6 Questionable Cars on Sale Today

Design is subjective. One mans priceless piece of art is one mans worthless piece of art. Be it a painting, sculpture, drawing, anything in which a creative process was used to construct the piece. Cars are in this very same vein. Cars typically take months and months to conceptualize, detail and finalize a design. A lot of sweat and hard work goes into designing a vehicle, their very life and sales ride on that. As the saying goes "don't judge a book by its cover" but when your typical consumer plans to purchase a vehicle, their very first impression is from exterior design. As years have passed, automakers are pushing the envelope on vehicle design, a gamble that has struck big for some and a sour note for others. I want to cover those sort notes, as a (admittedly) subjective view of some of the most ill-designed vehicles that currently are on roads today. As with my previous list, this is in no set order they are all 6 different examples. Let's get started shall we?

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6. Kia SOUL

This car is very precise on it's demographic. It is focused on younger adults, who may or may not have kids, who need ample space and a funky design to stand out amongst the crowd. Their formula worked, these things sell in masses. The styling is different, sure, but maybe too different for the sake of being different. The odd looking face, strangely styled massive wheels and weird pseudo SUV stance are just a bit much for my tastes.

5. Lincoln MKT

Oddly enough, I went from praising a Lincoln in a previous article and am now bashing on one? This car is an entirely different beast though. The MKT is essentially a Lincoln Edge, a vehicle Ford sells that has equally funky but somehow more appealing styling. This Lincoln is, to put lightly, a disaster. The  weird kink in the belt line along the back, the hilariously oversized whale-inspried grill, and poser wagon look will not do this SUV any favors in the future. Which, surprisingly looks bleak as 2015 will be the end of the MKT. Good riddance.

4. Nissan Cube

Okay so I am starting to see a pattern. I really do not hate all boxy, small vehicles for younger demographics. Honest. But maybe it's because they all look similar that I group them into one "nope" group. The Nissan Cube is a vehicle that has long been on sell in its home market, Japan, before being brought over in 2009. The asymmetrical window, buggy headlights, strangely rounded yet also flat body and a very quirky interior all contribute to the fact that this vehicle is for those with more daring taste than I.

3. Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class

Regardless of how successful this vehicle has been for MB (seriously, the factories cannot keep pace with demand), the styling is extremely forced. They tried to incorporate so many trends and cram it into one design and it's just a busy looking little car. The fake air vents on the back, the styling trying to pose as the much costlier CLS-Class, the base model is outdone even by a Honda Accord in luxury. Oh, and it's also front-wheel drive making one of the first Mercedes to adopt this. Yeah, not my cup of tea.

2. BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo

BMW is on a serious binge of hits and misses. In one corner, the have the beautiful 4 and 6 Series models, and then on other they have models like. This. The 5-Series Gran Turismo is BMW's answer to Americas hatred of hatchbacks and wagons. They tried to combine the functionality of those body styles with a sedan and it just did not work out well. The rear end looks like it was grafted from a wagon, with the front coming from a sedan and the slumpy middle section is just very vague. Opt for either a wagon or a sedan, don't try and meet in the middle with this Frankenstein like vehicle.

1. Fiat 500L

The Fiat brand, after being absent in America's market, has returned since 2010 with its widely popular (more common) 500. However, Fiat noticed a need to fill a niche: "Customers want a Fiat, but they want more functionality and room. Let's balloon the 500 way up!" and like magic, we have the 500L. However, unlike the simple and fun design of the 500, the 500L is drab. It resembles a mini-van minus the sliding doors, it's only true competitor might be the Mini Countryman which trumps this vehicle in almost every aspect. The growing trend of downsizing SUV's may have its merits, but automakers are seriously scrambling and throwing money just to fill these niches.

-Cameron

Top 5 Interiors for 2015

2015 is just now under way and with it, it has brought a fleet of new vehicles. Now, new can be a relative term. Some vehicles have been on sale prior to any auto shows. In this case, automakers call these a "face-lift" or "mid-generation refresh" and the purpose being to keep the vehicle fresh and sales up. More exciting for automakers is releasing brand new models, either continuations of a famous nameplate or a brand new name plate!
The Detroit Auto Show is an amazing conglomeration of cars, trucks, SUV's, hybrids, etc. from almost all modern day automakers. This is essentially a chance to showcase brand new models as well as focus on changes of current models, such as different trims or special editions. This all can get a little repetitive (read: boring) so let's just get to the point!
The interior of a vehicle is arguably where you will be spending about 97% of the time. These companies have gone to great lengths to lux up interiors with genuine wood finishes, brushed aluminum accents, stitching throughout and buttery smooth leather. Most companies are catching up, as interior quality for all major brands has seen a massive increase in quality in the past few years. In execution, some interiors are just simply more inviting and unique so here are my choices for the top 5 interiors for 2015 vehicles. (Note this list is not in any particular order!)

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5. 2015 Volvo XC90

The XC90 is a very capable SUV from Volvo that first debuted in 2002. This model (shown above) is BRAND new, meaning this poor vehicle had been on the market thirteen years until a new model was revealed. For comparison sakes, the Honda Accord changes body styles about every five years. But alas, with a new model comes an improvement of just about everything to improve on! This interior is absolutely stunning, the color combo does great things for it. Almost all of the interior panels are stitched in leather and the wood is a fine open pore matte variety. Volvo is known for safety and quality, and this interior seriously does not disappoint those values.

4. 2016 Mercedes-Benz C450 AMG 4Matic

The Mercedes lineup is truly a force to be reckoned with, every model offers something substantial and beautiful at the same moment. This model, the new C-Class just recently hit showrooms and is heavily influenced from the much pricier S-Class which is certainly not a bad thing. The interior reflects this, as all of the details are addressed. The steering wheel is thick with a flat bottom to exude sportiness, the center dash area flows so organically while also being ergonomic. Details such as the air vents, the computer in the gauges and the red stitching show Mercedes isn't playing games anymore.

3. 2015 Lincoln MKC

I will admit I am not initially a fan of American automakers. Yes, the make good cars. Yes, they can be just as reliable as the competition. Yes, they can be as stylish. Well, granted most of these things they started truly focusing on within the past five years and it shows. The Lincoln MKC is a compact crossover that has relations with the Ford Escape but you would never know from the outside or in. The cockpit is very minimalist but it flows. The use of light colors to contrast dark colors and complimentary wood shades is impressive. The stitching on the door panels and dashboard spice things up too. Lincoln nailed it this time around.

2. 2015 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe

Okay, I really don't have a preference for Mercedes but they can do an interior like it's nothing. This S-Class coupe is a replacement for the CL, which was at the time a replacement for the S-Class Coupe... either way, it's a home run. The interior is nothing short of world class. It is on par with automakers such as Bentley and Rolls-Royce (no, really.) The leather is hand stitched throughout the interior as well as decorative stitching on the seats which gives it such a unique look. Every angle and detail is cohesive and purposeful, the digital dash that spans to the middle of the console and the Burmeister stereo covers are just small examples. For just about over $100,000 of course you get what you pay for.

1. 2015 Lamborghini Huracan LP460

A promising debut from Lamborghini for 2015, the Huracan is (in my humble opinion) one of the cleanest and most realized designs Lamborghini has put out. As per requirement, an incredible interior must match the extremely enticing exterior. Now, the focus is mainly on driver capability and this interior is able to utilize it which always keeping form. Down to the shape of the air vents, to the no frills almost futuristic center stack leading to that ominous looking red ignition button. Luxurious? Maybe not. Utilitarian? Definitely.

When you really think about it, the interior of a vehicle can dictate its fate between being bought or left to languish on the lot. And the automakers are all starting to fully grasp this concept. Honda Civics now have features that BMW's did in the not too distant past, just one bit example to show how times have changed. Of course this isn't the end. These companies are clever and creative. The design of vehicles will never stop evolving and expanding. Its the ones who lead to pack who will come out on top while everyone is simply playing catch-up.

-Cameron