Alright, Enough With The Three-Door SUV Concepts

"Blake Noble" (no-bull) 03/06/2014 at 20:15 • Filed to: Rants

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It never fails. Every auto show season, there's at least one automaker who rolls out a concept version of a new SUV that is — although they vehemently deny it — bound for production. That's all well and good, except when they somehow manage to lose the back two doors on the way to reveal day.

Okay, okay, I can already hear you out there. "But automakers always emphasize form over function with concept cars. That's a part of what makes them concepts. You're just complaining to complain here, so shut your trap already and enjoy them like the rest of us."

I guess I can't argue with you ... unless we're talking about concept cars that are really just heavily modified or over-styled versions of what automakers already have coming down the pipeline, in which case I'll just sit here, cross my arms, and stubbornly shake my head left to right.

Why? Let's sit down and think about concept cars for a second. Manufacturers these days really aren't much on rolling out concepts without having some intent to actually build them. Sure, you'll get a fanciful mid-engined something or other with a billion turbochargers and a massive engine thrown your way every now and then, but few concept cars are pure and simple show cars anymore. The days of when stuff like the Cadillac Cien or Jeep Hurricane ruled the auto show circuit are just as gone as the economy that spawned them, as much as it sucks to say it. Concept cars now are used solely as marketing and development tools so that automakers can build enthusiasm for and gauge the press's and public's opinions on an upcoming model. And that's where I take issue with all of these three-door SUV concepts automakers have been forcing on us lately.

At the Geneva Auto Show this week, there were two sport-ute concepts that more or less previewed an upcoming production model — the VW T-Roc (pictured above, under my scathing caption) which will spawn a new model below the Tiguan, and Hyundai Intrado which likely previews the next-generation Tuscon. Previously, at the Detroit Auto Show, Volvo rolled out the Concept XC Coupe concept which will likely be turned into the upcoming redesigned XC90. All of them had one thing in common: they only had three doors.

So what's the big deal about that? Is there a big deal? Yeah, there is.

Each production model those three will spawn will all have five doors instead of only three, ruining the styling in the process. With the exception of Land Rover and the Range Rover Evoque, I can't think of a single automaker who has flaunted a three-door SUV concept in the past that's managed to keep the styling completely intact for its five-door production counterpart. It's actually rare that a vehicle initially designed only for two or three doors looks good when you add a set of back doors and call it quits (see almost every awkward sedan ever from the '50s, '60s, and '70s).

So why not design the concept version to have five-doors from the start? What's the point in more or less lying about it? We know we'll be able to buy one of the damn things shortly after it's debuted. After all, even with the cost of fuel about as reliable as Chevy Cobalt ignition switches and Lindsay Lohan's sobriety, people still buy tons of sports-utility vehicles and automakers can't say no to the temptation of sending yet another face to a crowded party where the beer ran out about three hours ago.

Considering that we know the role concept cars now serve, what's the point showing something that you're going to totally muck up and drastically alter in the process of homologating it for showrooms? It also isn't like automakers don't build concept versions of upcoming sport-utes with five-doors, either. Or — here's an even better question — why not just build a few more three-door SUVs? At least taking away two doors makes more sense and looks way better than putting a hunchback roofline on one (looking at you BMW X4 and X6).

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Blake Noble > Blake Noble 03/06/2014 at 20:17

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Reposting for the evening crowd, although I'm not sure where the earlier comments went ...

Bandit > Blake Noble 03/06/2014 at 20:21

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I keep reading it as I-ROC. I wonder how VW feels about relating their concept with a 3rd gen Camaro.

Nibby > Blake Noble 03/06/2014 at 20:22

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Unless Chevy/GMC/Ford/Ram makes a Silverado/Sierra/F series/1500 3 door SUV, I'm not interested.

wbizarre - OEM fetishist > Blake Noble 03/06/2014 at 20:23

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Hello there!

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > wbizarre - OEM fetishist 03/06/2014 at 20:27

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one of those is great. one is blasphemy

Blake Noble > wbizarre - OEM fetishist 03/06/2014 at 20:39

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I mentioned the Evoque in the article. Brian Silvestro pointed that out earlier, but his comment got Kinja'd.

The Mini on the other hand, is easy to overlook. Not because three-door SUVs are terrible, but because the Paceman/Countryman in general is forgettable.

Anyway, now I'm wondering how many three-door SUVs are on sale today I can name from the top of my head. Let's see ...

*Jeep Wrangler
*Range Rover Evoque
*Land Rover Defender
*Mini Paceman
*Suzuki Jimny
*Suzuki Escudo (aka Vitara)

I might have missed one or two, I'm sure, but it's still a small crowd.

Blake Noble > Bandit 03/06/2014 at 20:44

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Funny you should mention that. Meet the (sc)IROC(co) concept.

Blake Noble > Nibby 03/06/2014 at 20:47

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I still wish we'd have gotten this instead of the Avalanche ...

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Blake Noble 03/06/2014 at 20:48

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3 door SUVs are great. SUV "coupes" are the problem.

for reference

VS.

SUVs are boxy for a reason boxy is purposeful.

Blake Noble > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 03/06/2014 at 20:50

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Agreed! More Amigos, less X4s.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Blake Noble 03/06/2014 at 20:55

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looks a little goofie though like an over grown X-90. kinda

wbizarre - OEM fetishist > Blake Noble 03/06/2014 at 22:11

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I see your point, but there's reason to doing things this way(2-door concepts). The reason is, 2-doors are sexy, which you say in your piece. Automakers want concepts to be sexy to get people excited for the upcoming model. A 2-door lets you get away with a more dynamic, sloping roofline. Once you start worrying about the people in the back, they need headroom, they need something to look out of. Your Buick picture is case in point. In the end a 4-door will end up being more boxy, more square. Some cars take that idea and run with it, like the Kia Soul, and it works out for them. Kia Soul, mmmmmm, lovely. However, that's not the approach most other crossover-flogging carmakers take. Maybe the question should be why are carmakers trying to make their crossovers look like sportscars?

Spasoje > Blake Noble 03/09/2014 at 22:41

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Agreed. Three-door SUVs lost out to practicality at first. Now though, when we're suddenly inundated with impractical SUVs, it's stupid to force a pair of rear doors onto them.

Having an impractical SUV with five doors is pointless - it's lying to yourself. But having an impractical SUV with three doors actually makes perfect sense! It's knowing what you're buying and being unapologetic about it.

Or, at least it would be if things like this were real:

http://www.theophiluschin.com/?p=5888