As car people, we all get riled up by power figures and tech specs and luxury gizmos, but nothing gets the juices going quite like the looks of a car, truck, or SUV. If the latest and greatest from Car Brand has top-of-the-class horsepower, F1-grade suspension, and innovative KoolCheexTM super-cooling seat technology, but is a big miss in the styling department, that’s going to cool off any desire to own one pretty quickly. As cool as your cheex, even.
So, yeah – we all enjoy a nice-looking car. But what are the best-looking models on sale today? It’s all in the eye of the beholder – a phrase I just coined – so there are no right or wrong answers here. As for me, I find myself admiring every Lexus GX I encounter, and find it particularly attractive from the rear three-quarter view.
See? Nice, right?
Naturally, I invited the gang to chime in with their pics for best-looking new car. As in, cars on sale as new today, which might be quite old, case in point:
Mazda MX-5 Miata. I know it’s over a decade old by now, but you can still buy it new at dealers, so it still counts! – Brian
Yep, good call. And it’ll still look good in another ten years. The answer, and all that. I also have no arguments with this perfect call:
Fourteen years after first seeing its shape in concept car form, the spotting of a wild Lexus LC 500 still induces an involuntary “mmmm.” That’s great design right there. – Thomas
It’s a fine-looking machine in pixels, but have you ever seen one in person? Breathtaking, really. Just a super-sharp car. And this next pick is just as impressive to me, considering how humble a car it is (and how homely it’s been in the past):
Current Prius, and it always amazes me to nominate a Prius. Striking concept-car looks. On a Prius. – Antti
Yes! Gotta love the Prius. Your turn:
What Are The Best Looking New Cars Right Now?
Top graphic image: Mazda
I think the Mazda 3 is still the best execution of their ‘Kodo’ design language (closely followed by the ND Miata).
I still take a second look every time I see a hatchback in Soul Red.
Say what you want about Chinese cars, but I really like the looks of the NIO ET5T:
https://www.nio.com/et5-touring-2024
Also, not technically a „car“, but what a happy and fun looking…thing:
https://microlino-car.com/en-us/microlino
Maybe I’m just a grumpy old man, but I find flaws so many of the listed cars without even searching.
Miata – Generally love it (especially the RF), but I hate the tail light styling.
LC500 – same, but the problem is with the “tears” dripping from the headlights
GX – I’ll take one of the throwback Landys
Lucid – love how low and wide they look in person, but I hate the fat ass C pillars
Porsche Panamera – Make mine a (discontinued) wagon
Porsche 911 – seeing one side-by-side with an early 80s SC makes you realize how overgrown they’ve become
Chevy Colorado – the proportions get really weird when you see it from the rear 3/4. I think the bedside sits as high as my Sierra 1500 AT4
Genesis fixed the biggest flaw with the GV70 – the MASSIVE exhaust exists. As long as you can avoid the overcomplicated wheels, it’s probably my favorite new vehicle from an external design standpoint.
So many actually 🙂 but for me:
BMW iX 2026, Toyota Prius, Toyota Land Cruiser, Renault 5 EV (I smile every times see one of these yellow bumblebees on the road), Subaru e-Outback/Trailseeker, ..
There are still a bunch of attarctive cars for sale, but to call them actually beautiful I have to narrow the list:
• Alfa Romeo Giulia
• Aston Martin Vanquish / DB12/ Vanquish
• Ferrari 12 Cilindri / 296GTB SF90 / Roma
• Fiat 500e (cute)|
• Lucid Air
• Mazda 3
• Maserati MC20 / Grand Turismo / Maserati Quattroporte
• Range Rovers (all)
• Toyota Prius
• Lexus LC
• Mercedes CLA / CLS/ E-Class wagon / S-Class
• Porsche Panamera / Taycan / 911
my first choice to mention has already been mentioned (GR86) and it also ties into the new Prius (deserved), but for another normal car choice is the Corolla, more specifically the Hatchback, that’s the best the corolla has looked in decades.
The Cadillac CT5 has the perfect proportions.
Chevy Colorado is a fantastically styled mid-size pickup.
The Suzuki Jimny that isn’t sold in the US because we cannot have nice things.
I was going to name the New Prius if nobody else did. It’s strikingly handsome, finally elevating the car’s avant-garde technology with looks to match.
Well. Formerly avant-garde. Fully parallel hybrids like the Prius aren’t so groundshaking anymore. But like the name says, Prius came first.
I would propose that the Bronco is a pretty good looking car, doing an above-average job of evoking the rugged simplicity of its namesake. The Bronco Sport is, sizewise, the more appropriate replacement but we can’t have everything.
That Honda 0 that got canceled was about the best looking. The Hyundai Staria and the Renault R4 they some people in civilized countries can buy.
The new Renault 5 is pretty cool as well. And although it’s a fancy golf cart, the Fiat Topolino is just adorable.
Personally, I think the Nissan Z hits a great balance between retro style and new style and looks real good (in person). The grille looks a bit funky in pictures, but it doesn’t look quite as bad in person. Still not the best it could, but pretty good.
Agree – it’s much more handsome in the real world than in pictures, and the relative rarity makes me happy. It’s got a spot on my fantasy “you have to replace your Mustang what do you get?” list.
I liked it a lot before, but the new green over tan really sells it for me.
I’m a sucker for a sort of retro looking box thing. So all the rivans, Land Cruiser and GX. Bronco and bronco sport are nice looking. Ineos is very familiar and ok. I admire the slate. Everything from Genesis looks great. Ionic 6 has a good look. They ruined the Elantra and Sonata along with Kia versions. I like the look of the outlander but it’s starting to get old. The current gen Miata and Prius are vast improvements over previous gens. Both went from the ugliest to if not the best looking close to it.
The LC is my kinda obvious choice. The ones that sort of surprise me are R1T and CX-50, they’re pretty common around here but still tend to catch my eye (in a good way).
Kow it is being phased out, but the current Kia Soul is a roomy box that is somehow sleek in the same moment.
In the US, The Genesis GV70. The Korean brands are knocking it out of the park lately in the design category. I also keep finding myself noticing Acuras, which is odd because I don’t find them exciting in any other way. The design language Cadillac has been using for its electric cars is pretty striking too.
Yeah, the Hyundai Staria sure looks good.
I’ll confess that my head is regularly turned, in a good way, by the Cadillac Lyriq. My daily is a gas-powered manual transmission sports car, so I’m feeling some kind of way at this development
The Ford Bronco. They absolutely nailed the design. It’s been out for years now and they still grab my attention.
Since SUVs and CUVs are here for the foreseeable future, I nominate the 2024-2026 Trax. Looks so much better than the previous generation as long as you get one without black wheels.
https://autoimage.capitalone.com/dealer/2024-Chevrolet-Trax-LS-KL77LFE24RC198996-dealersync_KL77LFE24RC198996_47414H-dd44d891eb0422fa5b618c6c9c7f471b.jpg?width=1196&height
Granted, GM calls it a CUV, but it’s really more like a wagon.
It’s amazing how bad the previous gen looks. So uninspiring. The Nissan Versa (RIP) did a similar thing – the second gen was droopy and nondescript but the third and final for the US gen was much improved.
I’ll admit to taking 2nd glances at the new generation, mostly to wish they would lower it and sell it as a wagon
Our 2024 Trax LS is only 3 inches taller than our 2015 Cruze 2LT RS, It really is (almost) a wagon!
True that – about the same amount taller than my Focus as well (parked next to one and measured once)
ID.Buzz. Sure it’s a box on wheels, but what a stylish box!
in the yellow 2-tone, absolutely
I can’t give you a definitive answer, but I can say that it won’t be from Germany.
See it’s still in the production, the C8 Audi RS6. Great design, surely to be ruined in the C9 generation.
Also the new body style full size range rover. They just look so… elegant.
Dan- i m not with you -respectfully. The C8 is overdone. Over styled origami in my book. The Range Rover rear lights are bland. Like an afterthought. Previous gen RR looked better. In fact thats why I m thinking of getting one.