If you walk out to a parking lot right now, you’re looking at them. Internal Combustion Engine vehicles—or ICE vehicles, if you’re into the lingo—are the noisy, vibrating, fossil-fuel-burning machines that have defined our lives for over a century. But honestly, if you put a modern ICE car next to a high-end EV, could you even tell them apart? It’s getting harder.
They’re basically metal boxes on wheels. But the "why" behind their look is where things get interesting.
The silhouette of an ICE vehicle is dictated by a massive, hot, exploding hunk of iron and aluminum sitting under the hood. Unlike electric cars that can be shaped like smooth jellybeans because their motors are tiny, ICE vehicles are slaves to their engineering. They need to breathe. They need to cool down. They need to house a complex web of pipes, belts, and fluids that would make a Victorian plumber weep.
The Dead Giveaway: The Front End and Grilles
The most obvious answer to what do ice vehicles look like starts at the face. Look at a BMW or a Ford F-150. See that giant gaping mouth at the front? That’s not just for style, though designers certainly use it for "brand identity." It’s a radiator intake.
ICE engines work by controlled explosions. Explosions generate heat—lots of it. To keep the engine from melting into a puddle of slag, air has to rush through that grille to cool the liquid in the radiator. If you see a car with a solid plastic "shield" where the grille should be, it’s probably an EV. If you see mesh, slats, or open honeycomb patterns, you’re looking at an ICE vehicle.
It’s about airflow.
Engineers like Adrian Newey, though famous for F1, have often touched on how cooling drag is the enemy of speed. In a standard road car, that grille is a functional necessity that creates a specific "nose-heavy" aesthetic. The hood has to be long enough to fit the block, the battery, the alternator, and the cooling stacks. This gives the ICE vehicle its classic "three-box" proportions: the engine bay, the cabin, and the trunk.
Pipes, Pots, and Tailpipes
Look at the back. It’s the easiest way to spot one. If there is a chrome or matte black tube sticking out from under the bumper, it’s an ICE.
These exhaust systems are getting more discreet, though. Some brands like Audi or Mercedes-Benz have started using "stealth" exhausts or, weirdly enough, fake plastic exhaust tips while the real pipe points down at the ground. Why? Because soot is ugly. But the requirement remains: an ICE vehicle must vent spent gases.
Underneath, the look is even more distinct. If you were to crawl under a Toyota Camry, you’d see a "spine" running down the middle. This is the exhaust tunnel and, in rear-wheel-drive cars, the driveshaft tunnel. It’s why there’s a big hump in the floor of the back seat. ICE vehicles look "hollowed out" underneath to accommodate these mechanical Appendages.
The Proportion Problem
You’ve probably noticed that some cars just look "right" while others look a bit stubby. That’s the dash-to-axle ratio.
In ICE design, the front wheels are often pushed further back toward the doors to make room for the engine and steering rack. This creates a specific side profile. The hood is usually flat or slightly domed to clear the intake manifold. On a truck, this translates to a massive, vertical "wall" of a front end.
Compare this to something like a Tesla Model 3 or a Hyundai Ioniq 6. Those cars have short hoods and massive cabins because they don't have a 400-pound engine taking up the "real estate" between the front wheels. An ICE vehicle looks like a machine built around a motor; an EV looks like a lounge built on a skateboard.
Gas Caps and Quarter Panels
It sounds stupidly simple, but the fuel door is a defining visual trait. On an ICE vehicle, you’ll find a small circular or square flap on the rear quarter panel. Behind it is a simple screw-cap or a capless filler neck for gasoline or diesel.
While EVs have "charge ports" that often look similar, the placement is frequently different. ICE vehicles almost always have the fuel door near the rear because the gas tank sits under the back seat for safety. It’s a balanced look that we’ve become so used to that we don't even see it anymore.
The Sound of Visuals
Wait, can a sound be a "look"? In a way, yes.
When you see an ICE vehicle idling, you see the subtle vibration of the chassis. You see the heat haze shimmering off the hood on a summer day. You might see a faint wisp of water vapor from the tailpipe on a cold morning. These are visual cues that the vehicle is "alive" in a chemical sense.
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The wheels are also a tell. ICE vehicles need friction brakes—rotors and calipers—to stop. Because these brakes get hot, the wheels usually have open spokes to let air reach the brakes. Some newer EVs use solid, disc-like wheels for aerodynamics because they use regenerative braking and don't worry as much about brake fade. So, if the wheels look like "turbines" or "Swiss cheese," it’s a design choice often reserved for the ICE world to keep those rotors cool.
Why They’re Starting to Look Like EVs (and vice versa)
We are in a weird transition period. Brands like Dodge are making EVs (the new Charger) that look exactly like old-school muscle cars, complete with a "fratzonic" exhaust to mimic the sound. Meanwhile, ICE cars are getting "closed-off" grilles with active shutters that stay shut until the engine actually needs air.
Aerodynamics is the great equalizer.
Whether a car runs on dead dinosaurs or lithium-ion, the wind doesn't care. Both types of vehicles are moving toward a "teardrop" shape to maximize fuel economy and range. This is why a new Honda Civic and a new electric sedan might have almost identical rooflines. The physics of drag (Cd) is forcing everyone into the same mold.
The Complexity of the Interior
Inside, what do ice vehicles look like? They look cluttered.
Even with the rise of big screens, an ICE vehicle usually has a higher center console to hide the transmission. You’ll see a tachometer on the dashboard—that's the dial that tells you how many thousands of times the engine is spinning per minute. If you see a "Redline" at 6,000 or 7,000 RPM, that is a definitive ICE visual.
Real-World Examples of the ICE Aesthetic
- The Rugged ICE: Look at a Jeep Wrangler. It’s the quintessential ICE vehicle. Exposed hinges, a vertical grille with seven slots for maximum airflow, and an exhaust that tucks up high for off-roading. It looks mechanical because it is.
- The Luxury ICE: A Bentley Continental GT has a hood that seems to go on forever. That length is a visual flex—it tells the world there is a massive W12 engine hiding under there.
- The Commuter ICE: Your standard Toyota Corolla. It’s the "average" look. A balanced mix of a visible grille, a modest exhaust, and a cabin that fits four people comfortably without the "flat floor" luxury of an EV.
What’s Next for the ICE Look?
We are seeing a move toward "Retro-ICE." Since EVs are winning the battle of "looking like the future," ICE manufacturers are leaning into the past. They are making grilles bigger, exhausts louder (visually), and hoods more muscular. It’s a celebration of the mechanical.
However, the "sleeper" ICE is also a thing. Many manufacturers are using the same chassis for both gas and electric versions of the same car (like the BMW 4 Series and the i4). In these cases, the only difference might be a blue ring around the logo or the absence of a tailpipe.
Identifying the Modern ICE: A Quick Checklist
If you’re trying to spot one in the wild, check these specific markers:
- Look for the "Mouth": Is there a functional, open-mesh grille at the front?
- Check the Rear Bumper: Is there a tailpipe or a cutout for one?
- Watch the Dash: Does the instrument cluster have a tachometer (RPM gauge)?
- Listen and Feel: Is there a rhythmic vibration or a low hum?
- The Floorboard: Is there a "hump" in the middle of the back seat floor?
Actionable Steps for the Curious
If you are shopping for a vehicle and trying to decide between the ICE look and the EV look, consider these practical realities.
First, look at the "Frunk" (front trunk). If you want extra storage in the nose of the car, you generally won't find it in an ICE vehicle. That space is occupied.
Second, consider maintenance visuals. An ICE vehicle will eventually leak. If you see amber or black fluid on a driveway, that’s an ICE "looking" like it needs a mechanic. EVs have coolant, but they don't have engine oil.
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Lastly, pay attention to the wheels. If you live in a mountainous area, the "open" wheel design of an ICE vehicle is actually a safety feature, helping your brakes cool down on long descents.
The era of the ICE vehicle isn't over, but its "look" is being refined. It’s moving away from being a utility machine and toward becoming a "classic" aesthetic. Understanding these visual cues helps you navigate a world where the line between a gas-guzzler and a battery-on-wheels is becoming thinner every year.
Keep an eye on the grilles. They tell the whole story.