Taillights - the best and the worst

Mitsubishi Mirage

I saw an article on Autoblog yesterday reporting that Mitsubishi was considering bringing the new Mirage (pictured above) to the US to "reinvigorate" its ailing lineup. While I agree that Mitsubishi needs to inject some excitement into its lineup, this Mirage certainly isn't going to do it. There are a lot of things I don't like about this car, but most importantly its nondescript, blobby taillights, which make the car look 10 years old. The styling of the Mirage looks instantly dated compared to other subcompacts on the market, especially those from Hyundai and Kia. The Mirage inspired me to think of some other automakers who haven't paid enough attention to taillights, and some that did. Click through for some examples:




First some boring taillights:

Toyota Corolla

The Corolla's taillights could be on any car. There is nothing distinct about them that would allow me to instantly identify the car as a Corolla.

Mazda 5

The Mazda 5's taillights look like droopy, sad eyes. They're too low in proportion to the rest of the back end.

Subaru XV

The XV is a rare example of a Subaru that excites me. The boxy lines mixed with curves are actually pretty cool...so I was disappointed when I saw the taillights, which look like an afterthought. The taillights are so nondescript, that they almost ruin the rear end. The black body cladding on the lower corners of the car saves the day, fortunately.

Subaru BR-Z / Scion FR-S

I know the new Toyotaru RWD project has a lot of fans, but I haven't caught the wave. I'm sure it is a blast to drive and drift, but I don't think Toyota and Subaru pushed the boundaries enough when it came to styling, and the taillights epitomize this. They are too small and seem misplaced with regard to the rest of the design. It's almost like they were aiming to copy the BMW Z4's taillights but had to tweak them enough so as to avoid legal trouble...

VW Tiguan

I like the Tiguan overall, but think VW could have gone further with the taillights. On the next model, make them a little more expressive!

Now for some exciting taillights...

Dodge Charger

The Charger's taillights are easily the most engaging on the market today. Looks great in the daylight and even better at night!

Volvo XC60

I love the curviness of the XC60's taillights, which are easy to see at nighttime, but also look great (just like the rest of the SUV).

Mercedes CLS

Goes without saying, but the CLS' taillights look like a million bucks.

BMW 5-Series

The 5-Series has always embedded LED "stripes" in their taillights, which look awesome at night.

Ford Mustang

Check out the new Mustang's taillights. Against the black plastic, the red LEDs pop at night.

Kia Optima

The taillights are one of many reasons why I love the Kia Optima...one of the first exciting midsize cars available in awhile.

Copycat cars: Haven't I seen that design somewhere else?

Toyota Camry

Subaru Legacy

Look at the similarity of the taillights on the Legacy vs. the Camry...coincidence? Sometimes it's hard to conclude who is the innovator and who is the thief - cars are planned and designed years before we consumers see them, and often shrouded in secrecy. I wanted to point out a few more examples of copycats: design features that look all too similar. Click through for more.

Audi A4

Saturns were always a bit boring, but their one interesting design feature was the upward "swoosh" on the body cladding on the side profile, which became a continuing motif on most of their cars since the original SL1 in the early-90s. It's a pretty unique feature, so it immediately caught my eye when the latest Audi A4 incorporated the same "swoosh". Coincidence that Audi began using the design cue when Saturn began to see the end of its existence?

Mazda 6

Tesla Roadster

Toyota Corolla

One could argue that there are only so many possible taillight designs that meet regulatory safety standards and also look reasonably good. The clustered circle design is one that is used quite often. Cars from the Mazda 6, Toyota Corolla, and Tesla Roadster have used an iteration of this design.

Peugeot 407

Chrysler Sebring

Chrysler used the "gaping mouth" grille in the 90s, well before Peugeot began using it. Given Chrysler's relatively low penetration in the European market (vs. Peugeot's large presence), this act of copycatism isn't as heinous in my books.

Jaguar XF

Chrysler 300M

Flip the Chrysler 300M grille upside down, and what do you get? A Jaguar XF!

Mitsubishi Galant

Lexus ES

Here's a fun one - the Mitsubishi Galant, a dreadfully boring Hertz-special based on the Chrysler Sebring, received a new rear fascia in 2009, 3 years after the Lexus ES released a stunningly similar design. Lexus isn't known for stirring designs, so I'm not sure this was a great move for Mitsu.

Lexus RX

Hyundai Veracruz

Squint long enough, and you will easily mistake the Hyundai Veracruz for the Lexus RX. Intentional? I would think so. The Hyundai looks just a little blander, a little vaguer, and a little less refined...but at a $10k savings, who cares?

Buick Regal

BMW 6-Series Gran Coupe

As I mentioned in a previous post, BMW designers oddly stole a page from Buick's book when they borrowed the upward swoosh on the side of the Regal for the new 6-Series Gran Coupe. The swoosh looks great on the Regal, but is lost on the already-busy design of the 6 GC.

Why does Suzuki still sell cars in the US?

Suzuki Equator

I like to think that I keep up with the car industry, but I had NO idea Suzuki sold the Equator pickup...let alone the fact that they have been selling the truck since 2009! I have never EVER seen one on the road. This lazy excuse of a Nissan Frontier rebadge is exactly why Suzuki has had trouble gaining traction in the US in the last 20 years. Most of Suzuki's cars have been sourced from other automakers, notably through its partnership with GM/Daewoo. Unless it changes its strategy, I give the Suzuki US brand another 5-10 years before going the way of Isuzu -- that is, extinct. Click through to read why...

Suzuki Swift

Let's start by discussing Suzuki's smallest offering, the Swift, which is not sold in the US, but should be. For all intents and purposes, this is a perfectly competent car: reasonably attractive, sporty, and has competitive interior materials. Suzuki has likely resisted bringing the latest-gen Swift to the states for a few reasons: 1) an inability to effectively market its brand, 2) historically soft subcompact sales in the US (until recently) and 3) the troubled past of the Swift name. When I think of the Swift, I instantly think of the lazily rebadged Geo/Chevy Metro, one of the ugliest, most pointless subcompacts ever to hit US dealerships...

Second-gen Suzuki Swift (aka Geo Metro)

Does this picture ring a bell? None of these cars have held up over time, including this ripe example.  The new Swift is not rebadged at all, but Suzuki would need to change the name to give the car a fresh start.

Suzuki SX4 / Liana

The SX4, formerly known as the Aerio, is also known as the Liana in other parts of the world. This car was co-developed by Fiat and was designed by Italdesign Guigiaro, so it definitely has the right ingredients for a winning design. The SX4 also has had a successful run in the rally circuit. In addition, over the last 10 years, the Liana/SX4 has been featured in Top Gear as the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car both in the UK and US. Despite all this, I rarely see SX4s on the road, which I believe is the result of weak consumer marketing. Buyers of cheap compacts cars aren't necessarily watching Top Gear and WRC races. I also don't like the odd piece of glass between the A-pillar and door frame, which makes the car look cheap.

Suzuki Forenza

The now-defunct Forenza sedan / Reno hatchback, also designed by Italdesign, is a pair of reasonably attractive cars also sold under a plethora of names around the world, ranging from the Chevy Lacetti (as seen in the UK Top Gear), Holden Viva in Australia, Buick Excelle, Daewoo Nubira, and a variety of other names. After Daewoo left the US as an independent brand, its parent GM decided to pump their econoboxes through every partner and sub-brand possible, and the US got the Suzuki Forenza. At the end of the day, poor marketing killed the success of this bland yet competent car.

Suzuki Verona

The Verona, also now defunct, was another forgettable Italdesigned GM/Daewoo concoction, competent but not relevant enough to compete with the Camry, Accord, etc. If GM felt so highly about this design, wouldn't they have used it in place of their Malibu / Impala? The truth is, they didn't, so they gave the Verona to Suzuki to sell. Its success was miserable.

Suzuki Kizashi

Starting to see a trend? The Kizashi is Suzuki's replacement for the unmemorable Verona. It consistently performs well in comparison tests, but you see none on the road because of lack of marketing (and probably because of that ugly Lincoln Continental-style hump on the trunklid...ugly!). The front end, side profiles, and interior of the car are attractive, but I don't anticipate this car being successful enough to make a compelling business case in the US.

Suzuki Grand Vitara

Suzuki has historically seen success in the SUV market, and this is where they should continue to focus their efforts. The Grand Vitara (and the larger and slightly uglier XL7) is based on the Chevy Equinox platform, but is altered enough so as to mask the part-sharing. This is the one Suzuki you DO see on the road because it is consistent with the company's heritage. The Vitara is the modern-day replacement for the Sidekick, which was very successful in the US, along with its rebadged sister, the Chevy/Geo Tracker.

Suzuki Sidekick

I can't say the Sidekick has held up very well over the years, but at its time, it held a dominating position in the small, fun SUV category - a more refined alternative to the Jeep Wrangler. The convertible top (now absent from the Vitara) was an appealing feature for young buyers.

So, my advice for Suzuki? Marketing is not your forte, so stop selling cars no one knows about or cares about. Scale down your partnership with GM/Daewoo, which isn't helping you. Focus on the small SUV market where you actually have brand equity, and actually create something innovative people WANT to drive. Otherwise, you will always be an also-ran, no matter who you get to design your cars (ahem...Italdesign). Selling a poorly rebadged Nissan Frontier does not fool buyers, just as selling a rebadged Dodge Dakota did not fare well with Mitsubishi.

Japanese cars even a non-JDM-enthusiast can appreciate

As you can probably tell so far, I am not a huge Japanese car enthusiast. I don't hate Japanese cars, but for a variety of reasons, European cars excite me more. IMHO, European cars are more elegantly designed and appeal more to the senses than Japanese cars. Yes, Toyotas and Hondas will certainly be more reliable and perhaps technologically sound than their German and Italian counterparts, but Camrys and Accords do not excite car enthusiasts as much as Passats and S40s - plain and simple.

That being said, there are a handful of Japanese cars that do excite me. I'm limiting the list to vehicles under $100k, and sold some time within the last 25 years (1986-2011). I'm also leaving out some of the obvious ones like the Subaru WRX, Mitsubishi Evo, Mazda Miata, because they are too overexposed. I'd much rather write about some of the unlikely favorites. Click through to see which ones made the cut:

Nissan GTR R35

Let's start out with a more obvious one. The Nissan GTR R35 is an insanely capable car that can give much more expensive Porsches a serious run for their money. The design is not classically beautiful, but very clean and sharp. The engine sound is delicious. It blows previous Skylines out of the water, and was such a leap forward that Nissan finally decided to bring the car to the States!

Lexus GS

Now for a less obvious one. Hear me out on this - I know most people would expect me to put the IS-F over the GS, but let me explain my reasoning! Reviewing Lexus' current lineup, I realize that their models have become a bit blobby like their Toyota counterparts. The styling of the IS (and especially IS-F) is overdone IMO and will never beat the 3-Series performance-wise; the ES is hideous attempt to mask a Camry; the HS is weird; the CT is ugly; the SC is ancient; the RX/GX/LX are soccer-mom specials; and the LFA and LS are both fantastic but too expensive for this post. The GS, however, has always intrigued me. To be fair, I would never buy it because of its overly soft suspension, and ultimately, the E-Class or new 5-Series would win me over in this price range. However, the GS has certainly held up as an attractive, respectable design.

Mazda 6

I'm not sure why sales of the new Mazda 6 / Atenza are so weak. The Nagare styling is much less offensive as on the 3 (i.e., the grille doesn't look like it's about to eat me). The car is actually attractive and more exciting than its relatively conservative competitors. The ride is also sportier than some of the competition (cough, cough...Camry), and the rear end is almost a notchback. Very slick.

Last-gen Acura TL

When it was redesigned in 2004, there was nothing else like the TL. The deep crease along the sides of the car is quite unique, even to this day. I strongly believe that the previous-gen TL is much better looking than the current iteration, which is overdesigned (I hate the trunk), "shielded" by a huge ugly grille, and lacks the signature crease. Also want to mention, I love the angle of D-pillar...it is very subtle, but works well, and is eerily similar to the current-gen Chevy Malibu (which is also well-designed...in most areas, at least).

Mid-2000s Toyota Celica

The (stock) Celica is not too fast, but even after years of being discontinued, it still looks current on the road. The only thing that bugs me about the design is the door handle, which looks like it was yanked from a Camry.

Last-gen Scion tC

Alas, if only Toyota would style the Corolla like this... I think this is an awesome, underappreciated design. Toyota squeezed in as many upmarket features as possible in this entry level coupe. When the tC was released, very few competitors had 2 sunroofs and indicators on the side-view mirrors. And the interior is one of Toyota's best - the aluminum looks great, and there are enough pop-up gizmos to impress the ladies. Now, why did they have to go and ruin the car in its current iteration? The 2011 model is boxy, has weird C pillars with terrible visibility, and the interior is much less "luxurious" and takes on a more stripped down approach.

late-90s Toyota Supra

The last generation Supra was a fantastic design, silky smooth in just the right places. I love the simplicity of the rear fascia, the mild-mannered air vents on the hood and sides, and the classic rear spoiler. I think this body style Supra is much better proportioned than the oft-compared Mazda RX-7, which looks too small and "mousy" in comparison.

90s-Mitsubishi 3000GT

The Mitsubishi 3000GT and its sister the Dodge Stealth look much more expensive than they are to the untrained eye. To the masses, this reasonably priced coupe looks like a Viper or a Corvette.

Mid-1990s Nissan Z

This car is an absolute classic. I love the glass roof, the aerodynamic stance, and the futuristic interior. It is also a killer in the drifting circuits. Quentin Tarantino knew what he was doing when he included this car as a cameo in Kill Bill Vol. 1. It is so emblematic of Japanese sports cars and added to the already masterful ambiance of the movie. The eventual re-emergence of the Z in the early 2000s was an interesting take on the car, but the current redesign is way too curvy and overdesigned for its own good. Bring it back to basics, Nissan!

Early-90s Infiniti G

The first-gen G was a tarted-up version of the (JDM) Nissan Primera. It is fairly entry-level, but had enough creature-comforts (leather, sunroof, etc.) to make buyers feel like they bought a luxury car. If you squint hard enough, the car almost looks like a baby mid-90s BMW 5-Series. There is something very charming about this car; today, it is popular with the high school crowd - those teens that want to have a respectable car in class, brand, and styling but can't afford to pay a lot. The current iteration of the G is attractive, but a bit too overstyled for my taste. I would buy a C-Class, 3-Series, A4, or even a CTS before I would consider test driving the current G37.

Late-80s Honda CRX

This car instantly reminds me of the 1980s. Honda has never managed to create as timeless of a design, no matter how hard they have tried with the CRZ, Civic Si, and Integra. I think most people will agree that the CRX is not luxurious, not fast, and not classically beautiful, but it's compact in just the right places. Even the glass above the taillights, which looks a bit awkward when applied to the Insight and CRZ, actually works on the CRX.

Subaru B9 Tribeca

Just kidding :)