How important is design of a modern car?

[sjd]

Of course here on this forum we'd like to imagine Tesla is showing the way forward -- but the rest of the car industry is looking at the numbers of around 50,000 Teslas sold versus over 3,000,000 Priuses, and are laying their own plans accordingly.

Tesla is carving out their own niche by building luxury/performance EV's. So they shouldn't be chasing Toyota-like volume. Don't get me wrong they need to increase sales but lets be realistic.

 

[SwedishAdvocate]

Prius owners want an appliance and the Prius looks like one. Its boring for both an EV and ICE car. /...

And you're basing this on?


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One data point:

.../ I definitely don't want the Model 3 to look anything like my Prius V

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.../ The Prius casts a long shadow, and it's still the success story that they're all eager to emulate. Of course here on this forum we'd like to imagine Tesla is showing the way forward -- but the rest of the car industry is looking at the numbers of around 50,000 Teslas sold versus over 3,000,000 Priuses, and are laying their own plans accordingly.

I see the Prius as one data point. And my guess is nobody bought a first or second gen Prius based on exterior or interior design. The third gen Prius exterior design is a step in the right direction, but the interior design is still appalling IMO.

If legacy automakers are looking for the future of exterior and interior design in Priuses (?) past, then they’re seriously delusional IMO.


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One example of good exterior automotive design IMO:

The Audi Prologue Avant concept. And yes… Of course it’s a station wagon!

IMO it would look better in silver and with smaller more aerodynamic rims though...


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But an Audi like that will never retail for the same price as Prius. And sadly, it will probably never be as energy efficient as a Prius either…

 

[green1]

One example of good exterior automotive design IMO:

The Audi Prologue Avant concept. And yes… Of course it’s a station wagon!

IMO it would look better in silver and with smaller more aerodynamic rims though...

Well the front end looks nice, but then again Audi generally knows how to make the front end, but in that picture it looks like the rear is ugly as sin...

 

[aronth5]

Well the front end looks nice, but then again Audi generally knows how to make the front end, but in that picture it looks like the rear is ugly as sin...

As they say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I find the front to be particularly ugly and overbearing.

 

[pmadflyer]

I'm not a fan of the front either.

 

[LotusFan]

One needs only to look at the iterations of the new and 2 previous generation Hyundai Sonata's to find your answer. The Sonata went from obscurity to near market dominance with its bold and attractive design direction. However, while the new 2015 generation is said to be better in every way, its more conservative design has dramatically lessened sales appeal, and actual sales, if marketing surveys are to be believed. Need another example? Pontiac Aztek. Ugh

Could not agree with you more TI Sailor. When the 6th gen Sonata came out in 2009 it made all the Camrys and Accords in the world just disappear. It was a little cheaper, just as well built and looked a million times better than the competition.

 

[LotusFan]

Would you take something that looked like a Leaf with a 200 mile range over something that looked like a Model S with a 70 mile range?

KD, you're asking the right question. The truth is that all mainstream conventional combustion cars offer basically the same thing when analyzed in terms of reducing the offering to its basic utility. They all have effectively infinite range with no unreasonable refill times. The differentiators are the badge, the branding, the build/interior quality, etc. Electric cars are different. A 60 mile vs a 250 mile range is a MAJOR differentiator, just as a 25 min fast recharge is materially different than a 4 hour 220 volt rechange, which is also different than a 14 hour 120 volt recharge. Right now in history EVs have major technical capability differentiators that gas cars do not that significantly influence which one consumers will buy.