Best Looking SUV?

[Jim Prower]

Willys "MB" Jeep
Willys Jeepster
AMC "CJ" Jeep
Chrysler "TJ" Wrangler
Ford Bronco '70
Land Rover Defender 90
Toyota FJ40

 

[viperpilot]

Jeep Commander
Range Rover
Grand Cherokee SRT-8 (faster from 0-60 than a Porsche 911, i have that from a TV-clip)

viper

 

[Flame-returns]

Land Rover Defender 90, its a design that has never changed (that model is the 1993 to 1997 model but it looks suspiciously identical to all of the other Defenders through the years).

It is a British Icon in the same way the old Mini is and its distinctly cool lines and distinct and unique features mark this out (ie the hinges on the outside of the doors, the way the two rear benches are bolted to the chasiss, the huge mechanical 4x4 lever, and that no-nonsense grill and headlight combo).

It gains some extra coolness by the fact that (as long as you get the one with the two benches as opposed to the four seats in the back) you have an army vehicle not just some scaled down macho nonsense. Oh and all the exposed mechanisms are cool too.

Too cool.

 

[YSSMAN]

Oh deary me...

Is that the replacement for the Aviator? Because I really liked that.

Actually the Aviator was axed, and they replaced it with this:

The Lincoln MKX, aka an over-glorified Ford Edge, aka a Ford Fusion with a lift-kit, aka the Mazda 6 with a lift-kit.

 

[Dave A]

Did they forget to hire someone to design it, or did they just under pay him?

 

[TopHat]

OMI GOD THAT NAVIGATOR IS AWESOME

That has to be the best looking Lincoln(besides the 84 Townie) I have ever seen. EVER. Yes, I am VERY baised, my dad had a Town Car, and it was HUGE. CAPITAL LETTERS RULE!

 

[Tornado]

The US Armys workhorses do not make good civilian transport.

The G-wagen was an Army transport car as well. So was the VW Kübelsitzwagen and Beetle; not to mention the Willy's Jeep.
Best looking:

Chervolet S-10 Blazer

The Chevrolet GMT400 2-door Blazer

The Original Saturn Vue

The Isuzu Axiom

(Highly Controversial Choice Alert!) The Isuzu VehiCROSS

The Jeep Cherokee (NOT the Liberty)

And of course, the Mistubishi Montero

 

[TopHat]

Why would you like the VehiCross, what are you smoking and where can I get some?


I don't like you, you like ALL of the ugly, no FUGLY SUVs

BUT I think the Axiom is too conservative and the Vehicross to be to wacky.

 

[Danny]

The G-wagen was an Army transport car as well. So was the VW Kübelsitzwagen and Beetle; not to mention the Willy's Jeep.

Yeah, I was slipping into the car as a whole with that comment. The G Wagen isn't great either, but it looks the biz.

 

[Tornado]

Why would you like the VehiCross, what are you smoking and where can I get some?
I don't like you, you like ALL of the ugly, no FUGLY SUVs

Thank you for that. Now why don't you take a cruise in your Lincoln Navigator and get stuck in a puddle, whilst I take any one of the cars I posted (except the Saturn) and proceed to kick the ass off-road of almost every other "SUV" posted in this thread (which means evey other car that isn't the Defender 90, G-Wagen, Range Rover and (in most cases) the Cayenne).

 

[red70mach1]

The two previous Navs and the M-B G-Wagon as my pics.

 

[Danny]

Thank you for that. Now why don't you take a cruise in your Lincoln Navigator and get stuck in a puddle, whilst I take any one of the cars I posted (except the Saturn) and proceed to kick the ass off-road of almost every other "SUV" posted in this thread (which means evey other car that isn't the Defender 90, G-Wagen, Range Rover and (in most cases) the Cayenne).

I agree with your point entirely, but I just have one point to add.

In a wealthy of off-road situations, a Landcruiser could equal, if not better a Defender or G Wagen.

Dubai desert tour agencies use them despite Defenders readily available, which is kinda telling.


Not all situations, mind. But much as I love the Defender, it has a match.
The only other real mud-plugger I could see in this thread that you haven't already mentioned would be the actually-quite-pretty-in-real-life Vehicross.

Edit: Nearly forgot, great post Toronado, +rep.

 

[TopHat]

I'm sorry for having coherent opinons on automotive styling, but thats just my opinion.


BTW, If i wanted to go offroad I would get a wrangler Rubicon, despite how primitive they are.

The Cherokee and the Axiom look good actually the land cruiser is *blah* , so to you sir.

 

[YSSMAN]

BTW, If i wanted to go offroad I would get a wrangler Rubicon, despite how primitive they are.

What makes them so primitive? The lack of an indipendent front and rear suspension? So what... When it works, it works, and the Wrangler is still unquestionably the king of off-road driving (outside of the H1, which is dead). I'd like to see a Land Rover LR2/Freelander outdo a Wrangler, or how about a BMW X3?

...The only 4X4 that I can see matching the Wrangler these days is the Defender, and even then, that must be "primitive" by your definition, correct?

 

[Tornado]

...The only 4X4 that I can see matching the Wrangler these days is the Defender, and even then, that must be "primitive" by your definition, correct?

Well, technically I'm sure the VehiCROSS, G-wagen, K-wagen and FJ40 could also go just as far.

 

[ceiling_fan]

I do not like this car. At all.



I do like the looks of the FX45 though.

 

[Poverty]

define off roading, because where in some situations say a defender would kick ass, on another terrain it wouldnt be all that good. I dont belive there is a ultimate off roader to be honest, you have to base your decision on the location where the vehicle is required.

 

[YSSMAN]

In America, most offroad situations are usually defined by the Rubicon Trail, hence the reasons why Jeep sells the "Rubicon" model of the Wrangler, and that most Jeeps are tested their to get their "Trail Rated" seal of approval.

The Wrangler is certainly a best bet in almost any situation, be it sand, mud, snow, etc while it would seem the Defender would do best in the mud and other "British" off-road situations... I think of the Top Gear test of the LR3/Disco in that situation, and I'm not sure why.

Either way, they are argueably the two best off-roaders available for civilian use these days, especially once with a "reasonable" price as compared to the VW triplets, which aren't too bad off-road either.

 

[Flame-returns]

while it would seem the Defender would do best in the mud and other "British" off-road situations... I think of the Top Gear test of the LR3/Disco in that situation, and I'm not sure why.

Yes but while they didn't test it they came to the conclusion that the Land Rover Defender (110) which was owned by one of the hunting party was the best vehicle for off road as it was the only one which didn't get completely stuck in the mud and it towed one of the sunken off road vehicles to safety.

 

[1X83Z]

This is absurd! You guys are discussing the merits of the SUVs - this thread is entitled best-looking SUV, not best SUV. The Jeep Cherokee is the winner by the way - my preference is for a later model Limited or Classic:

Those wheels are spectacular. Steel gray is probably the best color. That's the only way I'd get a vehicle that wasn't quicker than 7.1sec 0-60.

 

[Flame-returns]

Nope, green wheels are prettier.

There is no more masculine looking SUV (except the Hummer and he's just posing, his real name is Ken and if you got in a bar fight with him he'd pull out a pair of nail clippers).

 

[Danny]

Gold is the way to go, kinds sirs.

And as for masculine looking cars, the Forester STi looks like it's about to deck you. It runs on testosterone, not petrol.

 

[Dave A]

It really depends on the colour of the car imo.

 

[1X83Z]

If the Forester STi had 150hp and still looked like that you guys wouldn't like it. The only reason you guys think it's attractive is because you know its power rating. Sorry - put that aside, and it's a soccer mom's car. And a poor soccer mom at that.

 

[Danny]

If the Forester STi had 150hp and still looked like that you guys wouldn't like it. The only reason you guys think it's attractive is because you know its power rating. Sorry - put that aside, and it's a soccer mom's car. And a poor soccer mom at that.

Dude, my favourite car ever is the Megane, which tops out at 225hp.
You think I'm bothered about power?

The Forester STi couldn't be more imposing if it was the size of the QE2.
It looks just like a balooned Impreza, which it is.

I don't like the Impreza, but i like this. That should say something about the looks.

 

[1X83Z]

Well let's do it this way. Do you think the regular Forester is gorgeous?

 

[Danny]

Pre-facelift, yes.

However, the STi looks sufficiently different to the "normal" Foresters to merit seperate opinions on each. I feel that the Forester design, while innoffensive and rather sweeping in places, looks too sedate when next to its better looking twin.

Note that I think it's better looking because of the unique alloys, intake and bodykit, not the horsepower.

 

[Firebird]

 

[1X83Z]

Note that I think it's better looking because of the unique alloys, intake and bodykit, not the horsepower.

Do you really think those things change it enough to make it that good-looking?! I'm on the fence. For the record I actually like how the Forester looks - facelifted more than non - but I'm not sure if the bodykit is enough to push the STi into "best-looking" category.

 

[Danny]

Do you really think those things change it enough to make it that good-looking?! I'm on the fence. For the record I actually like how the Forester looks - facelifted more than non - but I'm not sure if the bodykit is enough to push the STi into "best-looking" category.

Don't get me wrong, look enough and some of it can look clumsy.

But it just looks so muscular and taut. It's the Jean Claude Van Damme of SUVs.
No-one would think the Forester STi was okay, you'd either love it or hate it.