The BMW i3 isn’t a car without controversy. From its looks, to the fact that it has less range than its competitors, to the fact that it’s an electric hatchback from BMW, the i3 is a car that you either love or hate. It’s quite the polarizing car. But is it the ugliest car in the US?
In this new video from Nick Murray, he asks the question, “What’s the ugliest car in the US?”. He goes though quite a few brands, picking out their worst cars, finally settling on a winner (or loser?). For instance, he talks about both Mercedes-Benz and Infiniti, two high-end luxury brands who make some shockingly ugly cars. In the Mercedes lineup, there are a couple of real trolls, such as the GLC Coupe and the CLA-Class, both of which should have been locked in a dungeon. Infiniti actually has more ugly cars than pretty cars at the moment, with all of them being so bulbous and lumpy, they look like trash bags filled with mashed potatoes.
But what about BMW? Well, Murray notes that BMW is actually making a lot of pretty cars at the moment and he’s right. The new 8 Series Concept is going to be a stunner and the upcoming Z4 should kill it as well. Though, the Bavarians aren’t without their design missteps. For instance, Murray mentions the 3 Series Gran Turismo and the X6 as two cars BMW seriously misfired on. Though, the BMW he names most ugly is the little i3. He says it looks like “A Barbie doll that’s been down the waste disposal”.
The BMW i3 is not a pretty car and it never has been. Although, I’ve always kind of thought that it’s so ugly that it’s cute, sort of like pugs. But calling it ugly is a bit unfair, as it’s supposed to look weird and futuristic and eye-catching. It’s not supposed to be pretty or conventional. So I disagree with Murray, there. I one hundred-percent agree on the 3 Series Gran Turismo, as that’s basically Quasimodo with a couple of roundels and I feel it’s far uglier than the i3.
Having said all of that, Murray doesn’t think the BMW i3 is the ugliest car in the US. Instead, that dishonor goes to the Toyota Prius. Not only is the Prius hideous looking but it’s also terrible to drive. In fact, it’s so bad, it’s actually losing a ton of customers, which is odd because Prius customers are the last car buyers that care about looks. They want it because it’s a Prius and it will buy them green brownie points. So if it’s so ugly that traditional Prius customers are backing off, it’s bad.
Love the i3, don’t see enough of them. It’s the electric 2002, there was nothing else like that in the marketplace, either, but it established BMW as an alternative, as does this. The fact that BMW allowed their staff a clean sheet to do something new is also unusual, and a rebuttal to criticism of BMW being too conservative. So of course people don’t actually buy it.
I’d vote for the Mitsubishi Mirage personally. ; -)
Can you even call it a car? It looks like crap, its interior is crap, the battery is crap (really short lifetime). Only uneducated and cheap people buy it. Why? They think they’re saving money, when in reality the car is deteriorating faster than milk… It’s such a bad car! It’s like using paper towels to clean instead of a cloth towels. The latter is more expensive up-front, but will last you a long time and be cheaper in the long run. It’s also greener and more sensible.
And a 3 cyl?! At least BMW turbo theirs.
Sheesh. The VW Beetle?
This is a car designed by NASA.
But, does look like a Bulldog in Black.
I guess the term to each his own applies here! I think the i3 looks like a pile of rocks, sorry! BMW thought it was going to sell a million units and it will be luck to sell 100k of them! It’s a loser and the rumors now is the “I” brand maybe endangered. Instead, BMW would be better off incorporating the i portion into its existing lineup like the new e-Mini coming soon. That should sell….Good Luck!
Lexus makes an entire family of ugly cars… No contest.
Lexus rebadge an entire family of ugly Toyotas.
i3 is not for visual aesthetics. But when viewed as an urban car, the design decisions make a lot of sense. Function over form every time.
Sorry, but the range on the i3 is a joke. What 70 miles, may be?! The Chevy Volt/Bolt and Nissan Leaf have greater range.
There’s a reason why 2 year old i3s with under 20k miles are selling for $18k?! And that’s for a car that retailed for $40-45k.
So you have poor range combined with questionable looks. I guess there’s a reason BMW canceled the i5….Good Luck!
i3 built as a city car, how many daily commutes are over 100 km? i5 cancelled because BMW are EVing their mainstream volume product: 3 Series, X3, Mini hatch. Don’t need an EV, if I did i3 would be a great joke, apparently great lease rates. And I wouldn’t have to drive a 5,000 lb. sedan.
Tell that to the millions that aren’t buying low range EVs because the range is too low… -_- The i3 is marketed as a city car because the range is shit. Most people don’t buy it as a city car… I didn’t.
The statistics you throw out account for the average of people’s daily commute. Not the busy days, not the holidays, the travels etc. It doesn’t represent those days in any way because you’re taking that statistics and sprinkling it all over the place, thus making your own.
Just because you can use math to change the numbers, doesn’t mean you’ve found something interesting.
It’s not the daily commute that is the problem. It’s busy days, long distance travel, holidays, unforeseen events etc.
When BMW began selling i3 here, they had a loaner program so owners could borrow an ICE for weekend road trips, it was scrapped because no one used it. I live in a city of 7 million, several companies use i3’s as their delivery fleet. As for stats, EV premium price is at least as much of an issue as range, most people who paid for the range extender don’t use it. If i3’s range is the issue, why did Tesla sell well under 6 figures last year, why does their large, older sedan still outsell their new, price reduced SUV?
The i3 is way ahead of its time. In ten or so years, even Murry is going to have to admit he was wrong.
With that design, they can keep upgrading the tech & still sell it in a decade. Like they did the original 1500.
I love my 2 BEV i3’s. CPO is the way to buy one. For my circumstance the range is adequate. But it will soon be lost in the dust of the TSLA Mod 3. Unfortunately BMW has been asleep at the switch.
If they meet their production #s, Model 3s will be lost in a sea of Model 3s. i3 unique for as long as BMW choose to produce it.
Yes that sea will be wide and deep.. but If i3 sales fall much lower then BMW’s production will not last much longer…and all electric Mini’s will not help i3’s cause.
Or, BMW’s next generation of EV will up performance @ iDivision. Isn’t an i8 S planned? And Roadster.
Ugliest worldwide
No, it’s not… But people love to ride the mainstream meme of “oh look, it’s an ugly insect car”. Most of the people haven’t seen or tried it in real life, or even paid attention to the design.