New pokemon designs are actually better for models versus sprites, desu. The old ones look better as sprites, but the new ones look better as models. The shift happened around gen 4, with about half of the gen 4 mons looking better as sprites, half looking better as models.
I hated a lot of gen 5 designs, but seeing them as models makes me really like them. And every fanmade sprite I've seen for gen 6 mons and up is not nearly as good as the models.

Prove me wrong