The Mazda MX-30 Is No More (In The U.S.)
Subtitles
  • Off
  • English

These Are The Normal Cars You Find Beautiful

These Are The Normal Cars You Find Beautiful

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and not everyone needs a car to be exotic to find it pretty.

We may earn a commission from links on this page.
Start Slideshow
Start Slideshow
Image for article titled These Are The Normal Cars You Find Beautiful
Photo: Acura

There are plenty of beautiful exotic cars out there, but after a while, all of those start to blend together. Ferraris, Lamborghinis, McLarens, whatever — there isn’t that much of a difference between them, and that’s what got me thinking about our question from last week.

Advertisement

I wanted to know what you all consider to be the most beautiful normal cars. You know, cars that aren’t necessarily supposed to be really pretty. They’re cars you’re really supposed to buy with your head instead of your heart. It just so happens that they look great, too.

When I posed this question, I really though everyone was just going to say “Mazda anything” and call it a day. To be fair, many of you did, but we also got a ton of other great an interesting answers. I’ll be honest, some of you are a lot braver about sharing what you find beautiful that me, but that’s part of the fun I suppose.

Anyway, let’s take a look at what normal cars your fellow Jalops find the most beautiful.

Advertisement
Previous Slide
Next Slide

2 / 19

First Gen. Mazda6

First Gen. Mazda6

Image for article titled These Are The Normal Cars You Find Beautiful
Photo: Mazda

This was Mazda during their peak “Zoom-Zoom” era. The first Mazda6 was such a solid, handsome design with a perfect mix of curves and edges.

Advertisement

This era of Mazda6 has aged really well. It’s sort of unfortunate you don’t really see them around anymore. What I’d give to drive an original MazdaSpeed6...

Submitted by: thatguy1

Advertisement
Previous Slide
Next Slide

3 / 19

1955 Ford Thunderbird

1955 Ford Thunderbird

Image for article titled These Are The Normal Cars You Find Beautiful
Photo: Ford

“most beautiful normal car of all time.” That’s a tall order.

Is a Thunderbird a “normal” car. I’ll advocate that it is. I’m voting for the very pretty 1955 Ford Thunderbird. Clean lines, just the hint of fins, the perfect amount of chrome, interiors that were off-white and then accented to match the body colour... they were just... pretty.

Advertisement

Yeah I’ll count this. The original Thunderbird was gorgeous. So was the retro one from the early 2000s. I said what I said.

Submitted by: JohnnyWasASchoolBoy

Advertisement
Previous Slide
Next Slide

4 / 19

Fifth Gen. Toyota Prius

Fifth Gen. Toyota Prius

Image for article titled These Are The Normal Cars You Find Beautiful
Photo: Andy Kalmowitz / Jalopnik

Definitely the 23 Prius. I don’t know how Toyota suddenly decided to turn their ugly duckling into one of the best looking cars on the road, but I’m glad they did.

Advertisement

There’s a real argument to be made that this is the best looking car on sale today, normal or otherwise. Just look at it.

Submitted by: Tompie913

Advertisement
Previous Slide
Next Slide

5 / 19

Lincoln Aviator

Lincoln Aviator

Image for article titled These Are The Normal Cars You Find Beautiful
Photo: Lincoln

I rarely thought an SUV could be “beautiful” until I saw the Lincoln Aviator. It’s a surprisingly graceful design from an unexpected source.

The gently falling roofline and relatively low ground clearance for an SUV adds a lot of visual length, and it features just the right amount of brightwork to make it look distinctively American.

I rarely ever see these on the road, so I’m not sure how they hold up, but I think their scarcity adds to the appeal. It’s a very handsome hauler.

Advertisement

Lincoln’s lineup is one of the best looking in the industry right now. Though, to be fair that isn’t hard when you only sell four models.

Submitted by: Aldairion

Advertisement
Previous Slide
Next Slide

6 / 19

Oldsmobile Toronado

Oldsmobile Toronado

Image for article titled These Are The Normal Cars You Find Beautiful
Photo: Oldsmobile

I might be slightly biased here, because my uncle owned Toronados for 20 years, but I think the first Gen Toronado is gorgeous. This is peak GM engineering and styling.

And although my uncle didn’t live to see it, i think he would have approved of the First Generation Olds Aurora as well.

Advertisement

YES YES YES 1,000,000 TIMES YES. The Toronado deserves all the respect in the world.

Submitted by: Earthbound Misfit I

Advertisement
Previous Slide
Next Slide

7 / 19

Chrysler 300

Chrysler 300

Image for article titled These Are The Normal Cars You Find Beautiful
Photo: Chrysler

I feel like I’m going to catch a lot of shit for this choice but I think the Chrysler 300 is quite beautifully executed. It’s a rental fleet staple so about as normal a car as you can get but I think it has the perfect design mix of retro/modded/ordinary looks. It’s a family sedan that somehow can look sinister, luxurious and ordinary all at the same time.

Advertisement

SRT-8 300s still look fuckin’ badass and I won’t hear anything to the contrary.

Submitted by: elgordo47

Advertisement
Previous Slide
Next Slide

8 / 19

Honda Accord CD

Honda Accord CD

Image for article titled These Are The Normal Cars You Find Beautiful
Photo: Honda

My most deeply-held belief is that the CD-generation Accord, and the JDM-spec coupe, more specifically, is one of the most beautiful cars to have come out of the 90's.

Advertisement

This accord was a handsome guy, wasn’t it? However, it wasn’t as handsome as the 10th generation car.

Submitted by: The NSX Was Only In Development For 4 Years

Advertisement
Previous Slide
Next Slide

9 / 19

Third Gen. Mazda6

Third Gen. Mazda6

Image for article titled These Are The Normal Cars You Find Beautiful
Photo: Mazda

I always thought the 2021 Mazda 6 was a pretty car

Gorgeous car, the Mazda6. Especially in red. The idea of an inline-6 Mazda6 will live on in my head rent free.

Advertisement

Submitted by: darthspartan117

Advertisement
Previous Slide
Next Slide

Audi A5

Image for article titled These Are The Normal Cars You Find Beautiful
Photo: Audi

Not usually a German car fan but 2007-2016 Audi A5/S5 is the platonic deal of good looking normal car

Advertisement

The first A5 has aged so well. It’s almost impressive that Audi was able to look so far ahead with this design. Honestly, every Audi sort of looks like this A5 now. If it ain’t broke, I suppose.

Submitted by: ilikefoodandcars

Advertisement
Previous Slide
Next Slide

11 / 19

Volvo P1800

Volvo P1800

Image for article titled These Are The Normal Cars You Find Beautiful
Photo: Volvo

Here’s a left-field choice: Volvo P1800.

It’s a collectors car now- duh, look at it- but they made 60k of them and they cost a reasonable 5k in 1960. If there’s a prettier non-exotica car out there, I’ll eat something inedible.

Advertisement

The P1800 is so goddamn cool!

Submitted by: InsomniacRyan

Advertisement
Previous Slide
Next Slide

12 / 19

Third Gen. Acura TL

Third Gen. Acura TL

Image for article titled These Are The Normal Cars You Find Beautiful
Photo: Acura

Another Honda product: the 3rd gen (UA6-UA7) Acura TL (2004-2008) has aged fairly gracefully into the 2020s, imo.

Advertisement

Acura could put this thing on sale today and it wouldn’t look out of place.

Submitted by: nanxun

Advertisement
Previous Slide
Next Slide

13 / 19

VW Parati / Fox Wagon

VW Parati / Fox Wagon

Image for article titled These Are The Normal Cars You Find Beautiful
Photo: Volkswagen

The VW Parati, specially the first gen (which was sold in the USA as the Fox Wagon).

In Brazil it was ubiquitous: A cheap, practical and economic family mover. It has a clean and harmonious design, with great proportions all around. And it looks really great in my opinion.

Advertisement

I never want to yack on anyone’s yum. The Fox Wagon is neat. Beautiful? I don’t know, but that’s just me. Also, how goddamn sick is this press photo? I love it.

Submitted by: edu-petrolhead

Advertisement
Previous Slide
Next Slide

14 / 19

Honda S2000

Honda S2000

Image for article titled These Are The Normal Cars You Find Beautiful
Photo: Honda

It’s not “normal” in that it’s not a family sedan or crossover, but a sub-$50k (2023 dollars) 2-seat sports car had no business being this timelessly gorgeous.

Advertisement

Yeah, sure. I’ll count it. S2000s were sort of cheap when they first came out. We all missed our chance to buy one.

Submitted by: jbssfelix

Advertisement
Previous Slide
Next Slide

15 / 19

Infiniti Q60

Infiniti Q60

Image for article titled These Are The Normal Cars You Find Beautiful
Photo: Infiniti

I haven’t thought much about Infiniti’s cars in the past, oh...three decades or so, but I must admit that I am a smitten kitten for the Q60. There’s just something about it’s design that just works for me, like the way the LC500 is to some the only attractive application of the Lexus design language, and I feel of this with Infiniti design. It somehow manages to look aggressive and purposeful while still maintaining soft, svelte lines that flow together in a cohesive package. Also, I think it looks more like it’s equally attractive concept car than most when put into production.

I’ve never had the pleasure of driving one (or, from what I’ve read, the displeasure), but every time I see one I swoon a bit.

Advertisement

Did an Infiniti Q60 write this?

I kid, I kid. The Q60 is a pretty car... even if it has that weird bump in front of the hood.

Submitted by: paradsecar

Advertisement
Previous Slide
Next Slide

16 / 19

Mazda Protege 5

Mazda Protege 5

Image for article titled These Are The Normal Cars You Find Beautiful
Photo: Mazda

Another comment is talking about the generation just after this as peak zoom-zoom, but I feel the peak was right at the end of the previous generation. I know I won’t get a lot of support for this but I still adore the last of the Protege 5s from Mazda

Advertisement

Good lord, I forgot this thing existed. Bless you for reminding me. It was a pretty little hatch, wasn’t it?

Submitted by: GameDevBurnout

Advertisement
Previous Slide
Next Slide

17 / 19

Sixth Gen. Ford Explorer

Sixth Gen. Ford Explorer

Image for article titled These Are The Normal Cars You Find Beautiful
Photo: Ford

Agree with everyone else on the new Prius, someone in my neighborhood just got one and every time I walk past it I slow down and look at it, it really does look good in person from every angle - probably stands out more than normal given the old one was ugly from every angle.

2 other normal cars I think look good - the Kia EV6, and this one might be controversial - but I really like the looks of the current Ford Explorer. It just has a clean, functional design that I think looks good. And I don’t own either of those vehicles, or any Ford or Kia currently, so I’m not biased.

Advertisement

Ford really made the Explorer a handsome son of a gun for its latest iteration. If only the automaker could get recalls under control.

Submitted by: RideOrange

Advertisement
Previous Slide
Next Slide

18 / 19

Mazdas In General

Mazdas In General

Image for article titled These Are The Normal Cars You Find Beautiful
Photo: Mazda

Ctrl-V nearly the entire Mazda lineup from the last ~8 years. Mazda3, Mazda6, CX-9, CX-5, Miata, CX-50, CX-30, CX-90. You could exclude the CX-3 and 3 hatchback, but even they look pretty good from most angles. The MX-30...lets just ignore that one for now.

(Sorry, I don’t have 30 minutes to spend gathering all the beautiful photos)

Yeah, we know.

Submitted by: Stephen

Advertisement