The Three-Door Audi A3 Will Soon Be No More
Reasonable-sized three-door hatchbacks seem to be dying out. C-segment stalwarts like the Honda Civic, Ford Focus and Opel/Vauxhall Astra have all dropped their three-door body styles in recent years, and even smaller hatches like the Seat Ibiza and Renault Clio come only in five-door form.
By 2019, it looks like there’ll be another casualty to add to the list: the Audi A3. Autocar reports that Audi is “likely” to drop the three-door option when the next-generation A3 arrives. The five-door car may hand its ‘Sportback’ moniker over to a new, sleeker liftback model, while the saloon will grow to make its rear seat passengers a little less cramped and moody.
The reason for the death of the three-door version? No one wants it. When given a choice, it seems the modern car buyer would rather have the extra practicality of an extra set of doors, and it’s no different with prospective A3 owners, leaving demand for the entry-level three-door car low.
With Audi there’s also the added pressure of streamlining and cost-cutting in the continuing financial wake of VW Group’s emissions scandal, making culling the three-door version the obvious choice.
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
Hmm…early. Got nothing witty to say and wont even try, goodday CTzens!
ends up getting top comment because relatable
Unrelated, but is that MK7 GTI in your picture a 3 door or a 5 door? 🤔
That’s a shame… Personally I would prefer to have three doors over five. I’m planning on getting a three-door car for as my first car.
My friends all have 3 doors and ive had enough. I like my 5 doors. Its true 3 doors look way better tho
Yeah, I did that. Great idea if you only plan to be only you and/or one more in the car (or if you simply hate your friends). Apart from that, 3 doors are a bit unpractical if people are getting in the back. You have no idea how many times I have picked people up, and when they’ve walked up to my car they simply stand outside looking desperatly for some rear doors. It’s hilarious! So yeah, get a 3 door, you’ll have more fun :D
A potty, 4 and 5 door cars don’t interest me. Guess I’ll have to start looking at 2 door cars.
Noo :( three doors ftw
VAG used to be one of the few manufacturers to have 3Ds in production (Focus/Corolla/Civic etc are 3D no more for a long time)
Then they killed 3D Polo
Now A3
Please don’t kill the 3D Golf :(
Already did in North America
Tbh I never found 3 door hatchbacks better looking than their 5-door equivalents.
Just waiting for them to kill the 2 door Chiron.
.
And replace it with a 4 door Chiron to scare as many people as possible at a time.
That’s not going to happen. Mainly because of the fact that there is actually a demand for a 2 door Chiron, which happens to just exist.
what is better than 2 rich Arabians? 4 rich Arabians
introducing 4 door Chiron by Bugatti
Nooooooooooooo
I think the 3Dr A3 has always been better looking. Hence why I own one. Who want’s a 3Dr S3? Personally think it looks so much meaner in the 3D layout.
Such a shame. Better make sure I have an S3 by 2019 then!!
The problem is that a lot of people buy new cars already with resale-value in mind.
And 4 doors just factually are a bonus on the used car market.
Wtf that’s not good the best variant for the s3
It’s true 3 doors look better for photos but would I buy one? No. My days of getting out of the car to let passengers in are over.