CARS AND WHEELS

CARS AND WHEELS

Wednesday, April 3, 2019



These are the 20 ugliest motors sold since the 1970s - but do you agree?

  • Here are 20 cars we think are among the ugliest ever to be sold in the UK
  • It covers a range of hideous models from the 70s, 80s, 90s and 2000s
  • Proving beauty is in the eye of the beholder, we've listed how many are left today 
Power-up Google and search 'the most beautiful cars ever' and you'll be bathed in the delights of models like the E-Type Jaguar, Ferrari 250 GTO, Aston Martin DB4 Zagato and Lamborghini Miura.
But what about the cars at the other end of the handsome spectrum? The uggos? The mingers? The ones so grisly only a mother would love them?
We've compiled a list of the worst-looking motors sold in the UK over the last 50 years, and discovered how many are still in ownership today...
Cars so ugly a mother wouldn't love them: We've listed 20 cars from the last five decades we think are the most unsightly to go on sale in the UK. But do you agree?
Cars so ugly a mother wouldn't love them: We've listed 20 cars from the last five decades we think are the most unsightly to go on sale in the UK. But do you agree?
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder - so they say.
And that might explain why so many of these woeful looking machines were bought by Britons - and many still own them today. 
To celebrate these ugly ducklings, This is Money and car selling comparison website Motorway.co.uk has compiled a list of 20 models that we think are unlikely to win any pageants. 
It should be noted that there are a few cars that Motorway picked, that we think don't deserve to be on the list, the gloriously angular Lancia Beta Montecarlo for a start.
These cars have been ripped apart by many reviewers, and are widely acknowledged to be some of the most ghastly to grace showrooms in this country. 
And yet, more than 20,000 of these quirky motors still exist on UK roads today, according to the latest figures.
Having scoured Howmanyleft, which is powered by DVLA data, we've found that there are several thousand examples of some, though there are just handfuls of others. 
Here are our choices, in order of how many are still registered.
Let us know in the comments section if you think there are models we've missed... 

Chrysler PT Cruiser (2000-2010)

How many left: 7,064 
Chrysler's PT Cruiser was styled to look like a modern-day American hot rod. Unfortunately, it looked about as appealing as a dropped hot dog
Chrysler's PT Cruiser was styled to look like a modern-day American hot rod. Unfortunately, it looked about as appealing as a dropped hot dog
Classic Chrysler PT Cruiser commercial from the noughties
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A fine example of when a car is designed for the US market and - despite better judgement - sold in Europe. 
The PT Cruiser was styled to look like a modern-day American hot rod but looked about as appealing as a dropped hot dog. 
It was incredibly easy to steal, too. However, its looks alone were enough to deter the most rampant criminal. Jail time had to be better than being seen in one. 
Still, some 7,064 (brave) Britons have them today. 

SsangYong Rodius (2004-2013)

How many left: 3,625
SsangYong's Rodius MPV has all the aerodynamic performance of a coffin
SsangYong's Rodius MPV has all the aerodynamic performance of a coffin
Described by one reviewer as looking like a 'melted hearse', the Rodius is just one of a range of howlers from the Korean car maker since the turn of the century.
It's certainly not an MPV that's been developed in a wind tunnel - it has all the aerodynamic performance of a coffin. 
An incredible 3,625 examples of this car are still registered in the UK. 
It's widely believed a child cries each time they see one.

Vauxhall Frontera (1989-2004)

How many left: 3,433
Cambelts in Vauxhall Fronteras were about as durable as a 30 year old rubber band and had the tendency to snap way ahead of their recommended replacement date
Cambelts in Vauxhall Fronteras were about as durable as a 30 year old rubber band and had the tendency to snap way ahead of their recommended replacement date
Before SUVs became popular, Vauxhall tried to sell us the Frontera 4x4 - and it was squarer than Albert Einstein. Give a kid a pen and paper and ask them to draw a tractor - nine times out of ten the finished article will look something like this.
Rugged, spacious and capable of going anywhere - or so the marketing guff told us. 
The truth was the cambelts were about as durable as a 30-year-old rubber band and had the tendency to snap way ahead of their recommended replacement date. 
Around 3,433 are - somehow - still running today.

Fiat Multipla (1998-2010)

How many left: 2,777
It wouldn't be a list of ugly cars without the Fiat Multipla. Like a fine wine, its looks have got (marginally) better with age. But also like bottles of fine wine opened in 1998, most have gone off
It wouldn't be a list of ugly cars without the Fiat Multipla. Like a fine wine, its looks have got (marginally) better with age. But also like bottles of fine wine opened in 1998, most have gone off
The Multipla was a bit like Marmite, except largely you either hated it or utterly despised it. 
Practically speaking, the conservatory-like body with its enormous windows was quite useful for visibility and to distract kids in the back from just how terrible the interior was. It also handily had six seats, three in the back and three in the front.
Unfortunately, the overall exterior design made it look like one of those vehicles used to explore the deepest parts of the ocean floor. 
Most deserved to get in the sea, but 2,777 still exist today.

Reliant Robin (1983-2002)

How many left: 1,280 
There are still 1,280 people in Briton who own a Reliant Robin. They must be waiting for them to become collectible, there are few other reasons to live with the embarrassment of driving one
There are still 1,280 people in Briton who own a Reliant Robin. They must be waiting for them to become collectible, there are few other reasons to live with the embarrassment of driving one 
Reliant Robin gets some extreme air with a propeller boost
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At some point the Reliant Robin might become collectible. 
Well, that's what the 1,280 people who still have one are hoping. 
That's got to be the only reason to keep an example of this three-wheeled eyesore. Motoring has never looked as uncool as the Robin. 
Contrary to popular belief, it wasn't used by the Trotter brothers in Only Fools and Horses - that was a Reliant Regal. 

Nissan Cube (2010-2011)

How many left: 1,026 
The Nissan Cube was only on sale in the UK for 12 months, pulled from the range because of the poor exchange rate of the yen against the pound. It definitely wasn't because it was awful
The Nissan Cube was only on sale in the UK for 12 months, pulled from the range because of the poor exchange rate of the yen against the pound. It definitely wasn't because it was awful
One of the cars on the list entered by Motorway and not us.
We're actually fans of this boxy little belter - especially that wrap-around rear window design. This awful tone of brown doesn't help our case though, does it? 
It was only sold in the UK for a year until the poor exchange rate of the yen against the pound killed it - it definitely wasn't down to nobody wanting to be seen in one, says Nissan. 
Just 1,026 remain.

Triumph TR7 (1975-1981)

How many left: 1,001 
Some loved the Triumph TR7s modern - by '70s standards - design; others thought it looked like it should be used to keep a door ajar
Some loved the Triumph TR7s modern - by '70s standards - design; others thought it looked like it should be used to keep a door ajar
Better known as 'the wedge', the TR7 totally divided opinion. 
For as many people who loved the modern - by 70s standards - design there were just as many who thought it looked like it should be used to keep a door ajar. 
A fairly impressive 1,001 are still owned today, though some are most likely being used to keep forgotten-garage doors shut while they accumulate dust and grime.
Values are rising, according to car auction data. 

Rover CityRover (2003-2005)

How many left: 943
Some say the Rover CityRover was the model that killed the British brand. And that's not the worst thing said about it
Some say the Rover CityRover was the model that killed the British brand. And that's not the worst thing said about it
Classic, funny Tata Indica / Rover CityRover advert
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MG Rover, teetering on the brink of going bust after the turn of the century, needed a car that would help it rise from the impending flames. 
It had to be cheap, small, fun, reliable, good looking and sell in droves. Instead, it was built in India, was utterly useless and had the flamboyant design of a wet flannel. 
Some say it was the model that killed the British brand. And that's not the worst thing said about it. 
For reasons unknown, 943 still exist. That must have been how many they sold in total.

Perodua Kenari (2000-2009) 

How many left: 653 
Some things that are popular in some countries just don't work in others. For instance, kei cars sold in Britain. We think models like the Perodua Kanari are like a fish sperm-sack desert... another Japanese rarity
Some things that are popular in some countries just don't work in others. For instance, kei cars sold in Britain. We think models like the Perodua Kanari are like a fish sperm-sack desert... another Japanese rarity
Shirako is a delicacy that's sold in restaurants in Japan. It's made from fish sperm sacks and, unsurprisingly, isn't very popular in the UK. 
The same can be said about kei cars.
These are a popular vehicle type in Japan, categorising those models that are tiny, boxy and unfathomably slow. None will ever grace a museum of art.
Certainly not this Malaysian-built Perodua - one kei car example that was sold in the UK and bombed. That said, some 653 are still in existence today. 

Rover 800 (1986-1999)

How many left: 553
Rover's 800 was a genuinely decent luxury vehicle. Unfortunately, nobody wanted to be seen turning up to a venue, event, work, a car-boot sale, family get together etc in one
Rover's 800 was a genuinely decent luxury vehicle. Unfortunately, nobody wanted to be seen turning up to a venue, event, work, a car-boot sale, family get together etc in one
Neil Kinnock and Margaret Thatcher try out the Rover 800
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Famously driven by Alan Partridge in 'I'm Alan Partridge', the Rover 800 was far better than it was given credit for. 
Powerful, comfortable and well-equipped, it ticked all the right boxes for a luxury car. 
Unfortunately, it was a cumbersome looking barge that had all the kudos and magnetism of a bloke turning up to a dinner party in a pair of tracksuit bottoms clutching a four-pack of Special Brew. 
Just 553 remain in various guises.

Morris Marina (1971-1980)

How many left: 328
We tried to think of something redeeming to say about the Morris Marina. We struggled
We tried to think of something redeeming to say about the Morris Marina. We struggled
Scouring the worldwide web for a picture of a Morris Marina resulted in this - a fitting tribute to a truly terrible piece of British manufacturing. 
As dull and dreary as a winter afternoon in the Midlands. A cracker is less plain than this. 
We've tried to think of something redeeming to say about it. We can't. 
So instead we'll tell you that some 328 are still in ownership. Yawn. 

Reva G Wiz (2001-2012)

How many left: 294
The Reva G Wiz electric car (right) was a phenomenon for city types living in the nation's most polluted metropolis who had grand hopes of saving the planet
The Reva G Wiz electric car (right) was a phenomenon for city types living in the nation's most polluted metropolis who had grand hopes of saving the planet
Do not adjust your screens - this is not a birthing picture. Incredibly, the G-Wiz is genuinely this small. 
The electric car was a phenomenon for city types with grand hopes of saving the planet despite living in the nation's most polluted metropolis.
That's until it was shown to have the structural rigidity of public-toilet loo roll in a crash. 
Stats show 294 survive. Many have been crumpled like a stamped-on Coke can, which might actually improve the gremlin-like looks.

Suzuki X-90 (1995-1997)

How many left: 211 
Suzuki's X-90 was way ahead of its time. It pre-empted the recent craze for compact SUVs. It was so pioneering that people in the '90s didn't know they wanted one, so didn't buy one
Suzuki's X-90 was way ahead of its time. It pre-empted the recent craze for compact SUVs. It was so pioneering that people in the '90s didn't know they wanted one, so didn't buy one
Classic advert for Suzuki's X-90 shows you how to have fun
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An SUV advertised as the ideal leisure activity car: it's something we see - painfully - rerun over and over by brands at the moment. 
But the X-90 was way ahead of its time, not just pre-empting the compact-crossover bandwagon but the terrible car promotions we have to endure on television today (dear car makers, not everyone who owns an SUV goes base jumping, yours sincerely).
Unfortunately, a sorry-looking dry ski slope in middle Britain in 1995 did little for sales as buyers failed to fall for the concept of a drop-top offroader. We are willing to offer a lot of kudos to any readers who can name the dry ski slope though in comments below.
Just 211 of the open-roof compact 4x4s are still being used.

Austin Allegro (1973-1982)

How many left: 198
We might have to setup an email block for members of the Austin Allegro owners club as we're about to say awful things about their cars...
We might have to setup an email block for members of the Austin Allegro owners club as we're about to say awful things about their cars... 
The Allegro was the butt of jokes on Top Gear for years. 
That's harsh when you consider those aiming the criticism were three overweight middle-aged men wearing brown loafers and shirts that were two sizes too big.
They were right, though - it is stomach churning to look at. We'll be forced to block emails from the Allegro owners club for that comment. 
Stats show 198 are still in use. They are now a classic car, and believe it or not if someone takes an Allegro to a show you are guaranteed to find people flocking to it.

Lancia Beta (1972-1975)

How many left: 124 
The Lancia Beta was a five-door family car with a demeanour that mirrored a squatting hippo
The Lancia Beta was a five-door family car with a demeanour that mirrored a squatting hippo
We think the Lancia Beta's inclusion in this list is hugely unfair
Mostly because the Beta Montecarlo was a stunner. Just look at it
We think the Lancia Beta's inclusion in this list is hugely unfair. Mostly because the  Beta Montecarlo (pictured) was a stunner. Just look at it 
We think this is an entirely unfair inclusion in the list. That's mostly because This is Money has fallen in love with the Beta Montecarlo.
It was, in a similar fashion to the Triumph TR7, a wedge designed coupe that was formerly described as the 'DeLorean's ugly brother'. Very unfair, though both shared a mechanical robustness that's comparable to over-cooked spaghetti.
But look at it: the side-hinged engine cover is a masterpiece, as are those wonderfully-angled C-pillars. The conventional Beta model (pictured above) was less handsome and looked a lot like a squatting hippo.
According to DVLA numbers, 124 exist (get in touch if you're selling a Montecarlo).

Lada Riva (1983-1997)

How many left: 49
When launched in the UK in 1983, the Lada Riva was the UK's cheapest new car, costing a little over £3,000. That was about £2,995 too much
When launched in the UK in 1983, the Lada Riva was the UK's cheapest new car, costing a little over £3,000. That was about £2,995 too much
Lada is a brand that all children of the 1980s and 90s would have cracked a joke about. The Riva, available as a saloon or estate, was one of those punchline models. 
A skip on wheels, and it looks like one too. 
When launched in the UK it cost a little over £3,000 new. Anyone who bought one was overcharged to the tune of £2,995.
Incredibly, there are 49 that still have (likely ashamed) owners today.

Morris Ital (1980 -1984)

How many left: 35
Morris is the only brand to feature twice in this list, with the Ital getting a dishonourable mention
Morris is the only brand to feature twice in this list, with the Ital getting a dishonourable mention
We've tried to show restraint from repeating brands in our list (you're welcome, Ssangyong), but the Ital is just so dreary it's impossible for us not to include this awful looking Morris monstrosity. 
It succeeded the Marina, which would make you think that things could only get better. 
But it looks like British Leyland's design team penned it in the Red Lion after a few too many. 
Just 35 of these dull wagons are still registered.

Zastava Yugo (1985-1992)

How many left: 19
The Zastava Yugo was heavily based on the Fiat 124, which was equally terrible but not available for sale in the UK. The Yugoslavian brand seized the opportunity to show us what we weren't missing
The Zastava Yugo was heavily based on the Fiat 124, which was equally terrible but not available for sale in the UK. The Yugoslavian brand seized the opportunity to show us what we weren't missing
The what now? Not many will remember this but Zastava Cars Limited GB set up shop in Reading, Berkshire, in 1981. 
Just a few years later we were treated to the Yugo - we wonder where that name, given by a Yugoslavian car maker based in Yugoslavia, came from? Snappy. 
It was heavily based on the Fiat 124 hatchback, which was equally terrible to look at but not sold in the UK. Zastava seized the opportunity to show us what we weren't missing.
A paltry 19 are still owned in this country.  

FSO Polonez (1978-2002)

How many left: 5
Grand Tour millionaire Jeremy Clarkson hates the FSO Polonez and once described  it as 'a box under which the car buyer would find a 1940s tractor'
Grand Tour millionaire Jeremy Clarkson hates the FSO Polonez and once described  it as 'a box under which the car buyer would find a 1940s tractor'
Grand Tour millionaire Jeremy Clarkson once described the FSO Polonez as 'a truly awful car'. 
When he elaborated on his hatred for it, he added: 'It wasn’t a car at all; it was a box under which the car buyer would find a 1940s tractor'. Ouch! 
Not surprisingly, with such a withering review, there are only five still registered with the DVLA.
We've seen shirt buttons bigger than those wheels. 

Skoda Estelle (1976-1990)

How many left: 3
The Skoda Estelle it a reminder to us all that emissions-cheating VW can save what looks like an unrecoverable situation
The Skoda Estelle it a reminder to us all that emissions-cheating VW can save what looks like an unrecoverable situation
It wouldn't be a list of monstrous motors without a Skoda, so we've buckled under the pressure and taken you back to a time when the Czech manufacturer wasn't owned by Volkswagen and sold models like the Estelle. 
When it went on sale in 1976 it was Britain's cheapest car, and with a rear-engine layout you might have been fooled into thinking it would drive like a Ferrari F40 fit for the family. 
It didn't. And anything seemed like a better option than being driven to school in such an unsightly saloon car.
A mere three are still in the UK being used. It's a reminder to us all that emissions-cheating VW can save what looks like an entirely unrecoverable situation.

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