There was a time when three-door SUVs were a popular choice. Back in the day, there were whole loads of them and the five-door versions were more of an afterthought than the main model.
Fast forward to today and that segment has all but dried up. These days, it’s the five-door versions that are the volume sellers and three three-doors are the niche variants.
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It doesn’t take a PhD to figure out why three-door SUVs aren’t a common sight anymore. The extra set of doors boost accessibility and practicality, not to mention the added space and stretch out room. With fewer and fewer takers of the short wheelbase versions, it’s inevitable that automakers have discontinued them. Take the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, for instance. All past generations had a three-door version, but the all-new 250 Series won’t get one.
Just because there aren’t as many, it doesn’t meant mean we don’t miss them. There was the short wheelbase Suzuki Vitara and Toyota RAV4 for the compact class. Moving up a size class, who would forget the shortened Pajero? Heck, there were even three-door versions of the Tahoe in the mid-90s. Going further back, there was the Chevy K5 Blazer and the early versions of the Land Cruiser.
But let’s say you don’t mind not having a pair of doors at the back. What are your options? Let’s take a look, shall we?
Suzuki Jimny
This one’s obvious, shining example, this. It’s almost hard to imagine the Jimny as anything else other than as a three-door. But not even this pint-sized SUV is immune from the five-door expansion. Still, it doesn’t seem likely that the short wheelbase version will ever go away. At least, that’s what we’re hoping for.
Lada Niva
From something modern to a bit of a relic. For those seeking the Cold War vibe, there's the Lada Niva, now called the Niva Legend. It's been in production since 1977, and more often than not, seen as a three-door model. Of course, there are other body styles, but the shorter version is the purest form, we say.
Force Gurkha
A what, now, you ask? If we have any readers in India out there, the Gurkha is a familiar name. For the rest of the world, here’s a quick brief. It’s larger than a Jimny and bears a passing resemblance to a certain boxy German SUV. Interestingly, it still uses an old (but near invincible) Mercedes-Benz diesel engine, the OM616. How old, you ask? The OM616 traces its roots to the early ‘70s and was first used in the W115 Mercedes-Benz 240D.
Mahindra Thar
Whereas the previous entry resembled a certain boxy German SUV, this one reminds us of a boxy American SUV. That aside, the Thar remains a popular choice in India. The current generation was introduced in 2020 and is a common sight in the off-roading scene there.
BAIC F40
Oh look, another three-door SUV that looks, er, familiar. We’ll leave that bit for a moment and say that the BAIC F40 is China’s take on a rugged, no-frills 4x4. Okay, it’s not totally no-frills as there are modern creature comforts and amenities in there. Unfortunately, this isn’t offered locally. Instead, we get the five-door version, the B40.
Jeep Wrangler
In the past, the Wrangler, along with the CJ predecessor, was always made to be a three-door. Sure, there was a long-wheelbase version, but it was sold as a pickup. But surprisingly, Jeep released the five-door Unlimited model in the mid-‘00s. Despite that, it didn’t totally eat into the three-door’s sales. Instead, it broadened its appeal and Wrangler sales are higher than ever. Because of that, we’re glad Jeep never thought of dropping this short version. They shouldn’t, either way, as we suspect off-roaders and Jeep fanatics will riot if that happens.
Ford Bronco
Locally, we only get one version of the Ford Bronco. We’re not complaining much, though, as it’s the twin-turbocharged V6 Outer Banks model. That said, it only comes as a five-door. Over in North America however, you can get that same engine and package in a more maneuverable three-door body. Like the Wrangler, we reckon that the shorter Bronco will be even more unstoppable off-road. It’s great that Ford has given the option of a three-door model, too, as the original Bronco was never offered with extra doors.
Nissan Patrol Y61
Yes, the Y61 Patrol is still around. We’d like to think that the main reason why it’s still being made is because of the Middle East and African markets. But it’s only the Middle East that gets the short-wheelbase model. It’s a bit of a symbol of its era, as the Y61 first rolled out in late 1997. At the time, three-door models were popular even in its home market. There was the short wheelbase versions of the Pajero and Prado, both of which aren’t around anymore. Back in the Middle East, it’s still a solid seller, and you’ve probably seen a couple of videos of these packing a highly-tuned 4.8-liter straight six putting out over 1,000hp.
Toyota Land Cruiser 70
If Nissan has the Y61 Patrol, Toyota has the Land Cruiser 70. It almost seems as if the two Japanese marques are chasing the title for longest-running, single-generation SUV still in production. The 70 Series is, of course even older than the Y61, first introduced in late 1984. For all its 40 years in production, it was always offered in a wide variety of body styles, all of which are still in production today. Like the Patrol, only the Middle East gets the three-door model. So for those seeking the old-school experience and have a feel of what SUVs were like before the term was even coined, this is the only way to go.
Land Rover Defender
And, finally, we arrive at the last car on the list. It’s also the most expensive and the most luxurious. It is, of course, the new Defender. Quite frankly, we were surprised that Land Rover made the modern 90 given the practical side of the business. Then again, Land Rover loyalists are a different breed. Either way, the modern Defender 90 shows that the brand listens to its enthusiast fan base. And it’s not like it’s only available as a base model either. You can even get one with a supercharged V8.
