Car designs often aim to wow, but some leave us scratching our heads. These infamous vehicles stand out for their awkward proportions, bizarre features, or outright design missteps. Revisiting the Ugly Car Hall of Fame in 2025 offers a fun look at the auto world’s bold risks and occasional disasters. From the outlandish to the comical, here are 15 of the ugliest cars ever made—and what went so wrong.
Fiat Multipla: The Champion
The Fiat Multipla is the gold standard for bad design. With its awkwardly placed headlights and wide, frog-like face, it’s the car everyone loves to hate. Practical? Sure. Pretty? Absolutely not. Despite its unique look, the Multipla boasted impressive interior space, which couldn’t save its reputation. If you spot one on a European road, snap a picture. You’ve just found one of the rarest design flops still in circulation.
Sebring-Vanguard CitiCar: A Rolling Wedge
Looking like a rejected golf cart, the Sebring-Vanguard CitiCar was meant to be a compact electric solution in the 1970s. Instead, its boxy, wedge-like design earned it a spot on this list. With its cramped interior and minimal range, it wasn’t a hit with buyers. While now a collector’s item for niche enthusiasts, its odd proportions make you wonder how it ever hit the roads in the first place.
Nissan S-Cargo: The Snail Car
Inspired by a snail (yes, really), the Nissan S-Cargo tried to be quirky but landed squarely in bizarre territory. Its rounded roof and odd proportions make it look more like a delivery vehicle from a cartoon than a functional car. Surprisingly, it had a decent following in Japan, thanks to its novelty. If you’re lucky, you might still see one making rounds, though it won’t be winning any beauty contests.
Bond Bug: Three Wheels, Zero Style
The Bond Bug’s bright orange, three-wheeled design screams “novelty,” but not in a good way. It might’ve been fun for its time, but its awkward shape and impracticality make it unforgettable for all the wrong reasons. With limited stability and questionable aesthetics, it remains a car enthusiasts love to hate. Car collectors might see the appeal. But for the average driver, it’s a hard pass—and for good reason.
Pontiac Aztek: A Camping Nightmare
The Aztek is legendary for its design missteps. From its bulky front to its weirdly slanted rear, it’s a car that confuses more than it impresses. It was marketed as a versatile adventure vehicle, complete with a built-in camping tent, but the design overshadowed its features. While it gained some love from Breaking Bad fans, this SUV remains a symbol of how not to do automotive design.
Nissan Juke: Frog on Wheels
The Nissan Juke’s bug-eyed headlights and curvy body make it look like a cartoon character come to life. Some appreciate its compact practicality and turbocharged engine, but many can’t get past its peculiar looks. Even in 2025, it’s a polarizing sight on the road, with some drivers swearing by its charm and others avoiding it entirely.
AMC Pacer: The Fishbowl
Dubbed “the fishbowl on wheels,” the AMC Pacer’s oversized windows and bulbous shape made it an icon of 1970s bad design. It was futuristic for its time—but not in a flattering way. While innovative features like wide doors gave it points for practicality, its looks became the butt of jokes. You’ll find it in classic car shows now, where it’s often mocked and admired in equal measure.
Chevrolet SSR: What Were They Thinking?
The Chevrolet SSR tried to blend a retro vibe with a pickup truck, but the result was a confused mess. Its rounded front and clunky shape left many scratching their heads. Despite its unique retractable hardtop, it failed to find a strong audience. It’s proof that even major manufacturers can swing and miss when trying to combine bold concepts with everyday usability.
Toyota Mirai: Is it Better?
While the hydrogen-powered Mirai is a technological marvel, its design feels like an afterthought. Sharp angles, an oversized grille, and mismatched details make it hard to love visually. Its impressive eco-friendly innovations couldn’t distract from its awkward appearance. It’s a reminder that function doesn’t always equal form. And in 2025, it still hasn’t won over style critics who value looks as much as sustainability.
Ford Edsel: A Grille Too Far
The Edsel’s oversized, oval grille was supposed to make a statement, but it only confused potential buyers. Combined with its awkward curves, it became one of the biggest flops in Ford’s history. Despite its cutting-edge features for the 1950s, its unappealing design led to dismal sales. Collectors may value it now for its rarity, but its design remains one of the most divisive in automotive history.
Suzuki X-90: The SUV Nobody Wanted
The Suzuki X-90’s two-seater SUV coupe mashup was as impractical as it was unattractive. With its small size, quirky detachable roof, and odd proportions, it was a car that never found its audience. Although being marketed as a fun, sporty vehicle, it failed to deliver on expectations. Today, it’s a rare sight, but one that always sparks conversation when it rolls into a car show.
Peel P50: Tiny and Terrible
The Peel P50 holds the Guinness World Record for being the smallest car ever, but its design is far from charming. It’s a box on wheels that looks more like a toy than a real vehicle. With space for only one person and limited usability, it became more of a novelty than a functional car. Its size might’ve been innovative, but its aesthetics and practicality were far from it.
Renault Avantime: Too Much, Too Soon
The Renault Avantime was ahead of its time in concept but disastrous in execution. Its clunky body and mismatched proportions made it hard for drivers to take seriously. Designed as a “luxury coupe,” it failed to appeal to its target market. While it attempted to merge boldness with practicality, it’s a reminder that being daring in design doesn’t always lead to success.
Tesla Cybertruck: Love It or Hate It
The Cybertruck’s angular, sci-fi design is as polarizing as it gets. While some praise its futuristic look and functionality, others see it as a dystopian disaster on wheels. Its sharp lines and unconventional style dominate conversations, for better or worse. Whether you’re a fan or a critic, it’s impossible to ignore on the road in 2025, where it continues to stand out in the crowd.
Citroën Ami: Compact Chaos
The Citroën Ami is a tiny electric car that prioritizes function over form—and it shows. Its boxy shape, odd proportions, and minimalist design make it a contender for the ugliest car still in production. Targeted at urban commuters, it’s practical but far from stylish. In cities, its small size is a win for tight parking spaces, but don’t expect it to turn heads for the right reasons.
