These Are The Car Designs Our Readers Once Hated But Now Love

The Lexus SC 430 gets a lot of hate. Lexus's decision to replace the first-generation SC with a less-agile hardtop convertible that only came with an automatic transmission definitely didn't help, but the real nail in the coffin for the SC 430's reputation probably came after "Top Gear" told people it was ugly. Before "Top Gear" put its thumb on the scale, Car and Driver called the SC 430 "a terrific-looking car," and MotorTrend was only slightly more critical, saying, "The look is dramatic, for sure, yet nothing entirely new or original."

It's hard to overcome a smear campaign that's gone on for nearly 15 years, but luckily my coworker Logan has finally realized how wrong it was to hate the SC 430's design. Even better, he publicly admitted as much last Thursday, when he posed the question, "What car design did you once hate but now love?" Not everyone in the comments was willing to admit they were also wrong about the SC 430's styling, but you did offer a long list of cars that had also grown on you over the years. Let's take a look at some of the most popular answers.

I wouldn't say I love them or would ever buy one, but I certainly appreciate the late 90s/early 2000s retromobiles (particularly the last Ford Thunderbird) far more than I did when they came out.

I'm old, but not nearly old enough to care about the cars they were based on. But the fact that they took big risks on radical designs for fairly basic cars is something I miss. And they came in fun colors!

Suggested by: GrannyShifter

The 1990-1994 Lexus LS400. A guy in my town has a black one that I see often. Used to consider them a 'fancy' Camry, but now I think they completely nailed it on this one.

Also, really nice looking design compared to what we have now.

Suggested by: Pabst302

Hated the front of the gen 5 Prelude with those massive headlights, but loved the Skyline-ripoff name across the rear bumper. After I got over it I quickly realized from the driver's seat those headlights were awesome.

Suggested by: DungBeetle62

The 71-73 Mustangs. When I was younger, their looks repulsed me viscerally. While the coupes and convertibles remain unforgivably ugly in my eyes, the fastbacks are incredibly dramatic and muscular.

While they're probably one of the better deals in a permanently overheated Mustang market, I still wish I had bought one in the 90s when people were virtually giving them away, and you could still get a Mach 1 for chump change!

Suggested by: FriscoFairlane

The E63 BMW M6 Coupe, a car I once cursed for signaling the downfall of BMW's styling, has grown on me in a way no other car has. Upon its debut I thought it looked awkward and misshapen, but in the past ten years it's become an absolutely stunning GT in my eyes.

I will say that it doesn't exactly look like "an BMW" to me, and I wonder if my opinions on BMW's current line-up will flip in a similar fashion over the next decade.

Suggested by: Aldairion

Citroen SM ... Not a fan of French cars at all but this one has grown on me. Would like to own one day but that day has probably passed.

Suggested by: IB007

Nissan Juke. Upon its arrival I called it the frog car. But now looking back on it I kinda dig it – especially the one they stuffed the GT-R engine into.

Suggested by: PLAN-B 77

The second-generation Mazda MX-6, made 1991-1997.

1991 me would have much preferred its platform sibling, the second-generation Ford Probe, but of the two, the MX-6 has aged much more gracefully.

In fact, I recall the MX-6 ad campaign featuring the car in a time capsule, and it has indeed been much more timeless, and wouldn't look out of place if it were still made today.

Suggested by: Neutral President

R33 Skyline – It was always this middle child of a car that I didn't appreciate. But now I look at it, it's got classic lines that I appreciate over both the R32 and R34...

Suggested by: John Cardin

The 4th gen "catfish" Camaro. I always preferred the WS6 Trans Am over them(and still do) and thought the Camaro looked kinda stupid but ive done a 180 on that. I think they look great now, especially the SS.

Suggested by: Nick B.