkable job and Tata followed it up with freshening ups and subtle face-lifts. A prepped-up Indica can still give the rest of the hatchbacks some style-check lessons, even now. Then the unthinkable happened. The Indica Vista was born.

A new platform and new looks were the much shouted USPs of Vista. But this was cruel in a way, at least to the Indica brand. Take a look at the traditional Indica and the Vista and you’ll understand what I’m trying to say. There is class and dignity in the former while the latter unsuccessfully tries to be an attention grabber. It does succeed at times by gaining attention for the wrong reasons. The bulged up hood with wrap-around headlamps makes you cringe than fall in love with the car. The glasshouse is another nail which tinkers with its looks. Let me guess, the plausible design guideline was, “Let’s build a people carrier to beat the Innova” and once the designers completed the design of the front section, the manufacturer changed it to, “Ok, make that a small car”. Vista has a bulky looking front section and from the front wheels to the rear it looks undernourished. To finish it off there are the ruler-thin tail lights which look more like an afterthought than anything else.

I have seen some souped-up versions of the Vista. But they don’t stand a chance in front of a similarly modded Indica. No wonder, the latter stills sells more than the former.

Ugliest cars in India - Renault Logan

I'm a very reasonable person and I like the Logan. A decent car with no sky-high ambitions, the Logan is a basic A to B mode of transport. It's priced right and is cheap to maintain. The low price owes much gratitude to the cost-effective manufacturing techniques adopted by Mahidra Renault. Thanks to that, they can sell it at rock-bottom prices which will make even smaller cars seem over-priced.

Now to the titular case. It's not a stylish car. It's well-designed with smart design elements which aim more at practicality and comfort. Add to that the cost-cutting measures and the end result is a car which looks cluttered. There are too many straight lines on the Logan for a new age car. Ask a kid to draw a car and he'll draw one which looks strikingly similar to the Logan. That's not a compliment, Renault! This is more of a ruler-and compass work. Since renault is well known since time immemorial for the quirky styling of their cars, this isn't a surprise.

Mahindra-Renault has introduced a couple of new versions in new shades with alloy wheels and the works. But the bad styling is something which can't be covered up with these add-ons.

Ugliest cars in India - Nissan Teana

What exactly is the Nissan Teana? A sedan? A station wagon? A notch back? Or a mess? Probably it's an example of the last kind. A bland design which is so much lifeless and dated that the prospective buyer will be reluctant to part with his money. Nissan has some fantastic looking cars in its portfolio and I still wonder why they opted to give India this jelly bean shaped luxury car.

Nissan does need a refresher course on Indian tastes. Organic shapes are making their way out of the car design industry and if they still expect us to fall for a dull looking vessel, they need something more than the course.

Teana sets you back by Rs. 20 lakhs and for a bit north or south of that sum, you can take home better lookers like the Skoda Superb and VW Passat. The equipment levels speak in Teana's favour. But a D-segment buyer expects more than the interior comfort and features. He wants style and chunks of it. Unfortunately Teana has anything but style.

Ugliest cars in India - Tata Sumo

A pre-historic design and that too a bad one, that’s the Tata Sumo. No matter how many face lifts and how many stickers Tata gives the MPV, it still remains as ugly as it used to be at the time it was launched. It has been put through tons of paint jobs, colour schemes, minor aesthetic changes, and Tata still failed to rectify its major design drawback – the kicked-up rear end. In profile the vehicle reminds you of a Sumo wrestler trying to walk tip-toe.
Based on the tried, tested and tired 207 platform, Tata Sumo was one of the first cars (if you can call it one) designed in India. Space was not a problem. It had enough area for the extended Indian family and the dog. Ride was comfy unless the vehicle was pushed to its limits. The range topping Victa was a bit of a relief as far as looks are concerned. The Spacio never came anywhere in the territory of design and styling. But atleast it never tried to be a family vehicle. Overall the design was flawed. It lacked poise and handled like barge.

The new Sumo Grande does look promising and fresh with the borrowed design cues. But the old wrestler still lags behind and it still sells. Courtesy, the space, the price and the cheap maintenance.

Ugliest cars in India - 2008 Honda Accord

Chris Bangle does have a long lost son and probably junior is working for Honda. What else could probably explain the mangled (Bangle'ed) look of the 2008 version of the luxury sedan from Honda? Its predecessor was an icon here as a performance king and was often referred to as the big brother of the first Honda City. Sharp as a razor in styling and handling it was indeed a slick package.
The replacement is disastrously ugly. I often find it odd as it gives the impression of being designed by more than one designer. There is a hell lot of Chris Bangle's BMW designs flashed all over it. The dented look of the doors, right below the waistline, the arrow-straight shutline of the rear door, even the confused rear end design, all these speak volumes of a BMW 7-series inspiration. Not to mention the fact that the latter is not a good example to emulate.The Accord is an unpleasant amalgamation of BMW, Audi and Hyundai signatures. Check out the way in which the rear section of the roof flows down to the boot - pure Audi lines. The front section is a clear rip-off of the new Hyundai Sonata. The rectagular headlamps with those blisters makes matters worse. It's good in pieces but as a whole it's a really ugly picture.

Accord has a gem of an engine, but it's not a jewel of a car.