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From high-performance sports cars to full-size pickups, many modern cars still suffer from poor visibility inside the cabin.
Visibility is a key factor in ensuring safety on the road. When learning how to drive, the instructor tells you to look over your shoulder to check for blind spots before changing lanes or backing up. But some modern vehicle designs make it almost impossible to see behind the vehicle through the rearview mirror. Some come with extra thick pillars for safety reasons, while others feature slopping roofs for a streamlined, aerodynamic effect, which results in reduced visibility.
Some automakers like Subaru have a legacy of consistently manufacturing vehicles with increased outward visibility and often get high ratings on Consumer Reports for best visibility. Perhaps that's why their cars don't feature on any lists featuring the most beautiful cars in the world. Other manufacturers don't mind compromising visibility to achieve beautiful looks with curves and aggressive aero panels, and some sports cars come with engines behind the driver, obstructing the rearview. But some regular everyday cars suffer from poor visibility and dangerously wide blind spots.
The Chevy Camaro has remained an eternal rival to the Ford Mustang in pursuing muscle car glory. It matches the Mustang on almost all levels of being an iconic performance bargain car, except in its outward visibility. Our article about the Mustang GT highlighted its surprisingly good outward views and minimal blind spots. On its part, the Camaro isn't a car for claustrophobic drivers.
It offers one of the worst visibility on the other side of supercars with its tiny windshield and windows all around the car. Also, the car's aggressive angles alongside the four thick pillars, a high trunk, a low roof, and a long hood worsen things.
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Kia is now an established mainstream automaker. The Kia Stinger is their flagship model with enough muscle, quality, and striking looks to compete directly with sporty executive cars from the Audi A5 Sportback to the Jaguar XE. It offers good value for money with a strong performance and an agile, composed ride. But it suffers from limited rear visibility.
It has a narrow rear windscreen and three large headrests obscuring views through the mirrors. Also, there is no wiper on the tailgate, which makes it harder to see through during winter.
Porsche's first fully-electric car has proven a major hit, having found the right formula to blend cosmic speed with uncanny electric silence. It is one of the greatest EVs you can buy today, and the Taycan Turbo S holds the bragging rights for obliterating the Tesla Model S on the Nürburgring Lap Record. While its massive dimensions and weight doesn't make it more difficult to maneuver than its smaller Panamera sibling, its low rearward visibility should cause a few headaches.
The car's silky looks cause limited visibility for a large family sedan. It has a relatively small windshield and steep slopes, which hamper outward visibility. But it does try to salvage the situation with cameras and sensors.
The FJ Cruiser is one of the most iconic products from Toyota. They introduced it in 2006 with retro looks, reliable power, and proper wilderness-taming credentials. It also proved popular with mods like a snorkel to improve wade depths and a supercharger to add up to 100hp. It took a bow in the North American market with the 2014 Ultimate Edition. It did suffer from poor visibility despite all its good qualities.
It suffers some of the worst blind spots on a vehicle thanks to its blocky styling, massive c-pillars, and a view-blocking spare tire.
RELATED: This Special Toyota FJ Cruiser Final Edition Is A Highly Exclusive Farewell To The SUV
The Nissan Murano easily stands out with its striking exterior design. It offers good value and driving character with comfortable seating, a smooth ride, and a potent V6 engine. But it isn't as versatile as its midsize SUV rivals, thanks to its dull handling and minimal cargo capacity for the class. Also, styling comes at the cost of visibility.
A sloping roofline cuts into the rear window and makes for one of the most mediocre rear views on the SUV market. Nissan has kept the design since 2015, indicating they are more concerned with appearance than visibility.
The Mercedes-Benz CLA is a luxury sedan with the lines of a coupe. It is a desirable ride with the aspirations of a bigger car with excellent refinement and economical engine options. But it comes with lackluster visibility. The wide c-pillars make for poor views compared to other sedans.
Add the sloping roof, and the rearview mirror becomes a necessity. You can also opt for the available Blind Spot Assist safety feature, an intuitive solution that provides a visual and audible warning of side collisions with other vehicles in the blind spot.
Toyota designed the C-HR to deliver higher fuel efficiency rather than outright performance or awe-inspiring handling. The crossover SUV returns an incredible 27mpg city and 31mpg highway, alongside great looks, generous tech features, and cool curb appeal.
But its restricted visibility is one of the C-HR's weak points, and you can easily tell by looking at it. It has small windows for an SUV and comes with unsafe blind spots on the sides and rear. But a reversing camera and optional parking sensors make parking maneuvers bearable.
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In 2017, Nissan halted the Infiniti QX70's run in the US market thanks to dwindling sales and focused on better selling and ever-improving Infiniti QX50. It was a bad vehicle as it flaunted a rakish, athletic stance backed by a range of powerful V6 engines and an attractive cabin. Still, customers weren't buying into it, and its underwhelming visibility might be a key reason.
The luxury crossover tried to blur the lines between a sports car and an SUV, and the shape of the roofline compromised outward visibility making the available Around View camera almost necessary.
The ever-present Z car is getting a new entry, with the 2023 Nissan Z hitting the dealerships any moment. One can only hope it will fix the glaring issue of blind spots that have plagued the outgoing 370Z through its thirteen-year run.
Though a good sports car with pure performance and handling, the 370Z compounds its small cabin problems with thick pillars, tiny windows, and a rising dashboard, blind spots a dear friend. And there is no standard backup camera system.
RELATED: 5 Reasons We'd Love To Own A Nissan 370Z Nismo (5 Sports Cars We'd Rather Have)
Now to a vehicle that shouldn't be on this list but is. Normally, pickup trucks offer some of the best visibility in the business, but the Toyota Tundra's design and size get in the way making for limited visibility. The massive side mirrors see the trailer and vehicle behind you clearly, but once you turn, it creates massive blind spots, and smaller cars disappear from your view.
With the 2022 Tundra, Toyota tried to enhance visibility with a host of new camera viewpoints and angles. You can choose from the standard backup camera, Panoramic view monitor, or Multi-Terrain Monitor.
Bryan is a content marketer who works as a staff writer for HotCars.com where he covers a variety of topics, from the first Motorwagen to the latest Electric vehicles. A writer by day and a programmer by night. When he is not writing about cars, catch him tinkering with his old motorcycle.