The UK is but one market the Japanese sell to.

Design may be optimised for potentially much bigger markets than the UK or northern Europe - India, China, N.America where perceptions of good design, road conditions and status may be very different. What N Europeans regard as bling and inconsequential features could be perceived as desirable.

Just consider the last few decades in this country where motoring luxury could be defined as sleek, functional, minimalistic vs wood, leather and wilton.

My personal dislike is the Nissan Juke with pointless curves, low functionality (eg boot opening) and bling over quality materials.

Toyota can do it right, you only have to look at US/Japan Camry and Japan Crown, handsome cars, as is the Century in it's don't care about fashion look which didn't really alter for about 20 years.

What they were thinking letting the apprentice loose on Lexus range over the last 4 or 5 years i can't understand, go back to 2008 or so and look up a 460LS and compare.

That Infinit Brick Fishermans Bend linked to should come with a health warning, what is once seen cannot be unseen, it's giving Bentley Bentayga a run for its money in the what were they thinking or taking at the time stakes.

There's not much i find attractive in modern cars, as Avant mentions if you're going to make it butt ugly it might at least have something useful like visibility to make up for it.

I have a soft spot for ugly cars, especially if they are good designs with regard to their intended purpose. I loved the fiat multipla which was just so practical and well thought out, with 6 full sized seats, a big boot and a low window line so that kids could actually see out. But, it was far too weird (ok, ugly) for vanity obsessed buyers!

I have to say, as much as i dont like SUV's, i do like the look of the subaru XV. It has a real pugnacious look about it.

Shame it doesnt actually seem to be very good!