Dodge needs to go in a different design direction
 

I just looked at their entire lineup and man is it uninspiring. I get that they want to have a theme across model lines, but they need a new one desperately. I don't like the boxy direction, I think Volvo already explored the many dimensions of that visual expression.

They need to have a radical shift from the new theme. It is totally blasé. I say redesign the whole lineup with a contemporary interpretation of classic retro.

Of course, I like the Charger/300C/Magnum/Challenger, it's the all the other highly faceted sharp angled body work cars. If that's supposed to look futuristic, I don't like that future. Looks like another foray into the 80's boxyness.

RE: Dodge needs to go in a different design direction
 

Dude... are you SURE you're looking at the current U.S. Dodge lineup? [&:]

You really think the Avenger is "boxy"? If that's the case, you'd have to say that the Charger is too, since the Avenger is almost a mini-me of the Charger.

And the Caliber... is that "boxy" too? I might call it homely, even kinda ugly, but boxy never came to mind.

The Durango and Dakota... I MIGHT give you those, but I don't think they're any worse in that regard than equivalent GM or Ford models.

Does the Ram count? Is that "boxy" too? Prior to 1994, absolutely, but nowadays... again that's not a word that leaps to mind.

Wait a minute... the SPRINTER! There's a boxy Dodge! (granted it is a van... but it's still boxy!)

When I think of "boxy", I think of an 80s K-car, or an 80s GM A-body, or just about any Volvo model (especially prior to the 1990s)... so I guess you'll have to forgive me for not seeing any "boxy" designs in the current line-up. Granted some could certainly use some attention, like the Caliber (and absolutely the Sebring - yucko), but I guess overall we're just gonna have to majorly agree to disagree on this one.

RE: Dodge needs to go in a different design direction
 

The latest Durango is one of the ugliest cars I've ever seen, with the ungainly shape plus the huge fenders and dumb looking grill. The big, thick cross on the grill on all their cars looks really dumb. Thank goodness it's not on the Challenger. Something like that shouldn't be on anything besides a pickup truck. I don't understand how they can stay in business with cars that ugly or why their executives would approve all those bad design decisions. I guess that's why they are in trouble. Don't they have any focus groups? I could do a much better job designing cars.

RE: Dodge needs to go in a different design direction
 

Scion Xb or whatever, are UGLY!!!!!!
if you bought a silver one and slapped some foam that looks like a half piece of bread all the toast lovers would come runn out screamin' "WE GOT A RUNNAWAY TOASTER!"

-Land Rovers are ugly too.

RE: Dodge needs to go in a different design direction
 

OK, the Ram and Dakota, don't mind those...my gripes are specifically:

Journey
Caliber
Avenger

neutral on Caravan but has the same thing...

Specifically what I'm talking about is the hood line and the front facia. Look at the front of these cars, they all have the same bland boxyness.

Are they K-car ugly, no...but maybe the K-car's weren't K-car ugly back when they were transitioning out of the 70's. For the record

My point is the from the front, again, there are common lines and a square-ish thing going on, I just don't groove on it.

I thought the 90's and early 00's were more attractive and more modern looking.

Between a Neon and Caliber, I'd take a neon. Between similarly equipped (all the new gadgets) last gen and current gen Caravan, I'd take the last gen, same w/ the Durango.

I do like the dakota and ram.

RE: Dodge needs to go in a different design direction
 

I liked it when the design trend was to make the cars rounded and pretty. I don't remember exactly when that was, maybe the 90's.

Do you guys think the new trend of chunky, boxy, ugly cars was brought on by new safefty requirements?
Do they have to make them look like that because of all the new, extra safety junk that the government requires?

RE: Dodge needs to go in a different design direction
 

I think they have to constantly change things somewhat radically to appear different enough to be perceived by the consumer as "modern". Regardless, I don't like the angled facets. I liked the smoother concepts of the late 90's early 00's (chronos, copperhead, etc). I look organic clean lines. Mazda MX6. Nice clean lines or ANY Chrysler product from the 90's.

RE: Dodge needs to go in a different design direction
 

i would agree that the cars have a boxy feel to them...but thats not just dodge...even the mustang has a boxy shape compared to the prior generation models.

im not a huge fan of the caliber...the performance of the non-srt models is very poor...and in making the srt4 model FWD, they took it out of any real class. its still slower than the evo and sti, where the neon srt4 was a bit closer, but it is nothing like the other cars in its class...not a great replacement for the neon.

i think that dodge should make the avenger stormtrooper..i think that its awesome.

RE: Dodge needs to go in a different design direction
 

It's an American auto trend isn't if?? Don't we keep going in cirlcle's?? Seems like the auto industry re-introduces old things every 10-15 years.
I look at the new Vette' and see an old stingray, I look at the C5's and see an early model stingray.
I agree the Durgango took a turn for the worse and so did the dakota. The Ram is the sharpest looking vehicle, till the Challenger showed up. (wew) Glad I own one;)
As for the rest of the line-up Charger 300c and magnum are pretty much the same car and not a bad one in my opinoin.
the vans and small cars are pretty ugly though but to me all the all the other vans and small cars from american autos are ugly too. It's funny but they did to take just a little hint of design form the imports.
I know I know I shouldn't say this but come on.... Infiniti I really like maybe some of the BMW's.

RE: Dodge needs to go in a different design direction
 

Sometimes, it takes them 38 years to re-introduce old things. ;)

RE: Dodge needs to go in a different design direction
 

The new caravan seems to be making a transition to a crossover vehicle of you ask me. If I was held at gun point to choose a van I would probibly choose the new caravan.

RE: Dodge needs to go in a different design direction
 

I just don't get the crossover, but as stated previously, I never lusted after an SUV. The thing I love about the Challenger is that across the spectrum, it's impracticality will be offset by it's intended application.

For the majority, SUV's, in this country, IMHO, serve the purpose of allaying any distaste or perceived uncoolness of being seen in a mini-van. Typically soccer moms hauling kids and groceries. So the crossover, to me, seems like the evolution of the SUV back into a minivan because it's a tool that has been over used and typically used for the wrong purpose.

Mirada, the one exception I give to the Avenger, is the exact same one you mention. The StormTrooper Avenger, is a powerful looking vehicle. The rest of the avengers...mini Chargers morphed w/ Caliber front ends or vise versa.

RE: Dodge needs to go in a different design direction
 

As has been mentioned, car designs as a whole go in cycles. I remember when the new 1996 Ford Taurus came out, which Ford proudly touted its revolutionary ovoid shape, even bragging that "you won't find a straight line on this car anywhere...". This car was anything but "boxy"... and boy was it ugly - Ford pretty much admitted the same by redesigning the car completely as soon as 2000.

I guess my point is, you can have "boxy" shapes and aerodynamic "ovoid" shapes - just find a fine line between the 2, that's the real trick.

RE: Dodge needs to go in a different design direction
 

Ahhh this is why we build cars so differently. Just like fashion, its only old until someone brings it back out again. Everything old is new again so to say. I own an 88 Conquest TSI and 91 Stealth R/T and they are polar opposites. The TSI is square and has very straight lines. But the R/T is round and curvy. I love both of my daily drivers and find them both very attractive. So I guess beauty lies in the eye of the beholder after all. Dodge will have to wait and see if their idea of beauty is the same as their buying publics.

RE: Dodge needs to go in a different design direction
 

I have an 06 Grand Caravan SXT. I like the design of it and the color Butane Blue. The new 08's I really don't care about the design. It's too sharp edged, squared off in the back. The 84's when they came out for the first year. That was a box on wheels.

RE: Dodge needs to go in a different design direction
 

Just got back to NW Jersey from VA. PA finally has finished on 78 and 81 after 15 years (no exageration) that I know of since I've been coming to NJ. I got teary as I went to VA w/ no construction AND came back w/ no construction, I can only imagine it will last just this very brief period...so I'll remember these heady times...oh....yeah....point...


So, I am about to contradict myself Conquest/Starion boxy. Good. Nice designs. OK so it's not always about organic, I'll just say it this way....a design theme works or doesn't and the stuff they got going now (other than previously stated exceptions) don't. They're just vapid.

I liked the Dynasty (K car), I even liked the LeBarron original....and of course loved my Horizon (boxy fat Rabbit lookin' thing)

I just can't groove on what they've got cookin' now. It ain't Pontiac Aztec ugly, but too damned close for Chrysler for my taste.

Basically, growing up in a Chrysler house, I could always justify less than stellar service records with well designed aesthetically pleasing automobiles. People won't buy not good looking cars, I hope they do some more focus groups, or get some w/o myopia.

RE: Dodge needs to go in a different design direction
 

I have to agree, Dodge has become way too boxy and some of the models look too much alike. If you look back on the late 90s, each car had its own identity to a degree. The Neon looked unique and aerodynamic without a real grille, the Stratus was the only one to have a high (traditional) grille, the Intrepid had a lower grille which made it look like the Viper, the Avenger although having a lower grille was a coupe and had a different look than the Intrepid. The Dakota did look like a baby Ram, which was acceptable as it looked very good and the Durango looked a lot like the Dakota naturally. That in my opinion was the peak of Dodge's styling in recent history. Now here is what is wrong

Avenger:
Although there are things I like about the car. It looks like a cross between a Caliber and Charger. The attempted four door coupe look might work on the Charger, but it seems just plain pathetic on the Avenger and it creates an annoying blind spot. The R/T model looks good but some of the other versions sometimes make me think of the Cobalt (ICK!).

Caliber:
I have never for one minuet like this car in any way shape or form. I looks like a box on wheels. The CVTs don't help my opinion or the fact that they get such terrible fuel mileage for what they are.

Nitro:
How can anyone mistake this for anything but a box on wheels.

Magnum:
I'm sorry but every single time I see one of those things, I see a 1985 Ford LTD Stationwagon (ick! ick! ICK!).

Caravan:
My parents have a 2002 Caravan and they were talking about trading it in since it has 115K on it (which is really not that many miles for how well they hold up), but the new ones look like a return to the 80s so I'm suggesting either they find a left over 2007 or hold out until this one has 200K or more on it. I liked the rounder look personally, plus the interior was nicer on the 2001-2007 models.

1 Bad Mirada, I agree the StormTrooper Avenger looks excellent. I would be very tempted by one of those.