yup. plus safety specs. plus bean counters.

It's giving focus groups the boring generic BMWish clone they all want.

Not the primary reason but one reason I drive what I do. It at least looks different than most other cars and is fun to drive.

I see complaints similar to this all the time on various car forums. The ones that stood out on the 4Runner forum when I was researching a new vehicle was "thin, flexible hood" and "gutless engine".

Sadly, the EPA and safety police are the driver of all this. Soft flexible hoods for pedestrian head impacts, gutless engines for MPG, plastic bumpers for impact, maximum efficiency in shape for MPG, similar sizes so that impact zones are the same height for air bag deployment.

I expect most gas/diesel cars to look almost identical in 10 years.

Luckily, I think the advent of really good electric cars will bring back some more distinctive styling since MPG won't be such a big deal.

This came up a couple weeks ago on one of those what is the car on the security video threads. Aerodynamics for meeting CAFE has made most cars in the same segment have the same basic shape with differences in the styling cues of the sheet metal on the sides.

What's wrong with having a thin flexible hood? Some performance metric it negatively impacts?

This thread reminds me why I like Subarus so much.

That's why I got a hatch for my commuter. At least it's not quite as boring as a sedan, and much more practical.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but Nissan has done a lot to differentiate themselves in that category, even if they did steal the fender swells idea from the OG stingrays

Only a few automakers have been able to figure out how to have the front door, belt line, and A-pillar meet at the same spot without a goofy piece of junky black plastic. Probably one of my biggest pet peeves with modern automotive design.

Dill-Ag13 said:

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drumboy said:

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This thread reminds me why I like Wagons so much.

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Fifm

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Well yeah all of my Subies have been WRX wagons....

Nice one BTW

chimpanzee said:

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It's all relative...

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Indeed:

TRIDENT said:

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Badly in need of front window tint.

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You guys will complain about anything. That's what I get for a quick GIS

drumboy said:

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Dill-Ag13 said:

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drumboy said:

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This thread reminds me why I like Wagons so much.

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Fifm

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Well yeah all of my Subies have been WRX wagons....

Nice one BTW

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Oh I know. Your old red bugeye classified from eons ago is what perked my interests into older subi wagons

dlp3719 said:

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MouthBQ98 said:

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It's giving focus groups the boring generic BMWish clone they all want.

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The real BMW still stands out to me in that string of pics. The Merc too

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Really?

Dill-Ag13 said:

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drumboy said:

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Dill-Ag13 said:

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drumboy said:

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This thread reminds me why I like Wagons so much.

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Fifm

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Well yeah all of my Subies have been WRX wagons....

Nice one BTW

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Oh I know. Your old red bugeye classified from eons ago is what perked my interests into older subi wagons

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I think that was a "hawkeye" (04) but my first was a blue bugeye 02 (whoop) that I wrapped around a tree.

bedofbrass33 said:

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I see complaints similar to this all the time on various car forums. The ones that stood out on the 4Runner forum when I was researching a new vehicle was "thin, flexible hood" and "gutless engine".

Sadly, the EPA and safety police are the driver of all this. Soft flexible hoods for pedestrian head impacts, gutless engines for MPG, plastic bumpers for impact, maximum efficiency in shape for MPG, similar sizes so that impact zones are the same height for air bag deployment.

I expect most gas/diesel cars to look almost identical in 10 years.

Luckily, I think the advent of really good electric cars will bring back some more distinctive styling since MPG won't be such a big deal.

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you don't think electric vehicles are in a race to add distance to a battery charge?

agdoc2001 said:

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dlp3719 said:

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MouthBQ98 said:

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It's giving focus groups the boring generic BMWish clone they all want.

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The real BMW still stands out to me in that string of pics. The Merc too

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Really?

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Aside from the Nissan they're the only two I could place with 100% confidence.