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 - 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.