RE: 3-door hot hatches are dead: Tell Me I'm Wrong

[loose cannon]

It's the slow death of hatchbacks soon to be crossover/ suv / people carrier only

[Dale487]

loose cannon said:

It's the slow death of hatchbacks soon to be crossover/ suv / people carrier only

Sad but true - the new SEAT Ateca makes more sense that the equivalent Golf. For the money you get a better spec (alloys, 5drs etc at £18K base for both), more space inside (510 litre boot) for very little increase in foot print on the road. & it seems a large number of people agree; all the petrol first editions have gone & some have delivery date of April 2017.

Bar the performance models does anyone buy a Golf with 3 doors?

I'm on my first 5 door car & don't think I'd go back to a 3 door (as my only car) - may be its me getting older & even more sensible.

I'd rather keep a manual gearbox option than a the 3 door option.

[patmahe]

I prefer 5 doors as I like the extra practicality it gives. Some prefer 3 doors for other reasons. Surely its not beyond manufacturers to continue supplying both if there is sufficient demand?

[krismccloy]

I guess what we can say, It's the consumers who are willing to take the plunge on a new car who are determining how many doors cars will have in the future.

For example, The general demographic who can comfortably afford a 30k+ Golf R, Focus ST & Civic seem to be at an age were 5 doors do matter ie. for kids.

I'm all for 3 doors, However I couldn't justify one of these cars new so my opinion doesn't really concern the future of the 3door, unfortunately.

[GWhiz]

Way back when I was looking at MK2 VW GTI's I chose a three door as asthetically, the "C" pillar / rear door combination on the five door MK2 was (is still) clumsy and unattractive to me. However, as a "mature" driver with a family, until such time as I "get rid" of the kids, my choice would be a five door.

[Jim AK]

LotusOmega375D said:

Funny how many forget that the most iconic hot hatch of them all is 5 door: Lancia Integrale.

Possibly it was the most iconic, but a looker, side on, it was not IMO.

[Dave Hedgehog]

5 door only hot hatches are great as often the barry / chav mob refuse to drive them as they insist on a 3dr, which means lower insurance and less hassle from the police

[giveablondeabone]

My Leon FR 1P is of course a 5dr but with the combination good styling and hidden rear door handles I think it works very well. I have no problem with 5drs and to suggest a HH absolutely MUST be a 3dr is ridiculous. As previously mentioned by their very nature they are supposed to combine everything for the enthusiastic Dad (or Mum). That includes practicality.

[havoc]

g7jhp said:

Three doors work better on the smaller super-mini sized hatches (205, Clio, Mini) and 5 doors work on the standard sized hot-hatches (Golf, A3, Focus. It's more down to the amount of room on the bodyshell.


3 door works


5 door works

I agree with that.


I've recently (showing my age) come at this from the other direction - I've been frustrated where hot-hatches were ONLY available in 3-door form, as I need 5-doors due to having started a family a few years ago.

4 years ago my shortlist had to eliminate both the Megane R26 and the Civic Type R...which given I prefer 'focused' driver's cars, was a real blow. Thankfully some kind souls had imported the FD2 Civic.
More recently I considered downsizing slightly to a Fiesta ST (200bhp / 40mpg would have been perfect for the longer commute)...except, oh look, that's 3-door only as well!


So I would applaud giving people the choice, where it already exists on that platform - after all, if you're selling cooking 3-dr and 5-dr variants, how much extra cost is it really to offer the hot variants with both door options?!? Ford and Renault seem to be the main culprits here, as Honda no longer offer a 3-dr Civic.

[Dale487]

[/quote]

4 years ago my shortlist had to eliminate both the Megane R26 and the Civic Type R...which given I prefer 'focused' driver's cars, was a real blow. Thankfully some kind souls had imported the FD2 Civic.
More recently I considered downsizing slightly to a Fiesta ST (200bhp / 40mpg would have been perfect for the longer commute)...except, oh look, that's 3-door only as well!
[/quote]

Bizarrely I think that the US spec Fiesta ST is 5 door only

[Terminator X]

Not having to squeeze past the seat and scrunch up in the back, sounds good to me. Oh and you keep forgetting this re your hot hatch pics



TX.

Edited by Terminator X on Wednesday 14th September 13:43

[nickfrog]

Is that a SUV ?

[Craikeybaby]

I prefer the looks of a 3 door hatch, but now that I've got a son it is 5 door only for me for the foreseeable future.

I'm sure I read somewhere that canning the 3 door Clio funded the development of Renault's small crossover, so it is a double blow.

[Terminator X]

nickfrog said:

Is that a SUV ?

TX.

[talksthetorque]

TNH said:

5 doors look naff in comparison to 3 door versions.

I also hate driving 5 door versions of small cars as when I look to the right I get a face full of the pillar instead of glass which you get from the doors being bigger on 3 doors.

This is the main bugbear for me, visibility. Especially on slip roads and the like for the lifesaver check over the right shoulder.
Have to have a 5 dr for work though.

[big_rob_sydney]

I think if the question revolves around the number of doors, then why don't people just buy a coupe? Better yet, if you only have to cart 2 people, why not be even more focused and get a sportsbike?

[snorkel sucker]

For those fortunate enough to get a car allowance, these often come with various restrictions / caveats, one of the most common (I've seen) being cars bought with an allowance need to have 4 or 5 doors.

With more and more performance derivatives being made as 5dr at least this gives some opportunity to get something interesting rather than make up the numbers in the carpark with yet another diesel blandwagon.

[caelite]

Imo it depends entirely on the car and its styling, its the same as the saloon vs estate argument. Down to aesthetics and personal preference more than practicality in most cases.

[alock]

Dale487 said:

Sad but true - the new SEAT Ateca makes more sense that the equivalent Golf. For the money you get a better spec (alloys, 5drs etc at £18K base for both), more space inside (510 litre boot) for very little increase in foot print on the road. & it seems a large number of people agree; all the petrol first editions have gone & some have delivery date of April 2017.

If you compare to the Leon ST (estate) then your comparison doesn't work. You're comparing the value for money of features which is better explained by the difference between the Seat badge and the VW badge, it's not hatchback to SUV difference.

Having had an Octavia estate and now a Leon estate you do get used to having a 600 litre boot. Every SUV I've looked at I've rejected because it's not practical enough.

[Fetchez la vache]

g7jhp said:

Three doors work better on the smaller super-mini sized hatches (205, Clio, Mini) and 5 doors work on the standard sized hot-hatches (Golf, A3, Focus. It's more down to the amount of room on the boudyshell.

I think this is it. 5 doors work better these days as the cars now are so bloody huge.
5 doors would have looked stupid on my 205 gti.