4 ms·

I live in the home of the big 3, the metro Detroit area, and there's a pretty healthy mix of all nationalities of cars, so I don't think there's anything profou

I live in the home of the big 3, the metro Detroit area, and there's a pretty healthy mix of all nationalities of cars, so I don't think there's anything profoundly "American" about a Cadillac. In wealthy areas around here, I would even say that tastes run decisively German. But car design is essentially dying as a significant differentiator. Consumers' preferences are quickly converging on jellybean-like mini SUV's - it's hard to quantify, but cars are more than ever about utility and not identity. To the extent that non-SUV's even matter any more, manufacturing technology improvements are making mid-range Korean cars about as visually striking as an Audi to the average person. Anyway, I mostly suspect that recognizably "American" cars are holding on to some garish/aggressive elements because they're the the only way left to visibly differentiate - they'd rather be spunky and recognizable as their own (ugly) brand than blend in with Hyundais and Mazdas on the road.

gambiting 9y ago
I think what I mean is that even non-American brands will adjust their cars for the American market in such a way that to my eyes, it makes the car super ugly - but I guess it must be making them attractive to Americans, and I would love to understand why/how. Case in point: 2013 Nissan Qashqai, as seen in EU: https://www.ledperf.co.uk/images/models/W500/qashqai_nissan_luxe.png https://www.ledperf.co.uk/images/models/W500/qashqai_nissan_... 2013 Nissan Rogue(so Qashqai adjusted for the American market): https://cars.usnews.com/static/images/Auto/izmo/353341/2013_nissan_rogue_angularfront.jpg https://cars.usnews.com/static/images/Auto/izmo/353341/2013_... It's the exact same car. Yet the American version gets this attrocious front, the overgrown grille and these lights that don't really go anywhere and that don't look like anything. Again, this is my European taste speaking - if any Americans read this and they find the Rogue attractive but the Qashqai horrible - please, please tell me why it is so.
- namdnay 9y ago
  The Rogue is the US "x-trail", not the US Qashqai! It's one size up (but indeed they seem to have followed the godawful Murano styling on the US Rogue/XTrail)
  - gambiting 9y ago
    It is nowadays - 2017 Nissan Rogue is the European X-Trail. It wasn't the case in 2013 - it was just a qashqai. I don't think the previous gen X-Trail was even available in the US at all. This is particularly visible on the inside: 2013 Rogue: http://st.motortrend.com/uploads/sites/10/2015/09/2013-Nissan-Rogue-dash-view-001.jpg http://st.motortrend.com/uploads/sites/10/2015/09/2013-Nissa... 2013 Qashqai: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HF9QSCoWifs/UcL9LU3c7FI/AAAAAAAAQEw/StO6PcdvAdY/s1600/2013-Nissan-Qashqai-interior.jpg http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HF9QSCoWifs/UcL9LU3c7FI/AAAAAAAAQE... I happen to own a 2013 Nissan X-Trail and it's a completely different vehicle, it's a blocky offroader, not an inflated Qashqai like it is nowadays.
    - namdnay 9y ago
      Ah I think it's the "2017 Rogue Sport" which is a Qashqai. The Rogue remains an X-Trail (which has indeed been watered down since the 08MY offroad style) funny that they would follow the same pattern as JLR, releasing a "sport" version which is actually based on a lower category - See 1st gen Range Sport
      - gambiting 9y ago
        And then, because obviously it wasn't confusing enough, in Canada the Qashqai is a Qashqai, not Rogue Sport, but X-Trail is still a Rogue. http://www.nissan.ca/en http://www.nissan.ca/en
namdnay 9y ago
To be fair, the compact/subcompact SUV craze we see here is Europe is a bit of a design fad too - most of these have no significant advantage over the equivalent compact hatchback, and cost more to buy and run. If people wanted utility, they'd either be in hatches or LAVs (dokker, verso, and all the panel-van derivates: kangoo, partner etc) (I went halfway and got a yeti - awesome vehicle)
- arethuza 9y ago
  I was reading your comment and thinking - "My Yeti has lots of advantages over a hatchback" - then I saw your last line ;-) Just got a new one, bit gutted that they are phasing them out - the I was so attached to the last one that I was actually quite sad when I traded it in, which was a first for me!
  - namdnay 9y ago
    Same here - I can't believe they're replacing it with a bland Ateca clone... Indeed it's a bit of a compromise between the sensible Roomster and the pretty but useless SUVs

gambiting 9y ago

I think what I mean is that even non-American brands will adjust their cars for the American market in such a way that to my eyes, it makes the car super ugly - but I guess it must be making them attractive to Americans, and I would love to understand why/how. Case in point: 2013 Nissan Qashqai, as seen in EU: https://www.ledperf.co.uk/images/models/W500/qashqai_nissan_luxe.png https://www.ledperf.co.uk/images/models/W500/qashqai_nissan_... 2013 Nissan Rogue(so Qashqai adjusted for the American market): https://cars.usnews.com/static/images/Auto/izmo/353341/2013_nissan_rogue_angularfront.jpg https://cars.usnews.com/static/images/Auto/izmo/353341/2013_... It's the exact same car. Yet the American version gets this attrocious front, the overgrown grille and these lights that don't really go anywhere and that don't look like anything. Again, this is my European taste speaking - if any Americans read this and they find the Rogue attractive but the Qashqai horrible - please, please tell me why it is so.

namdnay 9y ago
The Rogue is the US "x-trail", not the US Qashqai! It's one size up (but indeed they seem to have followed the godawful Murano styling on the US Rogue/XTrail)
- gambiting 9y ago
  It is nowadays - 2017 Nissan Rogue is the European X-Trail. It wasn't the case in 2013 - it was just a qashqai. I don't think the previous gen X-Trail was even available in the US at all. This is particularly visible on the inside: 2013 Rogue: http://st.motortrend.com/uploads/sites/10/2015/09/2013-Nissan-Rogue-dash-view-001.jpg http://st.motortrend.com/uploads/sites/10/2015/09/2013-Nissa... 2013 Qashqai: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HF9QSCoWifs/UcL9LU3c7FI/AAAAAAAAQEw/StO6PcdvAdY/s1600/2013-Nissan-Qashqai-interior.jpg http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HF9QSCoWifs/UcL9LU3c7FI/AAAAAAAAQE... I happen to own a 2013 Nissan X-Trail and it's a completely different vehicle, it's a blocky offroader, not an inflated Qashqai like it is nowadays.
  - namdnay 9y ago
    Ah I think it's the "2017 Rogue Sport" which is a Qashqai. The Rogue remains an X-Trail (which has indeed been watered down since the 08MY offroad style) funny that they would follow the same pattern as JLR, releasing a "sport" version which is actually based on a lower category - See 1st gen Range Sport
    - gambiting 9y ago
      And then, because obviously it wasn't confusing enough, in Canada the Qashqai is a Qashqai, not Rogue Sport, but X-Trail is still a Rogue. http://www.nissan.ca/en http://www.nissan.ca/en

namdnay 9y ago

To be fair, the compact/subcompact SUV craze we see here is Europe is a bit of a design fad too - most of these have no significant advantage over the equivalent compact hatchback, and cost more to buy and run. If people wanted utility, they'd either be in hatches or LAVs (dokker, verso, and all the panel-van derivates: kangoo, partner etc) (I went halfway and got a yeti - awesome vehicle)

arethuza 9y ago
I was reading your comment and thinking - "My Yeti has lots of advantages over a hatchback" - then I saw your last line ;-) Just got a new one, bit gutted that they are phasing them out - the I was so attached to the last one that I was actually quite sad when I traded it in, which was a first for me!
- namdnay 9y ago
  Same here - I can't believe they're replacing it with a bland Ateca clone... Indeed it's a bit of a compromise between the sensible Roomster and the pretty but useless SUVs