Whaaa?!

Does anyone like these? I sometimes wonder if success can snowball, to a place where the manufacturer cannot misstep, no matter what they dream up.

 

Apparently Toyota Japan must love them since they keep including them in their designs.
I guess it contrasts with the white bone china look

 

Perhaps it's just people's desire for tomorrow's products before they've really had time to tire of today's. Now, now, I want one NOW! It's the same with mobile phone. Some people queue for hours just to get their stickies on the latest model phone. Memo to self: you must be getting old. You're turning into your mom!

 

There is worst - slightly, though related:

 

Well alanclareau, I don't especially care for the hour glass look, but I like it better than the picture to the left.

BTW, the "hour glass" looks like it has just about finished flowing to the bottom.

 

In ladies, it can be enchanting. Quite enchanting...

 

Yeah, so what is the point of these really strange and ugly body styles? Is there a reason or sincere artistic expression in this trend? Other auto makers are sure to copy the trend. Buckle your seat belts, ladies. I fear we are in for years of really ugly cars.

 

We have already had quite a few from Toyota. That is why I chose a Gen 4 Prius. It is the least ugly Toyota that would suit my needs.

 

I don't see others copying this. If the car looks too much like a Toyota, people will buy the Toyota or the car that doesn't look like one.

 

I hope you are wrong ..... time will tell.
I do not see the auto induct fry following/copying Toyota's design direction.

Reportedly, Toyota's upper management asked the designers to come up with a "sporty, more youthful design."
Those are hard concepts to define and to design to. Naturally you will immediately think about a "sports car," but that clearly was not what the designers accomplished ... or youthful, although I have read several post where the writer praised Toyota for the more youthful design?????

 

I doubt those saying that were youthful themselves. That is what matters on what is youthful. See Scion. Youthful, but a flop.

 

I suspect Toyota design is largely adrift. Ease and economy of maintenance and repair seems to have fallen by the wayside, supplanted by vacuous styling exercises.

This is Toyota Parts Online:

 

Correct. In the left shot in post #2, the left car is the XLE trim (and LE will likely look similar), the right car is the XSE trim (and SE will likely look similar), for US trim levels, IIRC.

 

One last comment on "sporty and youthful."

Generally speaking .... I do not believe todays "youth" have much interest in automobiles .... and they certainly do not have the money.
I suppose an exception would be the Suburu with the loud exhaust.
Todays youth appear to be much more interested in smart phones and computer games.

I own and drive a beautiful, classic, BMW Roadster. Young people do not even turn their head and look. OTOH, older people come up and make positive comments every time I take it out.
I recently attended a car free show (100 or more cars). There were very, very few young people there.

I suppose my point is .... why design to youth that seemingly could care less, and are not in the market financially?

 

I like the split behind the headlight, but that rounded front fender crease isn't attractive at all. They should have continued the sloping line through the wheel well.

 

Cow catcher from an old steam loco.

 

TOYOTA aren't the only ones - I can remember some LAMBORGHINIs (and FERRARIs) I looked at and thought - WHY?? Bugatti Veyron - hmmm.

Mercedes seems to have gone for ugly too:

 

Yeah good point.