Cars without 'B' Pillars
Discussion
I had a look at the new Ford B-Max yesterday with its sliding rear door and no B-Pillars.
For my father-in-law who is in a wheelchair and has difficulty transferring himself from the chair into the car it looked interesting.
He could slide the seat back (possibly with the runners extended so that it went back even further) and with the front & rear doors both open have much better access to get in.
The problem with the B-Max was that the boot wasn't big enough to take his wheelchair/elec buggy.
Anyone know what other cars have a similar sliding rear door and no 'B-Pillar' design?
For my father-in-law who is in a wheelchair and has difficulty transferring himself from the chair into the car it looked interesting.
He could slide the seat back (possibly with the runners extended so that it went back even further) and with the front & rear doors both open have much better access to get in.
The problem with the B-Max was that the boot wasn't big enough to take his wheelchair/elec buggy.
Anyone know what other cars have a similar sliding rear door and no 'B-Pillar' design?
The doors on the B-Max are pretty innovative, I can't recall anything offering a pillarless shell and sliding rear doors.
Even the Meriva (similar size to the B-Max) is fitted with suicide rear doors, but still has a big thick B-Pillar.
Looking at the larger generation of MPVs too, the Sharan/Alhambra mix have the sliding rear doors, but still have a pillar. They may be worth a look though as the door aperture will be bigger.
Even the Meriva (similar size to the B-Max) is fitted with suicide rear doors, but still has a big thick B-Pillar.
Looking at the larger generation of MPVs too, the Sharan/Alhambra mix have the sliding rear doors, but still have a pillar. They may be worth a look though as the door aperture will be bigger.
"There is nothing new under the sun" applies to microvans. The 1988 Nissan Stanza wagon lacked B-pillars and was a boon to wheelchair users. In fact, the advertising picture was of a woman in a wheelchair entering the vehicle. It was the perfect size, much the same as the Mazda5 and the Ford B-Max. Sadly, the Mazda5 never exported the powered sliding doors to the USA. I pray when Ford powers their sliders they offer them here as well as the rest of the world. A powered rear hatch would be handy too.
If you can live with a half-height pillar then one of the folding tin-tops (Focus CC, Astra Twintop, VW Eos & probably the new Golf) might fit the bill. The front doors are usually huge on these cars & you should also be able to fit a chair in, either in the boot (might struggle to get the roof off) or folded behind the front seat.
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