Cars have faces. Intentional or not, they have faces. The headlights, the different shapes of the grill, the use of chrome can makes cars clearly have a face. Have you not seen the Disney Pixar movie Cars? They have faces that seem to be closely connected to the style, dare I say, the personality of the car. 

I really noticed this recently when I was looking at my 2016 Toyota RAV-4. That car looked pissed off. WHAT? My 2010 Toyota RAV-4 did not seem so angry. 

 

My 'happy' 2010 car
Renee Nelson
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So why are newer cars looking so annoyed?

I think part of has to do with headlight technology. The newer lights do not need to be so big, so the car's 'eyes' are more narrow….like they are glaring at something. Add to that grill designs and front bumper designs, it all goes along with that feeling you get an angry-looking car. 

Here are my overall observations and generalizations; older cars are happier than newer cars, smaller cars are happier than larger midsized vehicles, trucks look like they just want to get down to business, and sports cars look like they have some attitude. 

I have spent the last month looking at cars and this holds true in most cases. 

I decided to do a little research, and here is what I found. Cars are created by function and form, and designers have to things that work, but yes…there is an esthetic that gives a vehicle a particular personality. But the most interesting thing I found was from smithsonianmag.org about this very subject (SEE, I AM NOT CRAZY!). Some research finds that buyers like a more aggressive-looking car…the angled eyes (headlights) and wider intake/grill area (not a smiley look)…the article said people like it because it has a look of power. 

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