[pheru8b]

When the SX4 launched in India, i thought it just downright ugly. One of the European auto reviewers even said it felt like it was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro's Italdesign studio (really, it actially is an Italian design!) on a rainy Thursday in Turin. The upward curve of the headlights was wierd, the back was boxy, and the front quarter glass just downright odd. So odd, in fact, that I kept staring at it... more... and more... and more... until suddenly i just had to have it. And i ended up buying it, and it was a rocket to drive!

[anjan_c2007]

Originally Posted by GTO

When I saw this car first, I wanted to throw up. But I was very surprised to end up accepting it, especially after the effective facelifts. In fact, a friend or two had modified their Santro Xings and dare I say, they looked good to me.

The Hyundai Santro was one such freak and "arrested development" design that ultimately grew upon the buyers, the tall boy ultimately emerging as a best seller. The Bombay taxi trade still loves it and mourns its exit from the scene. The original design that appeared in Autocar India sometime before its launch looked much more freak and ugly. I had thought that the designer who was doing the job went to sleep sometime and some other designer took up his job for completion. There were mismatches galore in the design.

Thank God, the Generation 1 Santro (1998-2003) that appeared in 1998 was more decent looking despite its design flaws and any day much better than the design in the sneak preview by Autocar India.





The Xing (2003-2015) looked slightly more decent than the earlier generation with many angularities getting ironed out.



The newer Santro (2018-2022) marketed as the Atos in other markets, launched a few years after the original tall boy exited the scene here, was a non-starter and was rested in peace for the better. It is questionable as to whether its design grew on the buyers, a question only its buyers can possibly answer.

[Mr.Sleeper]

Here's an interesting take

When I saw photos of the Kia Seltos facelift online, I thought the new grill and bumpers were over designed and too busy, felt the pre facelift car was classier

We recently got home a Seltos facelift HTX in black and must say that thing looks maad in person. The Tech line in particular gets neat and minimal looking bumpers imo. Gloss Black is the icing on the cake 😋

[Kum_CarFreak]

Hi Everyone

Wanted to add my humble opinion here.

I was in market for my first new car for family in March 2013. Within 20 minutes of discussion with wife and another 5 minutes with dad, we confirmed on our purchase which was Hyundai Eon Dlite Plus in blue shade (with AC and power steering) with OTR finalized to 3.59 lakhs. A 3000 rupees corporate discount would make it 3.56 L on road.

We went to the fuel station where Hyundai had the mela and booked the said car by paying 50k (20k was the booking amount).

But incidentally there was a Sleek Silver Santro Xing GL plus parked in the fuel bunk (which was said to have been booked by petrol bunk owner) in the display and my dad's eye fell on that. He fell in love with a bigger, taller and bulkier looking car than the booked Eon.

We took a Test Drive of the same Santro and we changed mind for my dad. Honestly but, Santro Xing was never in my wish list as I was not fond of its classical exterior looks at front and some auto like look in the rear profile.

Even after booking, I was sad that I had to let go the Eon which was smaller, more beautiful and more fuel efficient (considering my income at that point of time). But as years passed, we all were mad in love with Santro.

When Santro Xing left us exactly after 100 months of usage and 42k clicks on odo, we all cried together..

Apologies for my emotions here though.

[BrakHorseBarhat]

I am not a big fan of the recent trend in the automotive industry towards slim headlights and DRLs because of which I was initially not into the MG hector, however, after having bought it and living with it for 1.5 years the design has grown on me a lot and I absolutely love how it looks now.

[ignaneswar]

It has to be the new 7 series for me. Never liked the design language, especially the front grill. Completely changed my opinion after seeing it on road few times.

[DessertOnWheels]

As they say, ‘Everybody is somebody’s weirdo’. Going through the assorted list expressed by members, seems like every car features in somebody’s ‘yuck’ list. It’s quite difficult for me to dislike a car and later grow fond of it. Once disliked, remains disliked. But one model that comes close to being acceptable after ‘yuck at first sight’ would be the Isuzu MU7. It looked like a botched-up cosmetic surgery, carried out hurriedly by a Carpenter. But when you see a few of the rare specimens chugging along, honestly quite majestically too, one does sum up respect. Probably it’s a lot to do with the legendary reputation of the original beast over which it’s built.

[samarthnarayan]

Few Designs that I have grown to like over the last 40 years:

1. Original Hyundai Santro (Ultimate City Hatch)

2. The newer Maruti Wagon-R (Practicality)

3. Mahindra e2o Plus (Way ahead of its time)

4. MG Comet (Surprisingly Spacious on the inside)

5. Lastly From childhood, The Ambassador, the back seats were very comfortable, and very spacious with even 3 seated, and the boot space was just crazy. That car could probably beat modern day SUVs on back seat king feeling.