Here’s More Proof That Three-Door Cars Are Dying
The last three-door variants of ordinary, everyday cars are being dropped from line-ups across the industry, as the UK’s buyers move towards more practical options.
Volkswagen’s sister company Seat has discontinued the sportier ‘SC’ body style from the Leon range. It has also discounted all of its remaining three-door cars in the UK, in a low-profile sell-off to clear forecourts of cars that buyers apparently just don’t want any more.
It’s not just to do with the general trend towards SUVs, either: the three-door Range Rover Evoque is among the cars to have been quietly dropped due to poor sales.
Seat has recently also canned the three-door Mii, while Volkswagen ended the very likeable Scirocco and Beetle. Three-door Polos and Ups are for the chop (although some are still available), while the three-door A3 has already disappeared and both Audi’s A1 and Volkswagen’s Golf will soon be limited to five-door or estate bodies. The Skoda Citigo three-door will soon expire with the change to the next all-new model.
Vauxhall has recently killed the handsome Astra GTC. Kia, meanwhile, is reshaping the Proceed, formerly a sharp three-door version of the Ceed, into a five-door shooting brake.
Meanwhile, sports cars and the occasional outlier like Range Rover’s SV Coupe will carry on using the sleeker three-door layout. As we’ve already written, we’ll miss it among the more accessible end of the market.
Source: Autocar
Comments
I am still sad that they discontinued the Scirocco
Its a shame. It had such history. But Volkswagen could’ve made a five door one with a small facelift, but they killed it for some reason. It’s a shame…
Same
Oh dear, what about the MINI Cooper? It better not be replaced with a baby Countryman!
There’s a spanner thrown in the works! People love Minis - even I wouldn’t mind a 3dr JCW.
I think minis are safe from this trend.
I’ve said it once And shall say it again, the 5 door up is hideous and should be discontinued instead of the 3 door
People don’t buy the VW Up because how it looks. They buy it because they want a small, practical car. The 5-door version makes much more sense.
Now the real question… How are they going to fit 4 doors to an up!?
I don’t know, maybe like this. Because it already exists.
I have never understood why you would want 2d version of a car that could have 4 doors, but that’s just my opinion.
Cause it’s sportier to most people
And to teens and people who carpool, you don’t have to share your car with other people as they’d think there’s no space in the back even though the back leg and head space would usually be same for most 3DRs and 5DRs
most 3-door hatchbacks have a shorter wheelbase than their 5-door equivalent, meaning they have better handling.
Im okay with this. I think 3 door cars with rear seats are stupid. The m6 Gran coupe is the best M6.The M3 is better than the m4 It makes no sense to add unusable rear seats, just add a door and now the car can be used everywhere. Could be a few kg(s) heavier but wont matter.
It lengthens the wheelbase and makes some cars look ugly af, just move forward the passenger side seat, flip ahead the backrest and voilà, you can enter the rear seats without adding doors that are basically pointless
Sad😭
In France, insurances are charging more if you have the 3 door version…
Why though?
Really sad that the beetle is gone, that thing was an icon, and I’m going to cry if Mini gets discontinued. However, they sell fine in the US(as far as I know), and withh most of their competition hone they will probably sell better. I’d imagine the mini being sad at the loss of its good friend, the beetle.
So did the Mii come out before the Wii console