What EVs Do You Detest the Most? Here Are My TOP 10 "Ugly Ducks" for Sale in the EU

So any other EV should be better than this "Made in China" with a Romanian badge. Well, not for me. If I could buy myself a new electric car, no matter the cost, I would avoid the following models on the European market.

No. 10: The failed Bulli reincarnation

Volkswagen's attempt to regain the sympathy of the "Flower Power" generation in the EV era doesn't work for me. The new VW ID. Buzz is too much a sibling to the common Transporter instead of an exciting modern interpretation of the funny Bulli of the '50s.

One could argue that VW T1 (the official designation of the first Bulli) is the ancestor of the Transporter family, and it's only natural for the ID. Buzz to play the more serious-than-ludic card. Ok, but it doesn't quite match that premium starting price, not too far from the EQV luxury electric van from Mercedes-Benz and rivaling any other electric SUV with a similar range.

"Oh, but it's got more space!" – well, for less money (and, cough-cough, some compromises regarding range), I could go for the more spacious Opel Zafira-e, for instance. Yes, it's utilitarian, not fancy, but the ID. Buzz isn't the lifestyle proposition I was hoping for. Or maybe I'm one of those narrow-minded who can't see the fresh style of the new ID design language.

No. 9: Less ugly doesn't make you pretty

Today's SsangYong Korando is much different than the Jeep copy from the 2000s. Which wasn't necessarily an ugly car – that term is well-deserved by Rodius or Actyon from two decades ago. But I've always had the impression that the much-troubled Korean company (at some points, Chinese SAIC owned it, and then the Indian Mahindra&Mahindra) was enjoying designing mostly unpleasant cars.

They didn't just look cheap; they also felt cheap regarding quality and handling. No wonder those feelings have a significant influence on my today's assertions. Surprisingly, the previous Korando generation seemed to have found a styling direction, but the new one is again undecided regarding its identity. And I don't like it, no matter how convenient the package price & space & range is advertised for the electric version.

No. 8: Too big to actually be useful

It may surprise our friends in the US, but I would never buy a gargantuan F150 Lightning. No, sir, this 5.91 m / 232.7 inches large pick-up is a waste of materials, and it's too large for our busy roads here in Europe. The recent drop in price wouldn't change my mind if I were looking for a truck for my sport equipment.

This Ford is simply too big and inefficient, in my humble European opinion, at least for my needs. I also despise the ongoing "mine is bigger" war the car makers are pushing and many customers fall for. You can call me nasty, but I really hope it won't be a successful car on this side of the Atlantic. I fear the trend it could spark.

No. 7: Why is it still with us?

The first Twingo from the 2000s is today a cult car because its cuteness is the same even after 20 years. Unfortunately, the generations that followed lost this trait on the way. Nowadays Renault Twingo EZ (which parts its platform to the late Smart ForFour) is a four-door, almost boring city car converted into an electric one, "recycling" the first ZOE's technology.

So now the electric Twingo is a low-range, not-too-affordable, and of little-use EV which fails to raise the Twingo reputation expectations. In fact, for that money, I'd instead restore, upgrade and convert an original Twingo!

No. 6: "Zero-emissions" bling meets electric ostentatious

I'm not talking about the first electric Rolls Royce or the future electric Bentley, which are the first to come to mind if you are filthy rich and must impress others with your too-expensive and futile electric toy. It's the Maybach SUV I wouldn't waste my money on despite being the only electric Maybach you can buy today.

Don't get me wrong. I like the EQE and EQS and their SUV declinations. They suit wealthy business people in suits (pun intended!), and if I were a millionaire, they would fit my taste too. I simply see Maybach as a super-luxury trim for the most expensive Mercedes-Benz cars, lacking refinement and style. It's also a reminder of the inability to compete with Rolls Royce's substantial legacy and reputation – not that I would ever buy one of their cars if I had the money.

If you compare the EQS SUV to this Maybach EQS SUV, the second one is too shiny, too in your face for what I expect from a luxury EV: decency. I know there's a public for Maybach, but it's not the kind I'm willing to be part of. Somehow, this kind of opulence doesn't match the paradigm shift of electromobility – being more conscious about how we deal with resources and the environment. Frankly, the world doesn't need bling EVs.

No. 5: An "Urban Revolution"? Yeah, right…

The Smart ForTwo was a bold move, and it had its share of lifestyle fans for a while. Its future is most likely doomed, as the Smart brand is now taking a new direction under Chinese ownership. However, here in Europe, mainly in Italy, the Chinese DR 1.0 EV hopes to be a substitute for the electric ForTwo. Get this, and it's even marketed as "The City car that revolutionizes urban mobility."

For 3.2 meters / 126 inches long, this two-doors and 2+2 seats EV doesn't look bad. Its 31-kWh battery promises a range of around 210 km / 130 miles, while the 45 kW and 150 Nm electric motor is said to make this one-ton car nimble. The only problem is that I wouldn't trade my more affordable and useful Spring for this. Maybe being married and having a kid is also important, but frankly, I don’t see the meaning of this DR 1.0 EV.

No. 4: Is there a glitch in the Matrix?

Do you remember Pontiac Aztec? Well, I had a glimpse of that when I first saw the Aiways U6. Maybe it was because of the yellow color, as I have to admit the U6 is not that horrible. But somehow, my first instinct was to jump like watching a "Scream" movie. It just isn't a good-looking car for me.

I suspect the U6 was inspired by Polestar 2 or the weird Volvo S60 Cross Country (the first sedan-SUV I know of, although such a mix is quite nonsense). Maybe it's because one of the two Chinese founders was the chief of Volvo Cars in China? Oh, there are also some German companies involved in the technical part.

The U6 reviews are not awful, and it seems like a good bang for the buck. But at that price and that range, I'd choose a Skoda Eniaq instead of this… call it whatever you like. I can't explain what I don't like about it – the futile elevated sedan style, the '80s design touches, or maybe the forced originality.

No. 3: Was ist das? It's a goddamn electric luxury war tank

You may call me crazy, but I don't care. I have to spell it out: the new BMW 7 Series is awful. Until now, the most despicable to me was the E65 from the Bangle era because it simply trashed the fine lines of the previous one, the one and only E38 (yes, I really like that third generation a lot!).

Two decades later, the G70 has lost its soul, although it's got an electric heart – excuse me for being such a lousy lyrical. I know it's one of the most praised electric limos out there, but it can't erase from my brain that it is not attractive at all. Especially when compared to the EQS.

Oh, and I still need to finish the debate with my inner self about whether it's uglier than the iX SUV. But I can excuse the iX because the XM is even more unattractive. C'mon, guys, the i3 was an experiment; I get it; you made your point. But this new design language is simply inappropriate for what many want from a luxury EV.

I tell you what: if I had the money for an i7, I would restore the 7 Series I like (the E38, remember?), and I'd use Tesla's powertrain and batteries to make a nice BMW electric limo for my taste. I hope the i7's facelift will follow the example of the i5, which is a lovely modern electric BMW. But for now, I kind of hate the i7. Please, someone, blow it on YouTube; it would make my day.

No. 2: It deserves a monument on Route 66

Because this is how many Mazda MX-30s were sold in California in 2023: just 66! May it rest in pieces in the US because it made me soooo angry at Japanese designers. In the post-Ford-era, Mazda designers blew my mind with the most attractive cars on the market. When I first saw the Mazda Shinari Concept in 2010, I exclaimed: "Alfa Romeo, go home! The new Alfa Romeo is Japanese."

Then the 2011 Mazda Takeri Concept transformed into the wonderful Mazda6 – and I'm not even a fan of three-volumes cars! Whenever I tested a new Mazda, my electrohead was silent, and the petrolhead enjoyed perfect times. And then, in 2020, Mazda decided to spit on the face of electroheads: the abominable MX-30 was born.

The dull design was only the appetizer. The EV had a terrible range (only 200 km / 124 miles) but a high sticker price, and the cabin needed to be more spacious and well-finished. It was like Mazda wanted to prove that a good electric car couldn't be made. Oh, and how cruel it was to use the "MX" monicker, the very symbol of the joy in the most beloved roadster in the world, for this… I can describe the MX-30 only as a flop.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I despise the MX-30, not so much because it's a lousy competitor in the market, but mostly because it feels like Mazda did it on purpose. When you're a master with petrol cars, it's unthinkable you're not up to the task when the time comes to join the EV party. That's why I see the MX-30 as a deplorable symbol of EV adoption resistance.

No. 1: Such a big name for such a [insert rude term here]

When you google "Invicta," the display is invaded with links and pictures of a Hollywood watch manufacturer. If you're interested, there's also this interesting Invicta History channel on YouTube. The car world addicts for sure remember the British Invicta automobile manufacturer. So, you would expect the "Invicta Electric" name to designate something remarkable.

You would be wrong. Very wrong. It's the name of a Spanish company selling the Chinese electric vehicle Zhidou D2S in Europe. For the price of the cheapest Dacia Spring, you get an ugly two-door 2.8 meters / 110 inches thing-on-four-wheels you can hardly call a "car"; a terrible range of only 120 km / 75 miles; less space and poor comfort. There's also a top version, with a bigger battery and allegedly 220 km / 136 miles range, but much less desirable than the most expensive Spring.

It's the most despicable electric car I've seen so far, and that's why it's got the top spot in my ranking. It's simply a shame for nowadays EV world. It reminds me of the Eldorado era of electromobility when small manufacturers like Th!nk or Tazzari were breaking the ice, and you were considered a lunatic to buy a poor electric car costing three or four times more than a reliable VW Golf. Today you must be crazy to buy yourself this nonsense little EV. This is my unbiased opinion.


Well, this is my TOP 10. Feel free to disagree with my choices; the freedom of speech is yours. But I'm more interested in your list of the electric vehicles you wouldn't buy and the reasons why. You don't even have to be objective. It's simply a matter of "like it or hate it," but in this case, the emphasis is on the second part. Let's see what other names out there will be thrown in the hall of shame. And let's be clear: this is not at all an incitement to hatred. It's only a feedback request meant to improve electric car offerings.