10 Ugly Cars That Last Forever

Calling a car ugly is a subjective statement, as evidenced by the fact that some people do, in fact, like the Pontiac Aztek. Widely cited as one of the most hideous automotive designs ever, the Aztek is easy to pick on. But there are others out there, cars that slipped through the design cracks and were born with unfortunate features. Like the first four generations of Toyota's dorkmobile Prius or the hearse-like Lincoln MKT.

Some might shy away from driving ugly cars like this to avoid scorn from their peers, but what if we told you there were ugly cars out there known for tremendous reliability? Cars that practically last forever, but that the masses avoid, including perhaps your unfriendly neighborhood thief. This is an interesting cross-section of the automotive industry and one we are zeroing in on today. 

Aside from aesthetic musings, we've researched the tremendous longevity of these dubious-looking vehicles, some of which have odometers deep in the six-figure range. Keep in mind, it's possible to find individual examples from nearly any manufacturer that were duds or that racked up over 250,000 miles. So we've gathered as much evidence as possible to support the claim that these 10 ugly cars last (almost) forever.

The first-generation Honda Ridgeline is one of many dependable vehicles built by the Japanese automaker. The company sits above average in J.D. Power's 2025 study on dependability, and it is the number two-ranked brand that iSeeCars says is most likely to build vehicles that will run past 250,000 miles. Not only that, the Ridgeline in particular ranks 6th across all vehicle segments as most likely to hit that quarter-million-mile mark.

According to that iSeeCars report, which does not segment by generation, the Honda Ridgeline has a 25.8% chance of reaching more than 250,000 miles on its odometer, which is three times higher than average. Take a look at Ridgeline owners on Reddit and you'll find commentary like, "I have 226k on my 2006 Ridgeline. It's still as reliable as can be..." So yes, the Ridgeline has what it takes to go the distance, but what about the looks?

Honda's pickup truck has never fit the traditional style of a domestic pickup, but the first-gen models had clever features like a waterproof, locking trunk within the bed floor. Unfortunately, its odd Chevy Avalanche-like flying buttresses and strange heating coil-esque front grille helped it earn a spot on Motor Trend's list of ugly trucks and had Jalopnik questioning if it's the ugliest truck of all time. Love its looks or not, there's no denying these Ridgelines were built to last a long time.

Toyota's fuel-sipping Prius went on sale in America 25 years ago, and for most of that stretch, its looks have been derided as everything from bland to brutal. Given its hyper-miling mission, Toyota would no doubt point to the aerodynamic skills of its long-running hybrid as a reason behind those lines. We noted that the recently launched fifth-gen Prius has finally shaken off its ugly reputation with a new, sleek appearance.

But today, we're looking specifically at the third-gen Prius. It's hard to choose which generation is the ugliest, but Edmunds called this Prius the "polliwog of green piety" on its list of 100 ugliest cars in history, so we'll go with it. More importantly for those interested in purchasing a Prius is that these pious little pods of green efficiency have ample evidence of longevity. iSeeCars says Toyota is the number one ranked automaker when it comes to building cars likely to go beyond 250,000 miles.

That report also notes the Prius is 1 ½ times more likely than average to hit this mark, and J.D. Power backs up Toyota's reputation for impressive build quality by ranking it 4th on their 2025 U.S. Dependability study. Plus, the internet is rife with examples of owners who have accrued huge mileage on their third-gen Prius. Like a review on Cars.com that reads, "I bought the car with 167k and now have over 210k...GREAT gas mileage thus far NO PROBLEMS." 

There's an argument to be made that the Infiniti QX SUV — originally the QX56 and now the QX80 — has never been pretty. Second-generation models appear to be bloated in all the wrong places, while the latest series has a bit of a je ne sais quoi, and not in a good way. But we're going to pick on the O.G. QX with the front-end that Motor Trend described as "a Neanderthal-like visage and its accompanying cognitive inabilities" when awarding the big Infiniti a spot on its all-time ugliest cars list.

Of course, this is a highly subjective sentiment — but its reliability isn't. The Infiniti shared much with its lower-priced, and perhaps more handsome, Nissan Armada corporate cousin. That includes the 5.6L V8 powertrain and 5-speed automatic transmission. The Armada made it onto the iSeeCars report of vehicles most likely to reach a quarter-million miles, so by extension, we're suggesting the QX56 offers similar reliability.

Multiple owners back this up, including one motorist with a 2010 Armada (again, leaning on that powertrain commonality) who reached 240,000 miles and a 2008 QX56 owner who surpassed 250,000 miles. These first-gen QX SUVs may be ugly, but they can clearly go the distance.

Although the Nissan Altima sold about one-third as many units in 2024 as the Toyota Camry, between 2005 and 2019, Nissan consistently sold at least 200,000 of its mid-size sedans annually, and in many cases, more than 300,000. It's clear the Altima is well-liked by consumers, likely because of its reputation for lasting build quality. iSeeCars included the Altima on its longest-lasting vehicles report, stating the car has a 6.3% chance of reaching 250,000 miles.

The reviews are strong. One owner on Cars.com deemed their second-gen Altima "very reliable and trustworthy," adding that they had driven it to 194,000 miles. An owner on Reddit wrote, "I have a 2000 Nissan Altima pushing 240,000 miles. I don't want to get rid of it." Strong praise indeed, but what about these Altima's looks?

Built between 1998 and 2001, the second-generation Altima's design was an evolution of its predecessor's ovoid vibe, which was just fine, except for the rear end. Along with calling these Altimas cheaper and boring compared to the original model, Hagerty described the backside as a "deformed trunk". Not really the kind of language one uses for a handsome or pretty car, but hey, at least these Nissans have stamina. 

Look up "polarizing design" in the dictionary and you're likely to see Nissan's compact Juke crossover. Widely described in derogatory amphibian phrases like "atomic frog", "frog-in-a-sock", and "frog-faced Godzilla" in 485-horsepower R form, the gawky Juke has also earned a spot on Edmunds' and Motor Trend's lists of ugly rides. If you like frogs, perhaps the Juke is for you, but otherwise, this little Nissan has struggled to find aesthetic praise.

However, durability is an entirely different story. The first-generation Juke, built between 2011 and 2017, comes with a J.D. Power Quality and Reliability rating of 79 out of 100 (2013 model). This is on the cusp of being in the publication's "Great" category. Owner reviews praise the Juke's dependability, too. One Cars.com review of a 2013 Juke with 196,000 miles lauded its reliability during commutes and several cross-country excursions.

Another first-gen Juke owner shared on Kelley Blue Book that they'd bought the car with 60,000 miles and added another 70,000 over a 3-year span with "little to no problems". We should point out that when you look for insight on whether a car like the Nissan Juke is long-lasting, there are numerous contrasting examples. This is common for almost any car from any brand, and, in general, owners who report high mileage tend to report regular maintenance as a reason for the success.

As we've already established, Honda has a reputation for building reliable and long-lasting cars. The standard Civic is iSeeCars' 10th most likely vehicle, across any segment, to run past the 250,000-mile mark, and the Honda brand is ranked second on that same report. But although the standard Civic and Type R share the same foundation, it's easy to wonder if the high-performance upgrades to the Type R affect its durability bona fides.

There is limited reliability data specific to the Civic Type R (CTR) variant, but user commentary is abundant. Like the Redditor who hit 200,000 miles in a 2018 Type R with the original engine, transmission, turbo, and clutch. Impressive. Or the 2017 CTR owner at nearly 135,000 miles who has done nothing more than the routine scheduled maintenance. Now, about those looks.

Going back through the Civic Type R generations that stretch to 1997, we noted that the FK8 series, which launched in 2018, was one of the most bonkers-looking versions ever. One Redditor lamented the FK8's"fake vents, fake carbon, obnoxious spoiler, oversized wheels, and ugly OEM exhaust setup." The CTR in FK8 guise could, at the very least, be described as having polarizing looks, but it sure seems to be reliable.

Before BMW riled up the auto industry by super-sizing its signature kidney grilles, Acura brought forth the "Power Plenum" grille on the 2009 TL. The Japanese automaker certainly made a visual statement with the steely feature, but critics quickly referred to it as a beak or rhinoceros nose. Staffers at Motor Trend went so far as to call it "shockingly ugly".

Whether you're on the beak bandwagon or not, there's no denying these fourth-gen TLs were built to last. In the first year of production, 2009, the TL earned an 87/100 J.D. Power reliability rating, which was followed by an 84/100 in 2014, the final year of production. Both scores fall into J.D. Power's "Great" category. According to RepairPal, the Acura brand earns a 4 out of 5 for reliability and is ranked second among 32 car brands in this category.

Owner anecdotes are very positive. One driver praised the smooth ride of their 2011 Acura TL with some 200,000 miles on the clock. A fourth-gen TL owner with 168,000 miles on the clock declared their ride "BULLET PROOF!" As an aside, these TLs still offered a 6-speed manual, making for the perfect long-lasting enthusiast-friendly sports sedan, even if they are on the plain side.

Before its cancellation in 2024, the Mitsubishi Mirage was the cheapest model on sale in America. Known for its fuel-sipping ways – 39 mpg combined to be precise — this little car was also incredibly durable, as evidenced by the Minnesota couple who drove their 2014 Mirage 414,000 miles. Accomplished in a relatively quick six-year span, this feat was managed with nothing more than routine maintenance.

This aligns with RepairPal giving the Mirage four-and-a-half stars out of five for reliability. That places it in the "Excellent" category and in 7th place out of 21 subcompact cars for this metric. Another feather in the Mirage's durability cap is the owner who purchased a sixth-gen model new and proceeded to add 174,000 miles — mostly doing deliveries around town — with no major problems to report aside from a broken clutch cable at 113,000 miles.

As for ugly, it must be said that the Mirage in hatchback form escapes this sentiment. But the sedan, or G4 as it was eventually named, isn't winning any design awards. Much of this can be chalked up to the tiny 14" wheels with plastic hubcaps that leave proportions all out of whack on base models. Perhaps dowdy is a better word here.

The first-generation Jeep Compass has taken a lot of flak for its looks. Edmunds called it "utterly heinous", while Motor Trend invoked another ugly duckling when it described the Compass as a "baby-doll Infiniti QX56 with the Hello Kitty face". We're not 100% sure what that means, but it doesn't sound great. Mercifully, Jeep refreshed the Compass for the 2011 model year to more closely reflect its Grand Cherokee stablemate. It helped a lot, but if you must have the early first-gen Compass, rest easy knowing it offered solid build quality.

An owner of a 2008 Compass, who shared their thoughts on Cars.com, bought their Jeep new and put 155,000 miles on it over 10 years, calling it "strong, solid, and reliable." Reddit has reports from multiple first-gen Compass owners, including three that are in the neighborhood of 160,000 miles so far, and another from the 2011 facelift year that has clocked 220,000 miles.

However, the highest mileage first-gen Jeep Compass was reportedly observed by a Chrysler technician who stated that they worked on an example with 328,000 miles, using the original engine. As this mechanic noted, "The customers that do maintenance on time and right, they last." If you can squeeze that many miles out of any car, it's easy to get past misgivings about the looks.

You'd be forgiven for forgetting about the Lincoln MKT, as only about 53,000 were sold between 2009 and 2020. Based on the Ford Flex, this luxury full-size SUV was never a big seller, but for those who did buy one, there's a good chance it's still running. According to iSeeCars, the MKT has an average lifespan of 170,545 miles, a 28% chance of hitting the 200,000-mile mark, and is ranked fourth out of 68 luxury crossovers for reliability.

Like the Mitsubishi Mirage, the MKT is capable of going at least 400,000 miles. According to an owner on Lincoln Forums, their MKT has accumulated 415,000 miles. Over at CarGurus, there are reports of these SUVs with mileage readings of 400,000 miles, 360,000 miles, 210,000 miles, and so on. In more than one instance, owners cited purchasing their MKT from a livery driver, which could help account for the high mileage figures they achieved in a relatively short span.

If you are in the market for one of these big Lincolns, be aware that they have something of an unsightly reputation. The car is "thick-hipped, big-nosed and oddly misshapen," according to Edmunds' 100 Ugliest Cars of All Time list. Oof. I can also speak from personal experience, as my father-in-law owned one for a time. He loved the luxury and the performance, but ultimately traded it in after one too many people asked why he was driving a hearse.