Around Fall Break I was in the market for a new vehicle as my trusty old Volvo had just climbed her last hill and created a big cloud of smoke while doing so. I looked at a lot of vehicles, such as the Dodge Stratus and the Oldsmobile Intrigue. I ended up getting a Nissan Maxima, but I got a used one. Not because I couldn't afford a new one, but because the new ones are ugly as sin. They look like...well...Hyundais.

The biggest design element in these cars that seems to carry over to most other cars is the front facia. You see a funky shaped grille and two headlights that resemble deformed lima beans. For a while Hyundai's Sonata model had a very close design. While Nissan hasn't been able to get the rear end right on their Maxima since 1981, they could at least try to make it ugly apart from everything else that is ugly on the road. The rear end on the 2001 Maxima looks too much like the rear end on the Daewoo Leganza, yet another Korean car that sells fairly but gets poor reviews from every car magazine you can think of.

Another great car company that has similar design, uh, similarities is Cadillac. The Cadillac DeVille is a legendary car, setting the standard for American barges since it came out around World War II. Today the car is the best it has ever been, save for its facia and rear end that look like that of a Hyundai Sonata and Daewoo Nubira, respectively.

The Subaru Impreza? The front facia looks like that of a Hyundai Accent. The Mitsubishi Eclipse design that was on the market right before its major overhaul? Hyundai Tiburon. Headlights on the Chevrolet Camaro? Sonata.

Now, we can look at this two ways: one, these cars companies are really desperate for designs so they capitalize on what the masses like, which happens to be inexpensive, reliable transportation; two, these Korean companies may be onto something. Any way you slice it, these Korean cars have yet to produce much of a following, especially since factors such as safety and practicality have come into consideration. Example: if you were to bump the rear of a Hyundai Accent into a telephone pole at the mere speed of 5 m.p.h., you are likely to cause at least $4,000 worth of damage. This is rather unsettling, considering a new Accent can be had for $8,000.

We can't say that borrowing from the Korean designs is an absolute. The new Hyundai XG300, hailed as their best model ever (and most expensive at $23,000), closely resembles the Infiniti I30 design that has been on the market for several years.

So, for now, I won't pass too much judgment on these new cars. People like them, and the companies are making money. I suppose I'm a bit "autocentric;" I like my Chevies to look like Chevies and my Nissans to look like Nissans. Change, even in the automobile industry, is inevitable. I would never buy a Korean car now, due mostly to their poor expense record, but, in the future, who knows?

Name: hyundai excel
Year: 1993
Comments:
backlight

Name: al gamez
Comments:
hi, yes to let you know three weeks ago hyndai santafe was the only small suv that handle a front inpact at 40 miles per hour.

Name: the zacman
Comments:
i love my hyundai!

Name: Jeff
Comments:
Hoohoo...take a ride in a normal every day car then ride in a Mercedes S600 and tell me if you can say the same thing...

Name: alpha centauri
Comments:
a car is a car is a car people...if it gets you from point A to point B and runs well...then what's the problem?

Name: Jeff
Comments:
Yeah. While it lacks in style and performance, they've definitely got a revolutionary car there. 70 miles to the gallon is nothing to stick your nose up at.

Name: rachel
Comments:
anyone seen the new honda insight?? yuck. i'm a honda fan, but they missed the boat on this one!

Name: Paul
Comments:
"So, for now, I won't pass too much judgment on these new cars" You already did. What is the point anyway? Most cars borrow from other cars. Don't you know that? Not only Korean. The new celica's headlight is so simmilar to the new ford focuz. Impreza's and Accent's? if you're talking about the front end having the factory fog lights then any new cars have that option today. Eclipse's and Tiburon's? Gees, I don't know where you're getting these ideas from. I'm not a Hyundia fan but in support of Hyndai they are getting there. They used to have horrible cars like the old Hyundai excel hatchbacks, I know, I drived one. Look at Hyndai lineup now, they're definately getting better. Besides, if you're looking for a different look then modify the damn car and stop all this whining.

Name: Jeff
Comments:
Depends on the year, dude. My '97 turns heads left and right :)

Comments:
The old maximas look like someone threw up on them