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Styling

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder – and we conduct a poll of our team to name the most attractive car here

Styling

November 2009

How do you measure style? You can’t weigh it, feel it or time it –but you can see it. Image is equally hard to gauge, but they both have a massive impact on buying decisions.

Produce an ugly car and you’ll struggle to draw customers into the showroom. Get it right and you’ll have them queueing around the block. To decide on the best-looking car, we conducted a poll of our test team, and the latest Mazda came out the clear winner.

We like its sleek styling – the swooping headlights and distinctive grille give the 3 a unique character. It’s less attractive at the rear, but the overall shape is the most appealing to our eyes.

While the Mazda badge lacks the prestige of Volkswagen, the Japanese brand’s high standing in our Driver Power 2009 reliability and satisfaction survey – where it finished 10th overall – also gives buyers reassurance.

Second place goes to the Golf. Its upright design is obviously conservative, but it is also very distinctive, which sets the MkVI out from the family car crowd. Neat details – like the hinging tailgate badge that doubles as the boot release and headlamps which bear the VW logo – also lift it above its rivals.

Our team ranked the Astra third. As the newest car on the test, it comes as no surprise that it looks the most modern. However, a more daring approach may have seen the  Vauxhall finish even higher.

In SRi trim, its chrome-rimmed glass area gives a classy appearance in profile, while the sleek headlamps and unusual double-arrowhead tail-lamp clusters mark it out when the sun goes down. Sadly, the firm has some brand issues – it was voted third from bottom in the manufacturer ranking of our Driver Power 2009 survey.

Even so, Vauxhall beats its age-old Ford rival on looks, as time is beginning to catch up with the four-year-old Focus. The Mondeo-style front end fitted to the latest car has given it a shot in the arm, but there’s no getting away from its dated proportions.

Fifth place goes to the Skoda. While the brand’s reputation for customer service and reliability is second-to-none, the Octavia is no looker. It’s a smart choice, but slightly frumpy when compared with the likes of the Mazda and Vauxhall. Even the latest model, with its curvy headlamps, can’t beat the class leaders.

Which leaves the Honda trailing home last in the style stakes. Our former champion in this sector was cutting edge when it first appeared, but we knew it would date more quickly as a result. We’ve been proven right, and the Civic now looks as behind the times as it was ahead of them when it first appeared. A facelift late last year  brought the new grille seen here. But, if anything, we think it’s less attractive than the silver-effect original.

For an alternative review of the latest Volkswagen Golf visit our sister site carbuyer.co.uk

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7 Comments

THE BEST CAR

I HAVE A GOLF 1.4 TSI WHICH IS A LOT MORE POWERFUL THAN MY PREVIOUS CAR WHICH WAS A 1. ASTRA. THE QUALITY IS FAR SUPERIOR TO THE ASTRA. ITS NUMBER 1

By jay1smc on 19 November, 2009, 11:51am

I piss on vw prestige

What a looser

By Christian on 19 November, 2009, 10:23pm

I fail to see how the Golf in the Styling section with its frankly dull styling can be 2nd while the Civic with it`s exciting and different styling inside and out can be last. Love or hate it applies to any styling that is different and pushes the envelope further.

By AlanShaw on 20 November, 2009, 11:30am

Lucy

To say the Honda civic styling has dated is totally inaccurate. People are still excited by it`s appearance and style nearly 5 years after it`s introduction and to list it last is quite pathetic when second place is taken by the unexciting almost dull Golf and the quote "too anonymous" Astra takes third place.

By AlanShaw on 20 November, 2009, 11:37am

Styling

I know styling's subjective, but I still think marking the Honda down to such a degree is unfair. The VW may look different to its competitors, but it looks like every other Golf since the mid-90's. It's also ungainly - the Polo and Scirroco show VW can get their styling language right, the current Golf just doesn't manage it. The Honda by comparison is still easily the most adventurous design - that should be applauded whether you think it's dated or not (dated compared with what exactly?). It's still tightly proportioned and individualistic. I'd agree that the new grille is a mess, though.

Astra - stylish, in more expensive trim only though
Mazda - a bit fussy. Doesn't have the clean lines and pleasing proportions of the 6 (both current and last generation) or MX-5
Octavia - workmanlike, due to it's practical nature. Not as ungainly as it's predecessor.
Ford - always looked badly proportioned and dull. Huge shame after the eyecatching original.

By cakewalker90 on 21 November, 2009, 1:09am

Astra

2 out of 6 for Dynamics makes me laugh. Where's the measure on refinement, ride quality in conjunction with handling? I guarantee you the Astra is the most refined and has one of the best rides and still goes round corners twice as fast as any right minded person would ever need to go.
It really F%%s me off the way absolute on the limit handling carries so much more weight to an overall score.
How can you comment on styling - its subjective - end of. I personally think the Mazda is odd looking and the Focus plain dull and boring - Ford Kinetic design - my arse!
How many of the cars tested here will have a different body style for the 3 door? - none, zero, zilch that's how many. The Astra fills two moulds - stylish 5 door / practical with a gorgeous 3 door / coupe around the corner.
Anyway I'll rest assured that pan European sales of the Astra will at least match the Focus (if not better it) and give the Golf a run for its money.
Oh and finally, don't be fooled into VW quality thinking that means peerless reliability - it doesn't!

By smithts on 23 November, 2009, 2:30pm

with Golf's styling ...won the 2nd position.... are u kidding?

By reyu_tseng on 24 November, 2009, 8:15am

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DETAILS

WHY? "While the Astra’s sleek headlights look good, the overall design could be bolder"
AT A GLANCE:

Mazda 3 6/6
The Mazda 3 is easily the most attractive model in our line-up. It makes the rest here appear dated, and was our universal favourite.
 
VW Golf 5/6
While it’s more conservative, the distinctive Golf stands out from the family car crowd – and the VW badge is enormously desirable.
 
Vauxhall Astra 4/6
We think the Astra is too anonymous to take top spot, and it doesn’t have the VW’s prestige. Yet it’s still a tidy piece of design.
 
FORD FOCUS 3/6
Although the Ford is avery familiar sight, the Mondeo-style front end is attractive and the neat lines are unlikely to offend.
 
Skoda Octavia 2/6
Style has never been a big Octavia selling point, and the car’s facelift has done nothing to change that. It’s smart, but lacks dynamism.

Honda Civic 1/6
We always knew the space-age Civic would date quickly, and that has been the case. It polarises opinion – you either love it or hate it. 

 
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