The cars that are our guilty pleasures

Slide of Not all cars that are released are considered attractive or of a high standard. And that might well be true of some of the cars in this feature. But for all them there’s just something we can’t help but like. Let’s take a look: Slide of BMW iX Upon its release, people laughed at the iX because of its long rabbit-toothed ‘kidney grille’ design, bizarre trapezoid front body panels and the fact that it didn’t quite fit the image of “The Ultimate Driving Machine”. Be that as it may, the iX is very comfortable and packed with tech such as an electrochromic sunroof and a powerful Bowers & Wilkins 4D audio system.  In the stock xDrive40 guise with 322bhp, it might not feel lightning quick off the line but when the iX is rolling, the instant throttle response is great fun. And honestly, we think smaller grilles on this car just wouldn’t look right when sat beside those aggressive headlights. Slide of Renault Avantime The Renault Avantime’s obscure design features and body shape gave it an ‘ugly’ character according to many. However, there’s not been another MPV-coupe like the Avantime since its release in 2001 and it’s this uniqueness that we can’t help but love. It almost looks like it should be wearing a Renaultsport badge with a fruity 3.0-litre V6 and wing-mounted grilles.  The side is its best angle with the large windows retracted and silver roof sections that just top off the sporty look. It’s clear that Renault put heaps of planning into the Avantime and instead of following other MPVs they took a risk and gave us a concept car for the road.  Slide of Volvo 240 It was dull to some as its looks weren’t as sleek as other cars from its era but it’s exactly that elegant and charming retro look that we’re particularly fond of: it had a square front grille, large headlights, complete with nifty headlight wipers, and side strips that ran up the entire length of the car.  Inside, things were pretty basic but you had a selection of satisfying rocker switches while retro headrests topped off the look. The ‘Flying Brick’ Turbo variant with 153bhp can still be considered peppy even for today’s measurements. Slide of Daihatsu Copen Many people didn’t like the Copen’s cute styling while its body shape was often compared to a Croc sandal. Its body styling was almost like a shrunken Audi TT and, from some angles, a Porsche 911. Whilst we can’t completely disagree, the Copen offered a brilliant open-top experience with its smart folding electric roof and zingy 68bhp turbocharged 0.6-litre engine.  On the road it came alive, weighing in at just 850kg. This meant the Copen could be thrown into bends at alarming speeds and give fantastic road feedback. Slide of Alfa Romeo Brera When released, the Brera didn’t quite know if it was a luxury GT cruiser or a sports car and its base front-wheel drive layout was enough to direct its target audience to the Nissan 350Z opposition. The Brera was thirsty and heavy at 1445kg (3185lbs), and its disappointing chassis meant that handling was numb.  Despite that, we can’t help but appreciate the Brera’s striking looks - from the quad exhausts that poke out from the rear bumper to the front headlights and pointy grille; it looks like a bird of prey.  Slide of Matra Rancho In the late 1970s, the off-roader market was expanding; to get on board, Matra sold its new Rancho as a ‘multi-purpose leisure vehicle’. Its offroad ability matched that of a hatchback as all Ranchos were front-wheel drive, had no high-low range ‘box and underneath the bonnet was a 1.4-litre engine good for just 80bhp. As underwhelming as its performance was, its obscure looks were captivating: black bumpers, large front fog lights, high-sided body shape and retro styling, and that is exactly why we like it. It might have been the Skoda Yeti of its day rather than a bonafide off-roader, but it’s earned a special place on our list for these reasons alone – and a real trailblazer too. We also give it bonus points for having promotional photography like this… Slide of Vauxhall Astra Coupe The Astra Coupe attempted to step into the shoes of the Calibra but never quite fully managed it. Its body was sleek but not as striking as the Calibra’s and the engines on offer were underpowered which led to disappointing performance. The rarer turbo variant was quick but came with torque steer.  They might have never got it completely right, but the Astra Coupe still looks refined, and responsive performance urged Porsche Boxster drivers to think twice at a set of lights. Slide of Rover 800 Coupe The Rover 800 was sold under the Sterling brand in the US. It was haunted by various gremlins, one being the headlights going dim whenever the air conditioning was turned on, cementing American prejudices about British build quality. A relaunch attempt saw some faults being ironed out but unfortunately before the Coup