THE weirdest cars released in the last decade can be revealed – and include an axed “ugly and squashed” Mini.
An EV dubbed a plastic box on wheels also made the list of the strangest motors launched in the 2010s.
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One of the most baffling was the Mini Coupe, a model that reimagined the beloved Mini with a low, squashed roofline.
It was an attempt to craft a sporty, eye-catching car, but the design left many scratching their heads.
The shrunken roof not only made the car look awkward but also sacrificed the practicality Mini was known for.
Unsurprisingly, sales were dismal, and the Coupe was quietly dropped after a few years.
Nissan’s Murano CrossCabriolet was equally head-scratching.
This convertible SUV puzzled the market with its tall stance and bulbous body.
Car and Driver highlighted its “frightful lack of grip, pronounced body lean, and uncommunicative steering,” which detracted from its appeal
Its ride quality was smooth but unremarkable, and its high price tag made it even harder to love.
Despite its unusual charm, the CrossCabriolet lasted just three years before Nissan pulled the plug.
There was also the Morgan 3-Wheeler which proudly embraced its oddity, with a retro-inspired design that nodded to the brand’s 1920s cyclecars.
With just three wheels and an exposed engine mounted at the front, it looked like something from another era.
Yet, its quirky charm struck a chord with enthusiasts, remaining in production for a decade before a successor took its place.
On the other hand, Toyota’s Mirai tried to be futuristic but missed the mark with its looks.
One of the first hydrogen-powered cars, it promised cutting-edge tech but delivered a design so awkward that it became a distraction.
While Toyota improved the styling in its second generation, the original Mirai remains a strikingly odd footnote in automotive history.
Luxury brands aren’t immune to eccentricity either, as Aston Martin’s Cygnet proved.
This rebadged Toyota iQ came with a hefty price tag but little to justify it beyond a plush interior.
Aston hoped it would meet emissions regulations while appealing to city-dwelling elites, but buyers weren’t convinced.
After a brief stint on the market, it was consigned to the archives.
Then there’s the Nissan Juke-R 2.0, a Frankenstein’s monster of a car that merged the quirky Juke crossover with the guts of a GT-R.
With 600 horsepower under the hood, it was more than just a gimmick, but its steep price and limited production ensured it remained a curiosity rather than a commercial success.
Volkswagen took a different route with the XL1, crafting a hyper-efficient diesel-electric hybrid that looked more like a spaceship than a car.
Boasting 261 mpg, it was a marvel of engineering, but its steep price and niche appeal meant it never saw mainstream adoption.
Renault’s Twizy pushed the boundaries of what a car could be.
Essentially a glorified plastic box on wheels, it skipped windows and traditional doors to keep costs down.
Its zippy handling and quirky design earned it fans in urban markets, but practicality and range limitations kept it from breaking through.
Infiniti’s FX Vettel Edition was another oddity, a high-performance SUV named after F1 champion Sebastian Vettel.
Despite some carbon fiber touches and a modest performance boost, its exorbitant price tag made it a tough sell.
Finally, the BAC Mono offered a single-seater race car experience for the road.
Its dramatic styling and blistering speed turned heads, but its impracticality and eye-watering cost meant it remained a niche choice for track-day enthusiasts.
Weirdest cars from the 2010s
here is a list of the 2010s top weirdest car models.
- Mini Coupe
- Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet
- Renault Twizy
- Aston Martin Cygnet
- Nissan Juke-R 2.0
- Volkswagen XL1
- Infiniti FX Vettel Edition
- BAC Mono
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