Gen 4: ugly

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Main Forum' started by yeldogt, Jul 23, 2016.

  1. HobbsNick

    HobbsNick Member

    Joined:
    Jul 16, 2016
    107
    156
    0
    Location:
    Newcastle, U.K.
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Have you seen the XL version of the Fiat 500, now thats dam ugly.

    [​IMG]
     
  2. Sabby

    Sabby Active Member

    Joined:
    Sep 17, 2011
    295
    127
    0
    Location:
    SoCal
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I am not in love with it but it would do the job. To me the Prius is all about function. A Prius is reliable, safe and drives ok. Fast NO, Fun NOT really except improving your technique. When they start discounting them like the 2015 Gen 3 down to about 18.5k my interest level in the Gen 4 will rise.

    I test drove one to see what it was like. It was fine to drive. Not my favorite design and not compelling enough to make a change.
     
    Dylan Doxey likes this.
  3. Lucifer

    Lucifer Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 23, 2015
    1,014
    486
    0
    Location:
    Nh
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Plug-in Advanced
    Beauty is in this case, skin deep
    Ugly is ugly, except at the bank
     
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    110,443
    50,202
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    people who say 'gen 4 is ugly, but i thought my gen 2 or 3 was beautiful when i bought it', are in the 1/100th of 1% of the american driving public. i'm sorry, but from that point of view, all prius are ugly.

    if you bought your prius for its looks, please tell us what ugly cars you left behind at the time of purchase.

    there wasn't one auto review, in the entire world, that claimed any gen of pri was an attractive car.
     
    Prius Maximus and krmcg like this.
  5. hb1148

    hb1148 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2016
    46
    56
    1
    Location:
    Jacksonville, Florida
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    I said "ugly" when I first laid eyes on it. After gazing at a Hypersonic Red model for a few days, I came to think of it as one of the coolest looking cars on the road. I can't explain what changed.
     
    fileaudio, wrprice, krmcg and 2 others like this.
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    110,443
    50,202
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
  7. KennyGS

    KennyGS Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 28, 2014
    1,243
    1,044
    1
    Location:
    Keystone State
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Five
    I still admire the looks of my gen 3 when I see it. Not sure I could ever feel that way about a gen 4.
     
  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    110,443
    50,202
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    see what i mean?
     
    Data Daedalus and krmcg like this.
  9. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

    Joined:
    May 22, 2009
    9,083
    5,798
    0
    Location:
    Undisclosed Location
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    I think there is a lot of truth to this, but there is a difference.
    The Gen 2 Prius's looks were very polarizing, with most detractors calling it everything from a door-stop to an Iron.
    But I think Prius supporters didn't care. The vehicle was really a huge success, becoming Iconic. They made a version of Monopoly with a Prius game piece.
    The Gen 2 looks really became a case of "Haters gonna Hate"...but for the rest of us? We either liked the look OR as you say, we really didn't care. Personally? I honestly always liked the very (at the time) unique individual look of the Gen 2.
    Gen 3 (to me) represented an evolution. But balanced an advance towards looking more mainstream BUT also being recognizable as a Prius.
    Since I DID like the looks of Gen 2...it follows I like the looks of Gen 3.

    If Toyota is getting criticism over the looks of this Prius incarnation? Well....THEY are the one's advancing it as being "Beautiful", putting it in commercials with supermodels. Touting it's looks.

    And as I said, what IS frustrating to me, is I DO THINK this incarnation of Prius is good looking. ---about 3/4th's of the vehicle looks fantastic.
    But it's just like they got to the back hatch, the very end...and started scribbling.

    I think I did read a few reviews that gave Gen 4 a nod or two towards being good looking. It certainly has been what Toyota has been saying about this Prius nearly since they first lowered it from wires at the reveal in Vegas.
     
    Data Daedalus and bisco like this.
  10. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    110,443
    50,202
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    i still get the jellybean/egg comments.:rolleyes:
     
    Data Daedalus likes this.
  11. Munpot42

    Munpot42 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2012
    1,391
    543
    0
    Location:
    Santa Monica, Ca. 90405
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    The rear of this car is more than particularly ugly the word Fugly comes to mind.
     
  12. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    110,443
    50,202
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    funny, i like the rear more than the front, and the front is cool cause it reminds me of star wars. anyhow, i'm usually inside looking out, so if i'm out to impress friends and neighbors, shame on me.
     
    Data Daedalus and jbkendrick like this.
  13. wrprice

    wrprice Active Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2005
    415
    308
    0
    Location:
    Houston, TX
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Four Touring
    I liked the rear better than the floating roof in the initial images, but yeah I was concerned with the rear appearance. While I was considering whether to get the new body style, I would find myself walking out to my Gen 3 and thinking that its rear looked rather plain and boring. I suppose the new angles grew on me unexpectedly.

    The floating roof, however, still bothers me and (IMO) is only mitigated by a dark gray or black.
     
  14. Willco Electronics

    Willco Electronics Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2013
    51
    13
    0
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    I like the look! To me it's reminiscent of the late 1950's when cars had rear fins. :)
     
  15. 'LectroFuel

    'LectroFuel Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 3, 2016
    880
    673
    0
    Location:
    San Juan Capistrano, CA
    Vehicle:
    2018 Tesla Model 3
    Model:
    N/A
    The gen 4 Prius is seriously a nice looking car. For people who don't like the looks, look at a Pontiac Aztec, the Fiat Multipla (above), or even cars that aren't striking to look at, like the Kia Rio, Toyota Yaris (the thing is basically a circle with wheels), Hyundai Accent, and no one can forget looking at any Mitsubishi, especially a Mirage. Be happy your car isn't boring to look at; everyone has their own opinion.(y) For some reason, I love the look of the Lexus spindle grille. It seems like nobody likes the looks of the new RX, but I like it. It's polarizing and stands out.
     
    RoadNoise likes this.
  16. MichelleStone

    MichelleStone Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2016
    549
    818
    0
    Location:
    Mariposa, CA
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    I was hoping that Toyota would move some of their new design elements into the Prius v. I held off waiting to get the refreshed 2017 model. All they really did was give it a bumper car nose. Now THAT is ugly. ;) For the Gen 4, I'm good. I like the back end. It sort of reminds me of the fins of the late 50's. The front end doesn't seem cohesive to me but it isn't a killer.

    Michelle
     
    Dylan Doxey, krmcg and bisco like this.
  17. JeffHastings

    JeffHastings Member

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2011
    223
    79
    0
    Location:
    Whippany, NJ
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    I had a Gremlin and loved it. Guess beauty's in the eye of the beholder. Sturdy little car with decent utility, power and fairly decent MPG for its time, given the early models only had 6 cylinders (a four would come in time). Yes, it had no real backseat room but I just folded it down and used the car like a mini-wagon. I thought it was cute, not ugly.
     
    Data Daedalus likes this.
  18. JeffHastings

    JeffHastings Member

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2011
    223
    79
    0
    Location:
    Whippany, NJ
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    I couldn't disagree more with this assessment. Given this car had to be done with off the shelf components, I felt it was one of the most striking designs to come out of the 1970's. I loved its' avant-garde proportions and the incredible airiness and superb all-around visibility in its' cabin. Driving it was a unique experience with all of that glass. Yes, the A/C had to work overtime to counter all of the solar heating on sunny days but nothing could beat that panoramic view. And it rode and handled as good as any non-sporty car from that period. Okay, it was too heavy for its size so power and gas mileage weren't so good but on balance, this car doesn't truly deserve the bad rap that's been handed it. It was a small car as wide as a midsize (or intermediate, as they said back then) car which contributed to both comfort and highway stability. The AMC Pacer was not the rolling joke it has been made to be, thanks largely to the 'Wayne's World' movies.
     
  19. pakitt

    pakitt Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 10, 2009
    2,173
    1,312
    0
    Location:
    Colorado
    Vehicle:
    2021 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Limited
    If it is so ugly, why are you buying it then?

    The Multipla was a WONDERFUL looking car! :D