2016 Best and Worst Designs

The results are in and it seems that someone has a double win this year.

2016 AutoLooks Best

   Well it seems that it was true, 2016 was set to be a better year than 2015 and as our marks have proven, the numbers are better.  Sure there are more cars in the Rusty territory, but you can never bet on a lot of cars getting it right.  For 2016 it seems that rebirth seems to the biggest highlight.  As three of our top 10 are rebirth cars.  Add to that one birth and one rework and you have half of our top models being all new models.  The oddest thing this year is our number 3 car.  Yes it is as car indeed as this year Nissan has impressed all of us with right on the mark Maxima sedan.  Lets hope this sets the wheels in motion for a new breed of sedan.

   Our top car may not be an all new direction in the world of design, but it is all in the right direction.  If you remember our winner from two years ago (BMW i8) it won on the basis of being all the right moves in a new direction.  This was only seen on three of our top ten cars as most went with improvements in the same direction.  Guess we are still a few years away from a complete shift in our design culture.  Lets hope it can hurry up as most cars today would be right at home back in late 90's and early 00's.

2016 AutoLooks 10 Best:

#1 Acura NSX - After years of waiting, we finally got what we wanted in the first place
#2 McLaren P1 MSO- One last ride to mark an end of great tale
#3: Nissan Maxima - This is what happens when you care about sedans
#4: W Motors Fenyr Supersport - Almost as good as the first, but its still not first
#5: Ferrari FXX-K - The rebirth of a true hypercar
#6: Ferrari 488 GTB - Proof enough that Ferrari does not need Fiat to be on top
#7 Lamborghini Huracan - You can make a top 10 even better to be on the list again
#8: Lamborghini Huracan Spyder - The most fun with your top down
#9: Trion Nemesis - To make your mark you must do it right from the start
#10: Ford Shelby Mustang GT 350R - Staying true to what Carroll Shelby believed

1st Runner Up: McLaren 675LT - Almost made its mark on the top
2nd Runner Up: Rezvani Beast - All too much to be had with your top down
​     The one model which has stood out the most this year would have to be the new W Motors ride.  Yes they were our 2nd place car back in 2014, but just like the i8 it was step into the future.  Seems like only a few companies want to cross that line.  Too bad as we can all see the division line from the 40's - 50's - 60's - 70's - 80's - 90's - 00's.  But since the beginning of this decade there hasn't been much of a division line.  Lets hope 2017 will start that line.
    Here's to our fans and lets hope that 2017 keeps us going strong. 

Everett J.
AutoLooks.net

2016 AutoLooks 10 Worst:

#1: YoGoMo 3308 - Winner of our #1 worst car and #1 copycat.  The only car to go for both of our worsts and win them. - Double win: Rusty and CopyCat
#2. Mercedes-Benz Citan - Luxury needs its eyes checked
#3. Honda N-Box Slash - Not to surprising that a Honda box would be here
#4. Peugeot Partner Teepee - All too plain van in need of a nose job
#5. Suzuki Alto - In need a new grille and some definition
#6. BAIC BJ80C - Another copycat going for a top two worst spots
#7. Toyota Pixis Mega - Cool, but not cool enough
#8. Honda StepWGN - I can see everything, but that is a problem
#9. SEAT Mii FR-Line - Even the aftermarket world couldn't save you
#10. Ford Ecosport - They should remove the sport from their name

2016 AutoLooks Worst:

   Seems like this was definitely the year of the copycats and nose jobs.  Yes it seems that the Chinese still haven't got the notice that copying other people just isn't cool.  Maybe this years top ten list will help some of them rethink their designs.  The worst think we noticed this year were the over abuse of not caring about a front grille.  If anyone has ever thought that you don't need a front grille, then check out our worst list.   Most cars over the years are made up of missing grilles.  Next to this some people think a long nose is a good thing.  Guess Peugeot will have to back to the drawing board on the that one.

    But just like most years Honda, Toyota and Suzuki have a car on the bottom list.  Seems like they can work from both ends.  Too bad they just can't keep everything in the middle.  The one good news this year is that Honda does have our A+ award with the NSX.  Guess its a good thing the N-Box and StepWGN are only on the list and not at the top of it.

    The funniest thing this year were the two double hits on our list.  YoGoMo and BAIC both made it onto both of our worst lists.  Being on top on both the CopyCat and Worst Design, YoGoMo has broken no barriers on their Kia Picanto copy car.  Guess they really need to go back to their designers and give them a good smack up side the head.  Next it seems that BAIC has chosen to borrow the complete design of Mercedes G-Class for their entry into the luxury market.  Guess Mercedes won't fight back as BAIC does build their cars in China.
​   If your didn't notice already Suzuki and Toyota have held their same spots as last year.  Of course this year they have different cars in those spots, but they still have the #5 and #7 spots they had last year.  Guess they thought those places were good enough for a second round.
​
    With so many Rusty cars this year it was a bit harder to narrow it down, but when it comes down to the marks, the writing is already on the wall.  Lets hope next year there will be list Rusty's and more A+ cars.

Everett J.
AutoLooks.net
A+ Cars for 2016: 10/318
Rusty Cars for 2016: 50/318
Total Average Score: 54.32%
Top Company: Toyota with 27 new designs, VW with 18 and Honda with 15

Viewers Choice for Best Design: Jaguar XF

Viewers Choice for Worst Design: Honda StepWGN

2016 AutoLooks CopyCat Award Winners

2016 Alfa Romeo Guilia - CopyCat of BMW 3/5 Series
D - for still having their own identity

2016 BAIC BJ80C - CopyCat of Mercedes G-Class
B - for being a partner in the crime

2016 Chevrolet Cruze - CopyCat of 2015 Honda Civic
B - still has some of that U.S. charm

2016 Chevrolet Volt - CorpyCat of 2015 Honda Civic Hybrid
B - better than a Prius

2016 YoGoMo 33-08 - CopyCat of Kia Picanto
A - Total winner for worst to pick from

2016 Zoyte T600 - CopyCat of Volkswagen Touareg, Audi Q5
C - done well enough to not take that much notice

2016 Yema T70 - CopyCat of Volkswagen Touareg
A - Total Copy of something too old