Yep that dash looks horrible and anti-functional to boot!

Then again I think all cars with those dumbass center guages look retarded. Just for example, I wouldn't buy the BMW Z8 even if it was offered to me at half price due to its center guages.

 

slt,

I love the red in the Pontiac backlighting...its the damn humps. Ick. Otherwise, the interior is quite nice. The Monsoon is fantastic, everything is right where it should be, but those damn humps...if I had known I was going to leave the dealership and resale value didn't mean anything (the Grand Am will be worthless with 150k+ on it before I get rid of it), I woulda bought a nice Alero GL2 Coupe. Great cars.

I love my Grand Am, but that dash....

 

The Toyota Echo has the ugliest dash...

 

That is horrible. Easily the worst dash i've ever seen.

The exterior is almost as bad. The proportions seem to be way off on every angle. I saw one on the streets 2 days ago, and the thing didn't even look like a minivan.

Everyone is trying to be “hip” and “different” nowadays, and the end results is a bunch of fugly cars in our streets.

 

Jason E,

Resale value on these cars isn't as bad as I feared. With new aleros selling for 13k, I thought I was screwed. I ended up getting $9,000 for my alero when I sold it a few months ago with 60k miles. Condisering I bought it used for $12k 2 years ago and put on 40k miles, 3k depreciation isn't bad.

My Alero

 

Although I still think the interiors are ugly, I dodn't think that red version is available in the production models? Has anyone see on in a production model with a red dash?

 

Lexus dude, blame Toyota of the center-of-dash-gauges trend. The Toyota Echo/Yaris started it. Then came the Z8, the new Mini and the Quest. (The Renault Spyder was really first, but only the tach was in the middle.)

 

Actually, wouldn't a CJ Jeep be the first?

 

If you are referring to gauges in the center of the dash, take a look at cars from the early ages.

 

Actually, center gauges can be closer to the sightline (compared to most cars) if done right. They just feel unnatural b/c we all grew up driving with them in the middle. Try it sometime. It is odd to turn your eyes to the right, but you are not pulling them DOWN as far because the gauges are higher and farther back on the dash (b/c they don't have to be seen through the wheel). I'm not a big fan of them from a styling standpoint (loses the "cockpit" feel), but I think if we had grown up with them like that, you'd find it quite natural.

In an Ion, for example, your eyes come slightly down from road level and to the right (allowing your peripheral vision to still scan the road). In a normal car, your eyes don't go to the right at all, but they go WAY down from the road level. Some cars are better than others at this, but the general trend is there. With the center gauges, the pod can be moved almost to windshield level without the steering wheel being in the way.

The styling doesn't appeal to me, though, so... (In the Ion it's not too bad; that new Quest dash is ***-awful, IMO.)

 

How old is the Renault Sypder? ...Because the Mini had gauges in the center since what, 1959?

 

I should have use the term "modern cars." FYI, the little Renault came out circa 1996. Interestingly, it originally came sans windshield. Of course, it was more of a "make-worm" project for the old Alpine factory in France than a real car...

In any case, the Mini example is pretty valid. After all, it was the first truly "modern" FWD car. It also was a pretty horrible vehicle. Other than a transverse mounted engine, just about every other "original" Mini feature was a bad idea.

So were center gauges.

 

Instead of looking down to see speed - HID - works great on my wifes GTP

 

Her GTP has high intensity discharge headlights? Didn't know that was an option. And how does that help you see your speed? I know, you meant HUD. I'm a big jerk!

 

Wow, that is definitely a tough call! I'm not liking the looks of those seats, either.