It’s a battle of the ugly cars. Both the Pontiac Aztek and the Nissan Juke have been blasted for their less than stellar looks, and there’s no case of the ugly duckling turning out to be a swan in this story. Both cars were failures when it came to delivering in other areas like power and performance as well. 

Even so, these cars may be so ugly it’s hard not to like them, even if you don’t exactly want to own one for yourself. So how do they stack up against each other?

The 2017 Nissan Juke is so ugly it’s cute 

The 2017 Nissan Juke looks like a vehicle Batman’s Penguin might drive. The hood seems too short, the trunk is nonexistent, and no amount of cool lighting could hide the odd angles. It looks like the Hulk came along and crushed it, and a savvy auto body worker managed to smooth out the edges.

The inside was even more bizarre. Nissan praised the motorcycle-inspired center console and motorsport-style gauges, but it left most consumers scratching their heads. It’s cool to buck the system and try some new style, but it doesn’t always work out, as was the case with the Juke.

Even so, Car and Driver thought the Juke was a blast to drive. It came equipped with an 88 hp 1.6-liter turbo four-cylinder engine and CVT transmission. What stood out for the Juke was the combined 29 mpg.

Edmunds reports that you can get a used 2017 Nissan Juke for about $20,250.

The 2004 Pontiac Aztek is so wrong it might just be right

It’s hard to truly hate a car that looks like the Pontiac Aztek. But you can’t really love it either, especially when it pulls up to a red light next to the likes of a Chevy Camaro. If anything, you feel pity for it.

It’s hard to even place a label on the Aztek. Is it a sedan? Is it a hatchback or a minivan? Is it even a legit car, or is this Pontiac’s idea of a practical joke on consumers?

Car and Driver stated,

The Aztek, a blatant minivan-in-drag monstrosity, sat on stage looking like a sad, fat man who’d had his nose cut off. It’s so powerfully ugly that a blobfish wouldn’t be seen next to it. If you saw something that looked like the Aztek scurry out from behind your fridge, you might have difficulty deciding whether to kill it or kill yourself.

Despite what Car and Driver think, consumer reviews on Edmunds were full of praise. From the 27-29 mpg to the roomy interior, they couldn’t say enough good about it. The 3.4 L V6 engine isn’t the most impressive, but the MSRP of $21,175 wasn’t bad, even when the Aztek was brand new. 

Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the ugliest of them all?

The Nissan Juke may have failed to wow consumers, but according to Motor1, it’s still in production in Europe. It’s still got many odd features that earned it such infamy in North America. But that may appeal to some people who want to stand out from the crowd.

As for the North American audience, the Juke was transformed into the Kicks, so the argument could be made that the Juke still lives on. It’s just in a more acceptable form. It may even make a resurgence as the Juke Nismo.

So who wins the award for the ugliest car? That probably has to go to the Aztek. Even so, it remains a historic car that will never be forgotten for that very reason. Besides, after its appearance in Breaking Bad, it gained a new level of infamy which can’t be ignored.