Why Boxy Cars and SUVs Are Having a Moment Again

Surprisingly, we seem to be in a boxy car renaissance. With fuel prices rising and electric vehicles tipping into the mainstream, you might think that aerodynamics would be paramount, both to increase fuel economy in gas-powered cars and to enhance the range in battery-powered ones. Instead, we're seeing angular shapes proliferate through the automotive realm.

Why? Credit goes to the same issues that are causing gas prices to spike and EVs to take over. In times of global instability and social change, people tend to want to feel protected. “I think boxiness conveys a kind of efficaciousness — sturdy, robust, strong, protective,” says Paul Snyder, chair of the transportation design department at Detroit’s College for Creative Studies, one of the world’s premier schools for vehicle design. “Whether they’re conscious or subconscious, boxiness has associations with military vehicles and bunkers.”

From Snyder’s perspective, the market for boxy cars is about two things: safety and luxury. "A boxy vehicle is a package that gives people a sense of security at the same time as it offers them this living room-on-wheels sensibility, where they can enjoy all their luxury amenities," he says. For those of you compelled by the bold shape, practicality and luxuriousness of boxy vehicles, we’ve assembled this list of some of the squarest, most angular ones out there.

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