4 car designs that should have stuck but didn’t
Recently, r/cars reminisced on vehicle designs that have left the chat, for the most part, and I’ve pulled a few highlights. Note: Some of these still exist in small doses but are far from the norm. Let’s dive into four car designs Reddit thinks should have stuck but didn’t.
Utes
For the record, it’s pronounced “yoot.” These little utility vehicles used a passenger car chassis, a coupe front end, and a tonneau’d rear body. In other words, there’s an open-air bed in the back, giving it mini-pickup vibes.
The Ford Ranchero, Chevy El Camino, and the Subaru BRAT are well-known utes, but their roots reach back to the 1920s in the U.S. They were used as “roadster utility” or compact delivery vehicles, like the Chevrolet National. Chevy, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, and GMC have all had utes at some point. Most dropped out by the late eighties. The Chevrolet HHR went until 2006.
You’ll hear about their success in the Australian market, but these days, they’re not as much of a common sight there, either.
Hatchbacks, liftbacks, estates, and wagons
Folks might be surprised at how many American-market cars still use these body types, but of course, none are as popular as the hulky pickups and SUVs we’re addicted to now. As such, they deserve mention.
The VW Golf, Honda Civic, and Subaru Impreza are perhaps best known in the hatch/liftback category, but there are more than a dozen cars on the market today that fit these forms.
In terms of estates, I have to mention Buick, which made several iconic versions between 1940 and 1996.
The Subaru Legacy Outback introduced the still-popular wagon for the outdoorsy suburban crowd. Just about every American market automaker has had a wagon at some point. Some luxury brands, including Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Mini, Porsche, and Volvo, have them for 2024.
Sedans that tow well
This is one “car designs” mention I’m not so sure about. Modern sedans can still tow small trailers or pop-up campers. See BMW, Honda, Mazda, Subaru, Toyota, and Volvo for just a few “new” examples. Used sedans are still readily available, of course. However, all sedans are rated for relatively small tow capacities – think 1,000-2,000 lbs. I’d question what the Redditor meant here – are they sad that sedans are less popular in general? I hear that. And sure, maybe older American sedans could handle heavier loads. But even in decades past, wagons were the suburbanite’s choice for hauling down the highway on family vacay. No car can do it all – at least not yet.
Color comes and goes
The most upvoted car design feature in this discussion was simply “color.” Today, neutral whites, blacks, and greys dominate. In another thread this week, many folks mentioned poetic paint names, like BMW’s Techno Violet, Honda’s Redline Orange, Mazda’s Soul Red Crystal Metallic, and Subaru’s World Rally Blue.
One Redditor aptly mentioned that colors trend and dull in cycles. For example, the seventies touted “earthier” colors than the bright tones of the 1960s.
Read the full thread on car designs that didn’t stick around but should have below.
