Jeremy's usual rant

[emil_t]

http://www.topgear.com/content/featu...ries/07/2.html

It is quite a good read but ... there are some things i don't get:

Why is the impreza ugly ? I've seen it in real life and i think it really is good looking little car with those let's say interesting tail lights, only issue i have with it is that the wrx sti si a hatch not a sedan.

And another thing ... people don't judget cars primarily by looks, they want history and tradition ... guess why Ferrari is so successful ? Because it makes beautiful cars ... of course not ... nowadays because of formula one success, why do you think there is a C4 named "C4 by Loeb" or why they prefer a mercedes next to an audi ? even if mercedes is down on quality, make quite heavy cars and don't have that much gorgeous design, people think it's a premium brand, it makes them feel that they are superior, wealthier than the meer audi driving mortals, even though it's a slk 200.

[MattD1zzl3]

I think the new Impreza is going to go down as one of the ugliest cars of all time. Its certainly not the worst, but its definately in the top 10 in my lifetime.

Actually, looks are how most people judge cars. They dont even know anything about the motor or mechanics of it, they just want "The blue one with the CD player and nice seats". Nobody besides real gearheads even mention the words "racing pedigree"

[P5138]

Am I the only one who thinks the new Impreza isn't that bad? It actually is quite nice. I really like the flow from the front to the rear and can see purpose behind the styling... the front is a little bit of a work-in-progress though.

Some cars are only really good-looking to the right sort of people. Except Prii (Spelling?), they are just utter crap.

To get back to the Impreza, though; as an owner I've thought long and hard about its looks and I've come to this analogy: it's like a pug. An "ugly" dog, but its playfulness redeeems its lack of what most would call beauty.

[Vette Boss]

Jeremy is on to something there, really. Looks are one of those universal things that matter to everyone, if something is ugly it's immediately de-valued in the eyes of many.

And the new Impreza is an ugly car, absolutely spot-on as usual there.

[thedguy]

You might want to adjust the link to start on page 1 rather than page 2.

[Buktu]

The New Impreza is a very good looking car if you ask me. I really like it. But then again, it's not the first time i disagree with Clarkson on that sibject..

[TomCat]

At least here in Arizona, no really buys Subaru's except those that really want one. It's not the brand of car you would normally cross shop with Toyota, Honda, and Nissan. Most of the people I know who own them, bought them because of the performance aspect. They liked the boxer engines, low CoG, and AWD. And those few people I know who bought base model Imprezas, well they bought them because they're WRC fans and would rather drive the RS then a Civic or Corolla.

I think the new Impreza will be more widely accepted once Subaru get their WRC program going and earn some long needed podiums.

Because I don't think the new Impreza is bad looking. It's just not as good looking as it's predecessors.

[qczhao]

I disagree with jeremy.

Not about the subaru issue, but just about the whole "looks are everything" mentality he has.

If they were, why is he so popular on TV?

[Quadrax]

Correct me if i am wrong but i believe i recall clarkson disliking the styling of all previous imprezza models as well. Now the way i see it the late 90's versions of the GC8 are the best looking but they were often criticised in the motoring media for being what some described as lumpy, bulbous and boxy with too many 'bits' stuck on. Many people however did and still do prefer the look of these models, seems like a love/hate thing.

Then came the 2nd gen to which some clown decided that a very sharp, angular design needed some full round circle headlights. Considered ugly by all, it was fairly quickly given a facelift but it was still a lumpy design. In reviews all these models were often described as performing well but a bit ugly. Again it was a love/hate thing, as some people do love the aggressive angular styling.

But with this current form it looks to me like they have tried to soften the styling a little. It seems smoother and potentialy less offensive than previous models but it is also incredibly bland. The few attempts at maintaining some styling interest just seem awkward on this shape. The older models were at least interesting in their own way, certainly not attractive cars in the classic sense. But the new model is neither good looking or interesting. I can see no love/hate here, only meh.....

The way i see it, it is not enough to complain "oh the new imprezza is ugly" as they have never been beautiful cars. The real problem is that not only is it not attractive but it has lost all feeling of individuality and intrigue. Things that might invoke passion.

Such a shame when you see what mitsi did with the new lancer shape. Again i don't think it is necessarily a beautiful car but it is sure 'out there' with its styling and making a strong statement about it's identity.

/End Ramblings

[zaybxcwd12]

I should not have read that articale, I agree with the Subaru, it ain't pretty by any strech of the imagination. He lost all credabilty for his argument/rant when he claimed the Citroen AX was good looking. What am I missing it's f*****g HORRID.

[BlaRo]

Originally Posted by emil_t

And another thing ... people don't judget cars primarily by looks, they want history and tradition ... guess why Ferrari is so successful ? Because it makes beautiful cars ... of course not ... nowadays because of formula one success, why do you think there is a C4 named "C4 by Loeb" or why they prefer a mercedes next to an audi ? even if mercedes is down on quality, make quite heavy cars and don't have that much gorgeous design, people think it's a premium brand, it makes them feel that they are superior, wealthier than the meer audi driving mortals, even though it's a slk 200.

Because most people won't be nerdy enough to tell others, "it's not any Impreza, it's the Impreza WRX Catalunya Limited Edition #37 of 100 with special plaque designed to celebrate Colin McRae's victory at the Rally of Catalunya!" It's why JC also hates cars with scaffolding in the back and created the Cool Wall to begin with, because a car's good looks will trump anything else.

Ferrari can get away with ugly cars like BMW because they've already built up the prestige and cachet of their name. Hence, the ->

[epp_b]

Simple answer to why the new Impreza is ugly: Subaru has made a Corolla.

[Ottobon]

Originally Posted by epp_b

Simple answer to why the new Impreza is ugly: Subaru has made a Corolla.

not so sure about that, i think the hatch in particular is trying, but failing, to photocopy the good things about the Ford Focus. Either that or they somehow thought the Mazda 3 is the type of car that deserves a mantel place along such cars as the Countach and the XJ220.

[bartboy9891]

I noticed that he didn't mention his Ford GT in his list of good looking cars he has owned.

[Ish]

Because I don't think the new Impreza is bad looking. It's just not as good looking as it's predecessors.

I agree it's not a bad looking car by any stretch of the imagination. The problem is where this sits along the evolutionary line of the design for the Impreza. It's smooth, it's sleek, it's soft, it's rounded. The two most recent designs showed you this car wasn't any ordinary road car. It was a road-going rally car. It's supposed to be rugged and it's supposed to have brute force. You know it'll be powerful just by looking at it.

But now, with the new design, they've made a car that your grandmother could look at and say, "I might like one of those." Don't get me wrong. I don't blame Subaru for wanting their car to appeal to more people and more demographics. I was just expecting them to refine their design of the 2006-2007 models to be sort of a compromise between what they were last year, and what they are now. It's hard to picture one of these on a rally course.

As for the design itself, I do see Mazda 3 in the hatchback model, and I do think it is a better looking car than the sedan/saloon. I saw an Impreza saloon coming up behind me yesterday on the road and the front of it looked amazing. I actually thought it was a redesigned Legacy. But then the car passed me and, even though I knew it was an Impreza, what I saw was Ford Focus.

[Ottobon]

I'm starting to think the Impreza defines all the things that Americans are okay with, and that Europeans can't stand. We think its a respectable little car, they think its a fugly dog.

[cvrefugee]

Originally Posted by epp_b

Simple answer to why the new Impreza is ugly: Subaru has made a Corolla.

VW did it first:

[Ottobon]

Originally Posted by cvrefugee

VW did it first:

thats a really very far stretch, and anywho, why are you defending a Corolla

[crashmaxx]

Sorry I don't agree with Clarkson on this. I'm not sure I've ever agreed with him on styling and the cool wall always annoyed me because it seemed like just his opinion, regardless what he claims otherwise.

The new Impreza is boring sure. If it has any problem it is that the insanity it had is gone mostly. It used to be an ugly car but with an aggressive and unique look that you could find yourself really liking especially after some unique tweaks of your own.

The new one looses most of this and it just looks like another hatch. Maybe even one with a few things out of whack. But worse is that I can't see much you can do to make it much better, maybe the tail lights and the grill but that's it. And it still will be rather boring and easy to miss. The old ones you could at least go, "Its ugly now, but you change out the grill and lights and add a couple bits and it will look like a beast rally car" and the new Forrester is even worse. It looked good before and even really good in Sports trim, but now it looks like a Hyundai.

Its not a mystery what Subaru and others are doing wrong. Letting a committee do the last thing they should do, the styling. They ask focus groups series of unrelated questions and then say "They want more room, less offensive styling, etc" and have a committee mess with it till it fits that. That may work some of the time especially with vague basic specs, but styling needs to be one man and one idea at a time. In the end Subaru wanted something more "mainstream" which they didn't realize meant boring.

Only on the occasions where the brand knows what they want up front and just let someone design do you get good results, and retro is popular because it is pretty easy just to copy your own successful design compared to coming up with something new and slick.

I do agree with Clarkson on one point though. Styling that is love/hate is a better way to go because it has the passion to make a great design. Sometimes this fails, but more often you at least get a niche of people really wanting that car, which sells a lot better then a boring blob.

[Scooby5]

The new Impreza comes in Hatchback i suppose for two reasons; 1) Make the car handle and go round corners better in the WRC without the huge arse swinging wide 2) More appeal to a wider car buying public that seem (strangely to me) to prefer Hatchbacks to Saloons.

The think the best cars in the WRC have always been Hatchbacks of sorts, if you ignore the original Imrpeza, EVO, Ford Escort etc. Get into the Metro, RS200, Audi Quattro, Pug 205 / 206, Lancia Delta type designs and they have had far more overall success. The original Impreza and EVO were successful because in the 90's and they completely re-wrote the book.

As to the new Impreza's style, i'm still unconvinced. The base models i've seen look pretty bad and i've yet to see the WRX up close and the new STi so until then i'll just say i still verge on the side of calling it ugly....... and it's generally looks that sell cars.