Death of the two door car.. My options have shrunk.
Discussion
When buying a small or medium sized "mildly sporty" two door car I was spoilt for choice in the nearly new or demonstrator area's of a dealer in the lower price bracket of city , medium length journey interesting runabouts.. The Golf or Fiesta with a S after the name badge or petrol Focus or 1 series sized cars we used to buy on HP and keep the bigger stuff for special occasions.
I really don't like having the back doors on a Golf R, its a bit like spare tyre stomach on a boxer. Starting to look like coupe's and three door variants may be for the first time since the sixties a niche not a widely available alternative. They are available but not at lower spec price points anymore.
I really don't like having the back doors on a Golf R, its a bit like spare tyre stomach on a boxer. Starting to look like coupe's and three door variants may be for the first time since the sixties a niche not a widely available alternative. They are available but not at lower spec price points anymore.
Agreed ,it's sad to see some of the stylish hot hatchback options disappear.
I think sadly the "scene" these days (from what I see on Instagram) is an over-fetishisation of tired old marques in gentleman spec, or finding something ordinary with a large engine to declare it your "daily". All of that is through used cars rather than buying new options.
The last two door hatch which I can remember causing a buzz amongst car "influencers' was the Toyota Yaris GR, where almost everyone and their dog had to add one to the "fleet'.
I think sadly the "scene" these days (from what I see on Instagram) is an over-fetishisation of tired old marques in gentleman spec, or finding something ordinary with a large engine to declare it your "daily". All of that is through used cars rather than buying new options.
The last two door hatch which I can remember causing a buzz amongst car "influencers' was the Toyota Yaris GR, where almost everyone and their dog had to add one to the "fleet'.
Some manufacturers over 15 years ago discovered it made no extra money making different versions with 3 doors so made all their small hatchbacks as 5 door only. Fiat Panda (even the 100HP) and Hyundai i10 come to mind (although there was no 'hot' i10).
I have 2 x 2 seater cars but consider that 4 doors are needed for rear access, most definitely!
I have 2 x 2 seater cars but consider that 4 doors are needed for rear access, most definitely!
Its not just rear access, 2 door 4 seater cars usually require a longer door for reasons of rear access, given how bloated cars have become for no inbterior space gains means the longer the door the less room to squeeze in and out of just the front seats in standard parking spaces, simply no longer practicle designs for general usage.
Having driven car transporters for 20 years i became quite the contortionist for obvious reasons but with modern designs having ridiculously wide doors made ever worse by increased door length and curved shape there's no way i would want another 2 door car with rear seats...the Merc W124 coupe we still have is fine because the doors whilst long are comparatively narrow as is the shell itself though given the shorter wheelbase of the coupe/convertible rear legroom on both is literally non existant unless you have the drivers seat fully forward, they might as well have made it a 2 seater from the start.
Having driven car transporters for 20 years i became quite the contortionist for obvious reasons but with modern designs having ridiculously wide doors made ever worse by increased door length and curved shape there's no way i would want another 2 door car with rear seats...the Merc W124 coupe we still have is fine because the doors whilst long are comparatively narrow as is the shell itself though given the shorter wheelbase of the coupe/convertible rear legroom on both is literally non existant unless you have the drivers seat fully forward, they might as well have made it a 2 seater from the start.
No question 3 door cars are less practical but if you don't need the rear seats all that often, they do often look better!
I have two large German coupes which are both two door, so much less practical than their saloon equivalents but I do think they're cool. Same with the two hot hatches I have, all three doors.
I have two large German coupes which are both two door, so much less practical than their saloon equivalents but I do think they're cool. Same with the two hot hatches I have, all three doors.
I'm possibly going against the grain, but I've always been of the opinion that, where variant body styles are available, the four/five-door version is often better looking than the two/three-door counterpart. Something about the four/five door's greater ratio of passenger compartment to bonnet and boot tends to give a more elegant side profile. Three-door hatchbacks often look either slab sided or oddly stubby at the back. Two-door saloons can suffer from a sort of 'clown car' effect, whereby the bonnet and boot sandwich a comically truncated passenger compartment.
That's not to say two-door cars can't look good; they can, but the lookers tend to be coupe bodies with a long bonnet and a passenger compartment set proportionately quite far back within the wheelbase. Certain small cars, such as the Mk1 Fiesta and Mini, look absolutely fine as two-door models, too.
One suspects that a lot is down to which version the maker predicts will be the volume seller. If it's the four/five-door, then that will be the car's native form; any other variants will be corruptions of that form, often with compromises to minimize alteration to things like glass and sheet metal.
That's not to say two-door cars can't look good; they can, but the lookers tend to be coupe bodies with a long bonnet and a passenger compartment set proportionately quite far back within the wheelbase. Certain small cars, such as the Mk1 Fiesta and Mini, look absolutely fine as two-door models, too.
One suspects that a lot is down to which version the maker predicts will be the volume seller. If it's the four/five-door, then that will be the car's native form; any other variants will be corruptions of that form, often with compromises to minimize alteration to things like glass and sheet metal.
I have a two door Mk3 Megane Coupe. It will be the last two door I ever own, as even though I rarely have rear passengers it is an utter pain.
I just think the majority of people want an SUV these days. I saw a BMW z4 today for the first time in ages and it lookes tiny and incredibly low compared to everything parked near it.
I think two door cars are from another era now when cars were more interesting.
I just think the majority of people want an SUV these days. I saw a BMW z4 today for the first time in ages and it lookes tiny and incredibly low compared to everything parked near it.
I think two door cars are from another era now when cars were more interesting.
Also with young children in booster seats you don’t have to twist as much to buckle them in with a three door, more face-on. Young’uns can clamber in or out no problem.
Also lighter, less complicated and mostly better looking. Twisting to get the seat belt can, and has been a pain.
I’m not against five doors; they’ve just never been necessary for me.
Also lighter, less complicated and mostly better looking. Twisting to get the seat belt can, and has been a pain.
I’m not against five doors; they’ve just never been necessary for me.
Pica-Pica said:
My first car was a 2 door (1972 Ford Escort 1100), poverty car. Never again. I think it's poor form subjecting rear passengers to clambering out past a folded front seat.
f
k 'em. They should have an interesting enough car to bring along for the journey if they want to casually slide out the front door. 
It’s a shame
Can you still get a 3 door mini?
I had a Leon SC which was a great car, looked great, the doors were long which was a problem in car parks though, in 4 years I never had anyone in the back
Not practical for a family but probably still fine for a large portion of the population
Replaced with a Audi a4, I think I’ve had people in the back twice
Can you still get a 3 door mini?
I had a Leon SC which was a great car, looked great, the doors were long which was a problem in car parks though, in 4 years I never had anyone in the back
Not practical for a family but probably still fine for a large portion of the population
Replaced with a Audi a4, I think I’ve had people in the back twice
Also with young children in booster seats you don’t have to twist as much to buckle them in with a three door, more face-on. Young’uns can clamber in or out no problem.
Also lighter, less complicated and mostly better looking. Twisting to get the seat belt can, and has been a pain.
I’m not against five doors; they’ve just never been necessary for me.
Also lighter, less complicated and mostly better looking. Twisting to get the seat belt can, and has been a pain.
I’m not against five doors; they’ve just never been necessary for me.
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