In its years gracing this magazine with its trademark combination of industry insight and baseless slurs, FOTC has resisted tackling the Pontiac Aztek. Yes, the early Noughties SUV-thing was irredeemably, violently ugly: what more is there to say? It’s the lowest of low-hanging fruits.
But the thing about low-hanging fruit is, it’s (a) delicious and (b) also literally right there, so let’s tuck in. Here’s something else to say about the repulsive Aztek: GM knew it was a snotter. It knew it was serving up a design that made onlookers physically queasy. During development, one appalled focus group attendee told company bosses, “I wouldn’t even take it as a gift.”
Despite this, GM ploughed ahead with the Aztek, desperate to prove that, after years of beige anonymity, it could stand…
