Here’s the thing about being in style: it never lasts. It doesn’t matter if it’s cars or clothes, furniture or footwear, music or mustaches (I had trouble thinking of an m-thing): as soon as everyone agrees on what’s totally cool, that’s a pretty good indicator those cool things are rapidly approaching their expiration date. One minute you’re the guy with his finger on the pulse, the next you’re throwing your parachute pants in the trash and crying in your room, face buried in a beanbag chair.
REALLY did the Cordoba dirty, oof 😬 pic.twitter.com/81I1xbTBsM
— The Autopian (@the_autopian) February 1, 2023
Now, for cars, styling trends can be particularly perilous. These are major purchases after all, so manufacturers are keen to make sure the new models look super fresh and modernly-styled, and naturally we consumers want our new cars to look all futuristic and rad and whatnot. But looking new and looking good don’t always go hand-in-hand, and time can be very unkind to what was once cutting edge. For example, remember when rectangular headlights were an absolute must-have? Round headlights were for squares, ironically. Heck, even motorcycles were wearing rectangular headlights. Gross.
Today, car-styling trends are more diverse than ever. Some are tired but still innocuous (I can’t get mad at floating roofs), others were dubious when they first arrived and have only gotten dubiouser ever since. Plastic cladding, I’m looking at you. Literally, right now. I’m sorry, Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness, you look like a frickin’ sneaker. And what is the deal with giant, hideous grilles on trucks and SUVs? Sorry if you read that in a Seinfeld voice. They’re like parodies of alpha-toughness. Don’t get me started on phony cheek-intakes so large that they would look at home on an A-7 Corsair. Especially when they’re fake, I mean come on. I could go on.
And so, The Autopian Asks: what are three styling trends, past or present, that you would select erase from history? To the comments!
Top graphic image credits: Subaru Crosstrek/Subaru; 1959 Cadillac Coupe Deville by That Hartford Guy/Wikimedia Commons; Lexus LX600/Lexus; Cylon Warrior by Klapi/Wikimedia Commons
Rear door handles that are higher than the front handles.
Truck headlights at the top of the front end, instead of down by the bumper where they belong. Get those abominations outta my rearview mirror, please.
Possibly covered in other comments, but:
Phew felt good to get that off my chest.
Hell yeah, couldn’t agree more! It’s good to vent about this BS that is sending us BACKWARDS
Please let’s erase the over-lifted, oversized pickup trucks. They are pointless vehicles that are not suited for actual “truck stuff”.
1) Angry eyes. Everywhere, both aftermarket and OEM. If you have made your car’s face to look as if it were even moderately annoyed, I’m talking about you. On the road, surrounded by hundreds of people who have never even heard of you and armed with thousands of pounds of weapon, is not the place to embody aggression.
2) Gigantic Cylon grilles. Holy cow.
3) Crossover everything.
Black, grey, silver, and white.