The Seat Leon SC has been trimmed from the brand’s line-up, becoming the latest in a series of three-door models taken off sale by the Volkswagen Group.
Sales of three-door cars have dived in recent years, leading to their removal from brand portfolios across the industry. Seat confirmed to Autocar that the three-door Leon was discontinued due to lower demand.
In recent months, the three-door version of its Mii city car was also withdrawn, again due to the stronger demand for five-door hatchbacks.
Seat sold just 880 Leon SC cars across July, while the ST estate found 3599 homes and the five-door Leon found 10,743, meaning the three-door SC made up less than 6% of sales. For the Mii, three-door models made up just 14% of sales across July, with 129 sold to the five door's 779 sales.
Across the last two years, the Volkswagen Group’s brands have ended, or announced the end of, three-door variants of Volkswagen's Beetle, Volkswagen Polo, Scirocco and Volkswagen Up, as well as the Audi A3, leaving only a trio of three-door cars on sale.
Even these are not long for this world, however, with the Audi A1 and Volkswagen Golf going five-door-only in their next generations and the Skoda Citigo nearing the end of its life.
Elsewhere in the industry, the three-door Range Rover Evoque and Vauxhall GTC have also been withdrawn, while the Kia Procee'd is being relaunched as a five-door shooting brake, where it was formerly a rakish three-door hatch.
Read more:
Range Rover Evoque three-door axed
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As a case in point, AE have
As a case in point, AE have just group tested a 3-door Cooper S and Fiesta ST, together with the Porky Polo GTi. They've recommended people go for the 5-door versions of the S and ST though. I sometimes wonder if motoring journalists have any soul....
Another three-door bites the dust
Let's get this clear. I shouldn't expect to buy a car that suits my needs, like a three-door, but should buy one which can be a better seller come trade-in time. So, if I'm not prepared to waste money on a five door or an SUV, neither of which suit my needs, I should just accept the fact that no-one seems to want my business unless I settle for a Fiesta or a Mini. It's good to feel appreciated!
3 door cars
I'm another one who does not like the fact that lots of 3 door cars are being dropped "due to lack of demand". I am a disabled driver and a 3 door car is easier for me to get my wheelchair in and out as in general, the doors open wider than on a 5 door car. I think there are only about 2 makes of car left that come in a 3 door version, the Ford Fiesta and the Mini.
owenmahamilton wrote:
I used to work with a guy in a wheelchair and when our new company cars arrived I couldn't understand why he chose the same 5dr as me. I queried why he didn't chose a 3dr - surely the larger door would be easier for him to access? He told me 3dr cars are worst of all for disabled drivers - because the door is larger it means that when he's in the car, he struggles to reach the handle to close the door. He also found it a pain parking because as he needs to fully open the door, even many disabled parking spaces aren't wide enough for the larger doors on a 3dr.