25 of the Ugliest Cars Ever Made

Photo of John Harrington
By John Harrington Published
25 of the Ugliest Cars Ever Made

© Ildar Sagdejev / Wikimedia Commons

Car designers consider various factors like speed, safety, cost, style, and comfort during the creation process. Their inspiration comes from contemporary design trends, environmental concerns, and the differing requirements of people living in cities versus rural areas. Even with all these considerations, the sky is the limit for those willing to truly make their mark on the automotive world. (These are 35 amazing looking cars from bygone times.) Inevitably, these creations sometimes do not withstand the test of time.

In order to create a roster of exceedingly ugly cars, 24/7 Wall St. examined unappealing vehicle listings from sources such as Cheapism, Motortrend, HotCars.com, and others. These selections universally earn the distinction of being the ugliest automobiles in history.

Every car featured endured an extensive design journey, inclusive of focus groups and executive evaluations, mirroring the path of any new car. But these creations have not resonated well with the car-buying public.  While some concepts initially appeared ingenious, they ultimately turned into major flops for the auto industry.

While the Bugatti Veyron, Aston Martin DB5, and the Ferrari 250 GTO epitomize automotive design excellence, the industry also bears the weight of the Ford Edsel – a project costing millions in development; the Pontiac Aztek – ranking on Edmunds “100 Worst Cars of All Time”; and the Yugo GV – a small, peculiar, and poorly manufactured car.

Beyond their short lifespans, many of these vehicles contributed to the downfall of the brands that birthed them. An illustrative instance is the 1995 Oldsmobile Aurora, a last-ditch effort to rejuvenate the Oldsmobile brand. Despite its technological innovation, the car’s unappealing front end led to public rejection. The Aurora’s failure spelled the end for Oldsmobile, which shuttered in 2004. (This is the best-selling car in America.) 

Click here to see 25 of the ugliest cars ever made.

kenmo / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

1. Chrysler PT Cruiser

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Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

2. Pontiac Aztek

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Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

4. Honda Element

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kenmo / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

5. AMC Gremlin

Emirhan Karamuk / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

6. Nissan Juke

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7. Subaru Tribeca

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Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

8. Chevrolet SSR

Tesla Inc.

9. Tesla Cybertruck

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10. Nissan Cube

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11. Plymouth Prowler

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12. Suzuki X-90

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13. Fiat Multipla

Rudolf Stricker / Wikimedia Commons

14. Ford Scorpio Mk2

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15. AMC Marlin

16. Cadillac Cimarron

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17. Chevrolet Lumina

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DarthArt / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

18. Oldsmobile Aurora

152930510@N02 / Flickr / Public Domain

19. Lincoln MKT

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20. AMC Pacer

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21. Ford Edsel

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22. Pontiac Trans Sport

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24. Yugo GV

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25. Hyundai Tiburon

Photo of John Harrington
About the Author John Harrington →

I'm a journalist who started my career as a sportswriter, covering professional, college, and high school sports. I pivoted into business news, working for the biggest newspapers in New Jersey, including The Record, Star-Ledger and Asbury Park Press. I was an editor at the weekly publication Crain’s New York Business and served on several editorial teams at Bloomberg News. I’ve been a part of 24/7 Wall St. since 2017, writing about politics, history, sports, health, the environment, finance, culture, breaking news, and current events. I'm a graduate of Rutgers University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History.

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