Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but in the case of some cars, there are some designs that are just so baffling that we might question what the manufacturers were thinking when creating these cars with strange proportions, awkward angles, and mismatched design elements that make them stand out for all the wrong reasons.

While most vehicles seem to be created with sophisticated and elegant designs, some just defy logic. Due to their weird and unpleasing designs, these cars were not a great hit and were completely stopped from production. However, a few of them were able to sell over 100,000 models.

Take a look as we go over some of the most head-turning, jaw-dropping rides that somehow came onto the road, and find out why they’re the ugliest cars in the world, starting from the model considered least ugly all the way to the most ugly one.

1. 1997 Toyota Prius First Gen

This Toyota Prius was released in 1997 and was actually the world’s first mass-produced hybrid car. Even though it was fuel efficient and everything, it looked rather bland and ugly. It had no design and was plain boring. However, for some reason, 0.3 million cars were sold. This sedan did not have any eye-catching appearances as other sedans in its era did.

2. 2007 Jeep compass

You may have seen the latest 2025 Jeep Compass models, and one would often describe it as a luxurious mid-size SUV. However, if you see the design that came out in 2007, you’ll be left shocked.

It was equally bad to even look at and as well as to drive and yet it stayed that way for 4 years before changing the design and styling. Compared to now, this 2007 Jeep Compass was extremely awkward to even look at, especially with its weird boxy grille.

3. 2002 Renault Avantime

The look of this boxy car is highly unappealing to even look at. The high roof, combined with the overly wide, boxy body and narrow windows, gave it a bulky and awkward appearance.

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The Avantime’s rear end, with its steeply sloped hatch and unconventional shape, only added to its odd appearance, leaving it looking as if it were unfinished. The reason why only 5,000 cars were sold is mainly because it’s the ugliest car in the world.

4. 2007 Dodge Nitro

As Dodge has produced some of the best and most amazing vehicles of all time such as the Challenger, the Nitro is something you would not expect Dodge to create. It had funny-looking flared wheel arches.

Additionally, the rear of the vehicle, with its flat tailgate and squarish shape, only contributed to the feeling that the design was too rigid and bulky, making it an unpleasing model in the SUV market.

5. 2005 Pontiac Aztek

Surprisingly, before Pontiac went out of business, they created some of the coolest high-performance cars. However, they also came up with this ugly-looking model too.

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The Aztek was actually targeted at people who like outdoor adventures and camping, which is why it included some great features like a tent that attached to the back of the car, an air mattress that fits in the cargo area, and a cooler for drinks in the console but forgot to make it a bit more appealing. Our guess is that they were focused on making it practical rather than elegant.

6. 2011 Aston-Martin Cygnet

The idea of Aston Martin producing a small, practical car seemed intriguing on paper, but the result felt out of place next to its high-performance sports cars. The Cygnet’s design, which was supposed to resemble a Toyota iQ, carried the small, compact shape of a city car, but with none of the elegance or sleekness one might expect from a luxury brand like Aston Martin.

Its rounded front end, with relatively simple headlights and an awkwardly positioned grille, made it look more like a toy car and more of a joke.

7. 2010 Chrysler PT Cruiser

The PT Cruiser was more of a failed and embarrassing attempt at creating a car that matched the aesthetics of 1950. It was supposed to be a compact car, but with its large and chunky body styling, it failed to carry the “compact” status. The driving experience was also horrible as it used to make awful squeaking noises.

Surprisingly this car was a hit and sold over 132,000 models. However, because of its design, you would notice that a lot of people have listed it as an ugly car and received a lot of hate.

8. 1998 Fiat Multipla

Fiat managed to create this model with a weird fishbowl appearance but apparently gave it a spacious interior and a good driving dynamic. However, the exterior was just awful with a bonnet that looks squished and huge tall glass windows that will make your stomach quench. You definitely would not want to be seen driving in this thing.

9. 1991 Nissan S Cargo

The S Cargo was a retro-styled delivery van, which was supposed to be a compact van. However, it was designed in a rather unpleasing manner that turned out to look like a snail. The van’s asymmetrical design, with a sloping roofline and a boxy rear, created a sense of imbalance, leaving it looking somewhat awkward and disproportionate.

The small box design was supposed to make it look “cute,” at which it failed miserably and was only in production for 2 years. Thank God for that, right?

10. 2001 Plymouth Prowler

The Plymouth Prowler was certainly bold and unique, many people found its design to be more bizarre than beautiful. The Prowler’s retro, hot-rod-inspired look was full of exaggerated features, from the long, pointed front end to the overly wide, hideous fenders that made it seem more like a concept car than a production vehicle. Overall, the look of this car was horrible to look at. 

11. 1949 Bond Minicar

The Minicar was produced from 1949 to 1966, with a disturbing look for each generation. It was a weird-looking blob of cheese which was just horrible to look at.

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It was aimed to be a three-wheeler conventional vehicle during the war however, its looks made it unpleasing. It also was probably the rustiest ugliest car in the world.

12. 1955 BMW Isetta

One would be highly disappointed in BMW after seeing what they used to produce for example the Isetta. This car was produced during the times when BMW was facing a decline in sales and needed a low-development cost car. Astonishingly, this slobby-looking car actually had over 161,000 units sold.

13. 1990 Aston Martin Lagonda

The answer to the question, what is the ugliest car in the world, as per our research is the Aston Martin Lagonda Shooting Brake. It was so long and pointy that just made it look ugly. The design went through some changes over the years but the length and pointiness were still the same. The rear end was also so stretched out that it looked like an extra box attached to the back.

Aston Martin has produced some amazing luxury cars to date, but seeing the Lagonda is questioning the company about what they were even thinking about when making this model. It’s so long and boxy, that it’s probably the worst car in the world.

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Conclusion

Beauty is certainly subjective in the automotive design world, but some cars seem to have missed the mark entirely. It’s because of awkward proportions, bizarre design elements, or mismatched features, that these ugliest cars in the world have earned their place in history for being the most hated cars.

In the end, perhaps these vehicles will not garner any contest trophies, yet each contributes its memorable thread into the tapestry of automotive heritage- proof enough that sometimes an ugly duck may have its memorable place.