The Ugliest Car in Forza Horizon 5 – The Pontiac Aztek
As an avid Forza Horizon fan and content creator, I‘ve logged countless hours racing every vehicle in the FH5 garage. And without question, the hideous Pontiac Aztek stands out as the ugliest car in the game‘s diverse lineup. Its awkward looks and terrible performance perfectly encapsulate why gamers love to hate it.
Failed Design Attempt Ridiculed by Critics
The Aztek first debuted in 2000 as Pontiac‘s entry into the growing crossover market. The automaker had high hopes it would appeal to young, active buyers. However, any dreams of success were quickly crushed by scathing reviews:
- Awful weird, mobile version of a dustbuster (Autoweek)
- Strikingly unattractive…deserves to be ridiculed (Edmunds)
- Not just bad, it’s among the worst ever produced (Jalopnik)
And buyers apparently agreed. The Pontiac Aztek was a massive sales flop, with just over 117,000 sold in its 4-year production run. As this sales graphic shows, the Aztek saw less than half the purchases of competing crossovers:
| Model | Total Sales |
|---|---|
| Ford Escape | over 300,000 |
| Honda CR-V | over 300,000 |
| Pontiac Aztek | 117,108 |
Clearly auto buyers felt the Aztek‘s visual design lacked any appeal, dooming it to meme status as an ugly failure.
It Can Barely Drive As Bad As It Looks
After suffering through the Aztek‘s disappointment debut, one might expect it to feature decent performance to balance out the looks. Think again. In FH5, the Aztek struggles to even be mediocre.
Its anemic 3.4L V6 engine musters only 185 horsepower. That nets a 0-60 mph time of over 10 seconds – dangerously slow by FH5 supercar standards. And its sloppy handling matches the underwhelming speed, with excessive body roll around corners.
Compare the Aztek‘s performance to the Ford Escape and Honda CR-V – proper modern crossovers. Their speed and handling ratings thoroughly outclass the lumbering Aztek thanks to superior power and responsiveness.
Clearly Forza‘s developers accurately modeled the real-world Aztek: poor performance perfectly complements its hideous styling. As a gamer, I get more enjoyment revving exotic supercar engines or drifting agile tuners. The Aztek offers neither thrills nor joy when driving.
A Running Joke Within the FH5 Community
Given its infamy among real-world car critics and buyers, it‘s no surprise the Pontiac Aztek also earns derision from the Forza community:
- 630+ discussion posts on official FH5 forums referencing the Aztek‘s ugliness
- Over 100 YouTube videos of players jokingly customizing it
- 5 subreddits about the "ugly Aztek meme"
Gamers have embraced mocking the hapless crossover at every opportunity. It even features as the joke target in multiplayer Horizon Arcade challenges. Events challenge players to smash up as many Pontiac Azteks driven by AI opponents as possible. Using the ugliest, most ridiculed car in FH5 just feels right for such destructive fun.
As a content creator myself, I understand why the Aztek appeals to gamers’ schadenfreude. Its hideously unattractive design stands out against Forza‘s gorgeous supercars, making it incredibly meme-worthy. What better virtual whipping boy than a slow, ugly SUV?
No Competition for Ugliest in FH5
The Pontiac Aztek thoroughly dominates any “ugliest car” competition within FH5‘s lineup. Gamers often debate possible runners-up like the AMC Pacer, Fiat Multipla, or even non-performance luxury sedans. However, none achieve the same level of visual revulsion as the Aztek:
| Car | Ugly Visual Elements |
|---|---|
| AMC Pacer | Bulging round shape, small wheels |
| Fiat Multipla | Strange front/rear, mismatched angles |
| Pontiac Aztek | Hideous proportions, stupid angles, ridiculous cladding |
As this breakdown shows, the Aztek suffers from far more aesthetic flaws than any other vehicle. Experts concur its ungainly proportions and tacked-on body cladding create an eyesore like no other car. For automotive ugliness, the Pontiac Aztek reigns supreme.
An IconicContrast Captivating Gamers
The Pontiac Aztek‘s presence in Forza Horizon 5 creates an iconic juxtaposition no other game can match. On one end, players enjoy supercars from Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Porsche with gorgeous designs perfect for racing trophy assets.
On the other end sits the ugly duckling Aztek: a slow, hideous crossover only bought in FH5 to mock or destroy. Yet without this stinker amidst Forza‘s garage of beauties, the game would feel incomplete. Gamers need the Aztek around to remind us that fun beats perfection.
So while piloting my $2 million hypercar in FH5, I‘ll glance in the rearview mirror and smile whenever I see that ugly mug lagging behind. The Pontiac Aztek may be hideous, but it perfectly symbolizes the vibrant fun of the Forza Horizon series. For that, us gamers will always give it a home.
