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18 August 2017

Could the Pontiac Aztek become cool? Doug DeMuro reckons so.

By Mitchell TulkMitchell Tulk

The Pontiac Aztek is mocked by all car enthusiasts, yet as our US counterpart, Doug DeMuro has discovered, the ugly SUV has a certain charm that is often overlooked.

Coming off the back of yesterday's Five best Pontiacs we never got in Australia post, Doug reckons the lamest Poncho could one day be cool.

Its appearance in Breaking Bad added some sparkle, but its unquestionable versatility is also a contributing factor. 

The Aztek came with several surprise details which you could consider cool, like a removable esky in the centre console, a tailgate that doubles as a bench and an optional tent that connects to the rear of the vehicle. 

The Pontiac Aztek, well known for being the car for campers. (image credit: Doug DeMuro) The Pontiac Aztek, well known for being the car for campers. (image credit: Doug DeMuro)

But it isn't all positive, as Doug points out the flaws which helped put the Aztek six feet under.

Obviously, styling (both in and out) was the biggest negative even if this example didn't have the godawful three-spoke wheels or the grey coloured exterior plastics.

However, compared to SUVs of today, the Pontiac Aztek is unique and doesn't blend into the crowd.

The car is slow and doesn't possess competent road handling capabilities, while oddly there is no fuel filler lid, giving thieves an easy time for syphoning your fuel.

I don't think the design team thought this one through... (image credit: Doug DeMuro) I don't think the design team thought this one through... (image credit: Doug DeMuro)

Doug's scoring system placed the Pontiac Aztek second last on his list, with a DougScore of 43. 

Regardless of this, Doug states he would add this to his car museum.

Check out the US version of Oversteer here and also subscribe to Doug’s YouTube channel here.

Do you think the Pontiac Aztek will become a collectable? Let us know in the comments.