It's not just 3 door 4x4s that have gone. It's 3 door hatchbacks too: polo, golf, focus, astra etc. You used to get 3 door versions of the Sierra and cavalier too.
Owned a three door almera as an island car, (no mot) the doors were ridiculous nearly dislocated shoulder reaching for seat belt and carparking if anyone was selfish you could not get in.... Mitsu and Jimny are the only two I think that are OK...
I don't watch TV anymore and haven't for many years now because of people like you on TH-cam and other platforms. Fair play to you man you make excellent content.
I have a 1997 3 door Shogun V6, use it for carrying tools and equipment and towing a welding generator down unpaved roads to wherever I'm working. My only complaint is that the 3 door had a smaller fuel tank than the 5 door, but it makes up for it by being a reliable and capable workhorse.
It's almost a cringe moment, all the time when you see off-road channels, going straight for long wheel base 5 doors 4wd. Then complaining about the low of breakover angle.
My wife has been saying the same thing and reluctantly settled for a 5 door recently. I kind of see her point now having watched this. I hadn’t realised that so many brands once made 3 door versions and yes, they did look better.
Quite amazing, I was just thinking the very same! I was actually watching an old Harry's Garage video on a 3 door evoque & I get a notification for this one 😁
Yet there was only one wheelbase for the Disco 1. I had a 3 door one for a while. We used it as a farm hack. It was a brilliant old vehicle. Even better it was bought cheap on a whim. I saw it parked at an auction site. When I enquired about it, they said it had been through the ring a few times but didn’t sell. The owner had put a reserve of £1700 on it, but the most it made was £1200. Feeling cheeky I said I’d offer a grand, thinking I’d never from them again. An hour later they rang back to say he’d take it. We hard it for about 3yrs. Part of me thinks we should never have sold it.
I found a girlfriend a 3-door Rav-4 back in 2002, as an upgrade from her old Ka. She loved it, but was a bit miffed when I insisted she learned how to check the (colour-coded) fluid levels in the engine bay, and I doubt she ever put it into low-ratio.
A lot of commercial drivers went to the double cab pick up. Tax perks and the load is separate to the passenger compartment helped 👍. Always like your reviews.
Agreed, Toyota changed it all when they launched the then new Mk6 Hilux around 2006, we bought a 3 litre auto Hilux in 2007, despite what the reviews might have said it was a delight to drive and did everyting asked of it, the only way to beat the top VED rates was by going commercial with Toyotas well deserved reputation led to depreciation being better than most cars.
@@lewlewis6511 I had the mk2 Nissan navara as my works vehicle, drug dealer black with the solid side rear cab. Best vehicle I ever had. I did 234 k miles on it no issues infact on original clutch , the new Ford ranger seems the one to have now , the 3.2 auto 👍👍.
@@keithmyerscough9900 Yes i too quite fancied a Ranger with the 3.2, however it appears when you change the oil you must complete the change within 15 mins or danger of the oil pump can't drag the oil up...no this isn't a joke and never heard anything so ridiculous in me life, its got some variable flow oil pump fitted which can't prime itself...now this may not cause any issues but for goodness sake these are supposed to be tough commercial vehicles not some toy that breaks if you look at it sideways, i've ruled them out for this reason. VW Amarok V6 looks interesting, i've been told chassis is galvanized which is most unusual in this class of vehicle, V6 Diesel too for the win. Not looking for a while, current Prado (LC5) shows no signs of giving up and could well see me out.
Have the little 2003 Rav4 3 door, and I ADORE it. In fact I got here by searching your channel to see if you'd done a vid after I watched your jimny vid. Drives so well even all these years later and it cost me 1500 on 90K
Loved the look of these mitsubishis... But kids (read wife) stopped me buying one... Volvo 740 instead yawn...! There's one here lying in grass think it's an oil pump issue, which if I recall us inside engine.... Not a cheap fix.... Mmmm thinks Where's my tool box!
A former girlfriend had one. She liked the solid chunky-monkey appearance and the high driving position, but then she wasn't a pink-and-fluffy type of girl.
Excellent content as always mate! I've been talking about this for a long time. I've been an Jeep/Suv fan since I can remember. And from experience in off road (and my personal taste), short wheelbased 3 door off roaders will always be better for me then those long giant behemoths. The large SUVs were probably more popular in open spaces like the dessert, savannah, steppe etc, but out here in the mountainous and thick forested Balkans 3 door SUVs ruled. The most used were Lada Nivas, Suzuki (Grand)Vitaras, Suzuki Jimnies, Mitusibshi (Pinin) Pajeros, and even 3 door Land Cruisers and Patrols. Why? BEcause they were more nimble and agile and perfectly suited the narrow forest "roads" and tight turns that one would often encounter in such places.
Just taken delivery of the new Defender 90 in green with a white roof, and yes I agree it looks better balanced than the 110. Not missing the added practicality the 110 offers so far.
@@frednerk8366 Disco1 5dr = 178.7" long vs New Defender 90 = 180.4". Both including the spare wheel, so both shorter with the spare removed as they are both door mounted. Not sure where your half a metre is coming from.
Fair enough, you are correct. I was neglecting the spare wheel. I'm surprised though as the Disco looks to be the longer car, although half of the spare is within the overall length. @@300bhpton
I worked for Mitsubishi back in the day and my Co car of choice was always the SWB Shogun for all the reasons you stated. Not the most fuel efficient things in the world compared to newer cars and also not the fastest thing in the world but in every other way an excellent thing to have.
My first car was a 1981, 3 door hardtop Suzuki "Stockman" (LJ80) that I bought in 1985, and it was a brilliant, go anywhere, first car. I think there is a market for three door 4*4's as go anywhere adventure mobiles for a younger crowd, but just not at new car prices, hence, the premium they command used. Cheers, keep up the great video's, from a happy Australian subscriber.
Picked up a 3 door Frontera a few months ago. I'm tidying it up gradually and going thro it like a dose of salts mechanically as it's really grown on me. Great to hear your appreciation of 3 door 4x4's as I agree, they look much more purposeful than their bigger brothers. You mentioned the Montery but forgot the Frontera.
Agreed. I daily drive a Range Rover Classic 2 door. I love it. Changed the seats and the dash to a more modern Disco soft because the vinyl was knackered. Lovely, capable and nimble.
I now have a nh Pajero 2.6 swb, but a few years ago I had a Holden Jackaroo (trooper) that was lifted 3.5" had 33s on it and was locked front and rear. It absolutely smoked my wrangler unlimited off-road! I love the swb offroaders
Love this, even 3 door hatchbacks are clearly going. When I was young, the 3 door of any car was the one to have but not so much now. The 3 door Range Rover looks awesome, lovely alternative to the Merc coupes.
I have a 93 Grand Vitara 5 door - might as well be three door due to the gaping holes in the middle row of seats (you can see the road in several places), it's begging for a chop shop to have made into the hot little three door rear wheel drive it could be! Love the video as usual Matt.
had a '05 3 door 2.7 Prado a few years ago, absolutely loved it. very comfortable, great off road and got so much more attention than the 5 door ones too, nobody looks at those twice. was a bit underpowered though, was my only complaint
My wife’s 2003 3 door RAV4 bought from new 183000 miles never skipped a beat full Toyota service history never needed anything apart from the usual tyres brakes and a one battery change some 5 years ago..still on the original clutch and makes regular 800 mile round trips to Scotland …absolutely brilliant little car and still running strong.
An Aussie here who's been wonder the very same thing. I own a Mitsubishi Pajero (Samurai to you?) & if I wasn't using it to tow & camper (using space inside car too), then the SWB version would be fine for me. In fact there's a couple getting around near where I live & I still glance and admire. Mind you they're possibly getting a bit long in the tooth. But if the mileage is low enough, then I'd prefer a SWB Pajero over the Jimny any day of the week.
My parents had a Daihatsu Fourtrak in the 80s, they went trough various 4X4s over the years gradually becoming more soft roader as they got older, they started with a V8 Land Rover in ‘83, a Shogun, a Fourtrack, 2 Vitaras, a CR-V and finally a CX-5. Only the Fourtrack was a 3 door though. The reason for 4X4s was their semi rural location and living on a 1 in 4 hill that steepened to 1 in 3 at the top, in winter we were the only people who could get up the hill.
@@joeroche552 ... a good friend of mine had a Pearl While 3 door Nissan Partol Straight 6 Petrol when he worked & lived in Dubai few years ago. I got to drive it on a road trip to Oman across the Wahiba Sands Dunes when I visited him and it was an absolute hoot to Dune Bash in that Full size TONKA Truck. Loved it.
I used to not understand why my dad bought a 2nd generation base spec 1.8 Rav4 FWD in 3 door. But when most of the time he used it for work only so it was only him and 1 colleague it makes sense now... I miss it now after watching this. Maybe I'll get a 4wd version if I see one for a good price just to relive those old days!
My 1st Gen Freelander was a 3 door and I always thought it was the best option and looked better on larger rims and Black bodywork. I once got off the ferry in the Western Isles a place no stranger to a Land Rover and heard the local boys compliment my Landy. Made my day.
Another interesting video topic. I remember, realising after my daughter was born, that I couldn't think about buying anything but a four door car anymore because, you need back doors to look after your child in the back seat. This is probably one of the main reasons three doors were scrapped.
Your statement about the having a market for 3 door SUVs is actually true! In the Philippines, there's alot of demand for a 04-05 3-door Rav4. Especially the Matic ones.
@@DroneShots_UK It seems to me that Suzuki have temporarily stopped production of the Jimny and sales in all countries and plan to put it back into production again soon.
I have had a 3000 Shogun (like your mums) A couple of Sportraks a 3 door Fourtrak and a Jimny. The common element though, is the rear luggage space falls into chocolate teapot territory unless you put the rear seats down. Currently have a new (4d) Vitara which I love.
Totally with you. I used to buy fully prepared 3 door ravs straight off forecourts where the dealer didn’t know the premiums and put them on at the correct prices. A low mileage, automatic 55 plate can still fetch £8,000 😀
Not forgetting the three door Freelander as well. I swear the rear seats had never been used in my old Range Rover p38! Really like your reviews. Keep up the good work.
Firstly, I have secretly always liked that 3 door shogun, much better looking than the 5 door and if I were ever to defect from Land Rover, the 3dr Shogun would be a very strong contender. As far as other 3drs go, I suspect that, with the dwindling numbers, it may not be long before even Land Rover axe the 90. Time will tell
01:28 My korrando was an ugly thing. But that 5cyl Merc engine has a cracking song to it and it ran on anything I put in oily. 1000 mile road trip round Scotland on waste veg oil two up and dog, plus gear. Seats folded down flat into a bed. I'd have another in heart beat if I could find one.
You can still buy a new 3 door Toyota Landcruiser (we did last year). It’s old technology but it will last for ever. What was amusing was the fact that the sales guy thought it was only available as a commercial derivative - perhaps explains in part why more aren’t sold.
Not forgetting the original three door Freelander too. Unfortunately it's not just SUV's that have had three door models pruned, it's regular passenger cars too, Golf, Polo, Focus etc. Land Rover don't do a three door Evoque anymore either which is a shame. You hit the nail on the head though, it's all about manufacturers streamlining production, or in other words cutting costs!
My parents had 2 Daihatsu Sportraks growing up, a red one and a bright 90s green one. Both with soft and hard tops, they were fantastic and always felt special even though they were probably quite common back then, especially sitting in the back with the roof down on holiday!
Great vid Matt & totally agree with you about the coolness of the 3 door 4X4s. Back in the mid 1990's I nearly pulled the trigger on a 3 door M-B G-Wagon (way before these were cool & desirable) It was a D reg Black 3 door G230 4 pot Auto but the extensive rust (poorly disguised as bodywork) put me right off it and I walked away. BTW if you can find one, please do a full review of an Isuzu VehiCross which championed the 3 door 4X4 idea back in the late 1990's.
Great video as always my friend. Absolutely love my Mitsubishi Shogun sub, had it for 5 years, fantastic in the mud, great road manners, always being asked do I want to sell it, hard to find a good example these days. Is yours up for sale, I’m tempted to buy a slightly newer one. Great review by the way. Thanks for sharing mate.
Yes my wife had one & it took about 30 seconds to bring the electric seats forward enough to climb in the back 🤣 meanwhile on a wet day you got soaked waiting to get in.
Now that everyone is going electric, it would be a great time to re-introduce a cool futuristic-looking 3-door 4x4. The biggest downside of those from what I remember, is that they are very tall and sit on a very short wheelbase. That makes them inherently unstable on motorways, especially in the cross-wind prone areas.
My first Landcruiser was a 70 series 3 door, it wasn't just that it had a short wheelbase it wasn't permanent 4WD, to get 4WD you had to engage the front drive via a switch (the second lever was to engage low range) and get out and manually lock the frong hubs. Buy cheap rubbish tyres and it was a skittish vehicle in the wet (as Hilux's can be), but put the right tyres on it and the vehicle was stable and could be punted around corners with surprising agility, but it was one of the last versions with the 3 litre engine and, unusually for the type, coil springs all round.
Had a Trooper and Pajero in three door and would have a land cruiser but they’ve stopped importing them. All the benefits you mentioned are right and the reason I like them.
You forgot the best and most reliable, the Daihatsu Fourtrak! If you keep the rust away they go on forever. Mine is still towing 3 tonne most days and in 20 years the only thing thats let me down is one fan belt that snapped!
Bought a brand new 3 door Toyota 2.ltr NRG petrol Rav 4, in 2003. 2nd version newer looking one. Fantastic car. Would have bought another one but they do not make them anymore so we keep on running it. Still looks and drives great in silver Starts fist time every time!
Wasn't the Freelander a three door (or the majority were)? Very interesting video Matt, it's something I had never really thought about, but now I am. 👍
that "three door" Ranger Rover you speak of, has the exact same dimensions as a proper 5 door Range Rover. all they did was, extend the front doors by a further 6 inches to make rear access easier. hardly saving any road space, parking space, or anything else.
Short wheel base 4x4s are becoming as rare as small smartphones. I wish manufacturers would continue making them because I personally am a big fan of both. I'm sure I'm not alone.
i bought a 3 door warrior with seats in back 3 years ago best buy ever ,was not easy found and had to pay a premium but love it ,easy to park ,do not like double cab pickups as too clumsy
JLR had projected that 3-door 5-door Evoque sales would be 50-50. They were actually 10-90, so they dropped the 3-door. Go back to the 70s & 80s and you used to be able to get 2-door larger saloons. There were 2-door Mk1 & Mk2 Granadas (not in UK), 2-door Carltons (well, Opel Rekord), Sierras, Cortinas, Cavaliers.
I miss the 3 doors. I had a Daihatsu Sportrak in the 90s and its the ideal size. Same size as a boring hatchback but with bags more style and ability to drive in snow
Got my 3 door Jeep Wrangler here in the states. We’re also getting the new bronco which offers a 3 door version. Not really as big of a fan of huge cumbersome 4x4s. Can’t imagine going through a tight trail in a raptor or Trx
Back in 2001 I was running my own business and living in a rented cottage in the arm pit of nowhere in the Forest of Dean. I was at least a mile off the grid down a muddy track in the woods and owned a Daihatsu Sportrak which was a great little vehicle in the mud, snow and ice. You could fold the back sits down which gave plenty of space for carrying my goods, along with sacks of coal or bundles of wood to run the heating and cooking in the cottage I was renting. It had a dif lock for 4-wheel drive but you never really needed it, even squelching through a few inches of mud to get to and from the cottage. It's 1.6 engine was perky enough and it was really robust.
Funny enough I sold my longwheel base Land Cruiser yesterday to by the more practical Shogun as I didn't need all that space in the back. Liking my Mk3 Shogun now, it's ace..
I certainly agree, I have owned a Jimny & a couple of Riva's, good fun & practical and could get two in to the same space as a stupidly large 4x4. Stupidly I turned down a tidy mk1 2 door Rav 4 for £500 last year, but did not really want an auto....
I loved my Grand Vitara soft-top. I owned it from 1 year old until it was 14 years old and I was sorry to see it go.... but it was that time when it was about to start getting expensive. There was simply no equivalent to replace it with, so the convertible I switched to for towing the caravan is a VW Eos (nearly as old as the Suzuki now!) - it's a far superior car in many ways - but I wouldn't want to be taking it off-road!
Even with 3 kids in tow we loved our Mk2 Vitara and it was perfect for my wife being a district nurse. It was a sad day when it had to be sent of to the scrappy. A cheap Proton is filling the space badly and will hopefully get her a RAV4 soon.
Owned a Vauxhall Frontera 3-door back in the day. Loved it back then, although now thinking back it was neon blue. Not sure what I was thinking (smoking?) at the time.
My dad had a burgundy frontera “2.2 Dti RS Sport” to give it its full title 😂 not sure what was rs or sport about it as it had dreadful mpg and awful to drive however it was surprisingly quick and me and my friend bought it for a laugh and off roaded in it best £100 ever spent as it was clean rotten with rust
I recently bought a iszuzu trooper 3.0 5 door, I like the the look of the 3 door but I can’t imagine my 70 year old grandmother climbing in the back without breaking her hip lol, great videos btw
![เจ็บที่ยังฮัก - ม่อน วรวิทย์ [ Official Mv ] จอนนี่มิวสิค](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/KALIGSRSjFs/mqdefault.jpg)
![fellow fellow - พรุ่งนี้ไม่มีใครรู้ feat. INK WARUNTORN [OFFICIAL MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/QP6JyjYx_W0/mqdefault.jpg)
It's not just 3 door 4x4s that have gone. It's 3 door hatchbacks too: polo, golf, focus, astra etc. You used to get 3 door versions of the Sierra and cavalier too.
Owned a three door almera as an island car, (no mot) the doors were ridiculous nearly dislocated shoulder reaching for seat belt and carparking if anyone was selfish you could not get in.... Mitsu and Jimny are the only two I think that are OK...
پاکستانی گو پاجئرو٢٠٢٢
I don't watch TV anymore and haven't for many years now because of people like you on TH-cam and other platforms. Fair play to you man you make excellent content.
Thank you
I totally agree 🙏
Sooo much better
And I thought I was the only one!:) totally agree. I love old 3 door shoguns, land cruisers and patrols:)
As a Samurai owner I'm glad that at least Suzuki still produces basically one of the last real offroaders.
The Jimny is the heir apparent
Loved the 3 door Shoguns, such a handy tool for everything except carrying a lot of people, fun to drive and great for work.
I have a 1997 3 door Shogun V6, use it for carrying tools and equipment and towing a welding generator down unpaved roads to wherever I'm working. My only complaint is that the 3 door had a smaller fuel tank than the 5 door, but it makes up for it by being a reliable and capable workhorse.
It's almost a cringe moment, all the time when you see off-road channels, going straight for long wheel base 5 doors 4wd. Then complaining about the low of breakover angle.
As Paul Weller once wrote and sang "And the public wants what the public gets but I don't get what this society wants".
The public get,normally, what they're conditioned to want. Most Doctors smoke Camal.
My wife has been saying the same thing and reluctantly settled for a 5 door recently. I kind of see her point now having watched this. I hadn’t realised that so many brands once made 3 door versions and yes, they did look better.
You are absolutely right, bring back the 3 door 4x4 versions. Agree definitely a niche market
Quite amazing, I was just thinking the very same! I was actually watching an old Harry's Garage video on a 3 door evoque & I get a notification for this one 😁
I thought the LADA Niva was so cool as a kid
Plenty in poland
It has always been
Luxury .....we dreamt of the Niva
I still think it is cool. Just something about it
I still think they are cool, & so is a Panda 4x4 🐼
"I could go on ... so I will" ... made me laugh more than it probably ought to have.done.
3 door Discovery was my personal favourite
Yet there was only one wheelbase for the Disco 1. I had a 3 door one for a while. We used it as a farm hack. It was a brilliant old vehicle. Even better it was bought cheap on a whim. I saw it parked at an auction site. When I enquired about it, they said it had been through the ring a few times but didn’t sell. The owner had put a reserve of £1700 on it, but the most it made was £1200. Feeling cheeky I said I’d offer a grand, thinking I’d never from them again. An hour later they rang back to say he’d take it. We hard it for about 3yrs. Part of me thinks we should never have sold it.
I found a girlfriend a 3-door Rav-4 back in 2002, as an upgrade from her old Ka. She loved it, but was a bit miffed when I insisted she learned how to check the (colour-coded) fluid levels in the engine bay, and I doubt she ever put it into low-ratio.
I so agree with you. One of my best cars was a 3 door rav. I’d have one in a heartbeat.
A lot of commercial drivers went to the double cab pick up. Tax perks and the load is separate to the passenger compartment helped 👍.
Always like your reviews.
Agreed, Toyota changed it all when they launched the then new Mk6 Hilux around 2006, we bought a 3 litre auto Hilux in 2007, despite what the reviews might have said it was a delight to drive and did everyting asked of it, the only way to beat the top VED rates was by going commercial with Toyotas well deserved reputation led to depreciation being better than most cars.
@@lewlewis6511 I had the mk2 Nissan navara as my works vehicle, drug dealer black with the solid side rear cab. Best vehicle I ever had. I did 234 k miles on it no issues infact on original clutch , the new Ford ranger seems the one to have now , the 3.2 auto 👍👍.
@@keithmyerscough9900 Yes i too quite fancied a Ranger with the 3.2, however it appears when you change the oil you must complete the change within 15 mins or danger of the oil pump can't drag the oil up...no this isn't a joke and never heard anything so ridiculous in me life, its got some variable flow oil pump fitted which can't prime itself...now this may not cause any issues but for goodness sake these are supposed to be tough commercial vehicles not some toy that breaks if you look at it sideways, i've ruled them out for this reason.
VW Amarok V6 looks interesting, i've been told chassis is galvanized which is most unusual in this class of vehicle, V6 Diesel too for the win.
Not looking for a while, current Prado (LC5) shows no signs of giving up and could well see me out.
Interesting, same in America. 2 door trucks are a thing of the past now.
Have the little 2003 Rav4 3 door, and I ADORE it. In fact I got here by searching your channel to see if you'd done a vid after I watched your jimny vid. Drives so well even all these years later and it cost me 1500 on 90K
Bloody love this channel. This and Harry's garage are the two for me.
Loved the look of these mitsubishis... But kids (read wife) stopped me buying one... Volvo 740 instead yawn...! There's one here lying in grass think it's an oil pump issue, which if I recall us inside engine.... Not a cheap fix.... Mmmm thinks Where's my tool box!
I love how he still respond and helps even though he have 100k subscribers !
Always
@@HighPeakAutos he's a good guy!
SECRETARY? LOL...
The new Land Rover Defender 90 will be the one to have. More manageable size.
Loved the 3 door Vauxhall Frontera, thought it looked amazing....
A former girlfriend had one. She liked the solid chunky-monkey appearance and the high driving position, but then she wasn't a pink-and-fluffy type of girl.
Excellent content as always mate!
I've been talking about this for a long time. I've been an Jeep/Suv fan since I can remember. And from experience in off road (and my personal taste), short wheelbased 3 door off roaders will always be better for me then those long giant behemoths. The large SUVs were probably more popular in open spaces like the dessert, savannah, steppe etc, but out here in the mountainous and thick forested Balkans 3 door SUVs ruled.
The most used were Lada Nivas, Suzuki (Grand)Vitaras, Suzuki Jimnies, Mitusibshi (Pinin) Pajeros, and even 3 door Land Cruisers and Patrols. Why? BEcause they were more nimble and agile and perfectly suited the narrow forest "roads" and tight turns that one would often encounter in such places.
Just taken delivery of the new Defender 90 in green with a white roof, and yes I agree it looks better balanced than the 110. Not missing the added practicality the 110 offers so far.
Very nice! I’d love one
Probably should also note that the new Pretender 90 is as long/longer than a 5 door Discovery and has a longerwheel base too!
Just saw this pop up in my notifications. The Defender 90 is getting on for half a metre shorter than the Discovery. @@300bhpton
@@frednerk8366 Disco1 5dr = 178.7" long vs New Defender 90 = 180.4". Both including the spare wheel, so both shorter with the spare removed as they are both door mounted. Not sure where your half a metre is coming from.
Fair enough, you are correct. I was neglecting the spare wheel. I'm surprised though as the Disco looks to be the longer car, although half of the spare is within the overall length. @@300bhpton
I worked for Mitsubishi back in the day and my Co car of choice was always the SWB Shogun for all the reasons you stated. Not the most fuel efficient things in the world compared to newer cars and also not the fastest thing in the world but in every other way an excellent thing to have.
3 door freelander as well. Loved that car when I had it. And the roof came off in true Land Rover fashion.
Yes that’s right
My first car was a 1981, 3 door hardtop Suzuki "Stockman" (LJ80) that I bought in 1985, and it was a brilliant, go anywhere, first car. I think there is a market for three door 4*4's as go anywhere adventure mobiles for a younger crowd, but just not at new car prices, hence, the premium they command used. Cheers, keep up the great video's, from a happy Australian subscriber.
And the 3-door Freelander 1 with removable rear roof section. We had a green one - a very attractive car.
Picked up a 3 door Frontera a few months ago. I'm tidying it up gradually and going thro it like a dose of salts mechanically as it's really grown on me. Great to hear your appreciation of 3 door 4x4's as I agree, they look much more purposeful than their bigger brothers. You mentioned the Montery but forgot the Frontera.
Agreed. I daily drive a Range Rover Classic 2 door. I love it. Changed the seats and the dash to a more modern Disco soft because the vinyl was knackered. Lovely, capable and nimble.
The Toyota Landcruiser is still available brand new in the UK as a commercial vehicle too. I agree, big shame most manufacturers pulled out though.
I now have a nh Pajero 2.6 swb, but a few years ago I had a Holden Jackaroo (trooper) that was lifted 3.5" had 33s on it and was locked front and rear. It absolutely smoked my wrangler unlimited off-road! I love the swb offroaders
Love this, even 3 door hatchbacks are clearly going. When I was young, the 3 door of any car was the one to have but not so much now. The 3 door Range Rover looks awesome, lovely alternative to the Merc coupes.
I have a 93 Grand Vitara 5 door - might as well be three door due to the gaping holes in the middle row of seats (you can see the road in several places), it's begging for a chop shop to have made into the hot little three door rear wheel drive it could be! Love the video as usual Matt.
had a '05 3 door 2.7 Prado a few years ago, absolutely loved it. very comfortable, great off road and got so much more attention than the 5 door ones too, nobody looks at those twice. was a bit underpowered though, was my only complaint
I was just scrolling down to the comments to put Daihatsu Fourtrak when I saw your ending. I learned to drive in Dads Fourtrak!
My wife’s 2003 3 door RAV4 bought from new 183000 miles never skipped a beat full Toyota service history never needed anything apart from the usual tyres brakes and a one battery change some 5 years ago..still on the original clutch and makes regular 800 mile round trips to Scotland …absolutely brilliant little car and still running strong.
Perhaps most owners use their off roaders for towing, rather than going cross country. Longer wheelbase also means more stability / comfort.
An Aussie here who's been wonder the very same thing. I own a Mitsubishi Pajero (Samurai to you?) & if I wasn't using it to tow & camper (using space inside car too), then the SWB version would be fine for me. In fact there's a couple getting around near where I live & I still glance and admire. Mind you they're possibly getting a bit long in the tooth. But if the mileage is low enough, then I'd prefer a SWB Pajero over the Jimny any day of the week.
Did you mention the Vauxhall Frontera? Land Rover Freelander 1?
My parents had a Daihatsu Fourtrak in the 80s, they went trough various 4X4s over the years gradually becoming more soft roader as they got older, they started with a V8 Land Rover in ‘83, a Shogun, a Fourtrack, 2 Vitaras, a CR-V and finally a CX-5. Only the Fourtrack was a 3 door though.
The reason for 4X4s was their semi rural location and living on a 1 in 4 hill that steepened to 1 in 3 at the top, in winter we were the only people who could get up the hill.
Valid point but that was so short!!
I used to be a huge fan of that 3 door Nissan Patrol
They’re so badass!
@@joeroche552 ... a good friend of mine had a Pearl While 3 door Nissan Partol Straight 6 Petrol when he worked & lived in Dubai few years ago. I got to drive it on a road trip to Oman across the Wahiba Sands Dunes when I visited him and it was an absolute hoot to Dune Bash in that Full size TONKA Truck. Loved it.
I used to not understand why my dad bought a 2nd generation base spec 1.8 Rav4 FWD in 3 door. But when most of the time he used it for work only so it was only him and 1 colleague it makes sense now... I miss it now after watching this. Maybe I'll get a 4wd version if I see one for a good price just to relive those old days!
My 1st Gen Freelander was a 3 door and I always thought it was the best option and looked better on larger rims and Black bodywork. I once got off the ferry in the Western Isles a place no stranger to a Land Rover and heard the local boys compliment my Landy. Made my day.
I think the three-door Shogun you're driving looks wicked. It looks really purposeful.
Another interesting video topic. I remember, realising after my daughter was born, that I couldn't think about buying anything but a four door car anymore because, you need back doors to look after your child in the back seat. This is probably one of the main reasons three doors were scrapped.
Your statement about the having a market for 3 door SUVs is actually true!
In the Philippines, there's alot of demand for a 04-05 3-door Rav4. Especially the Matic ones.
You are so right ! Again a great video just pure honest information without childish behaviour. Keep them comming
The Jimmy has a 2 year waiting list here in poland
We tried to buy one new last year
not only in poland,everywhere in eu....cause they are just great,like a puch g for people with brains...
I love the jimny it's a very cool little 4wd, I would buy the manual one
I believe that they stopped selling them in the UK. Jonny Smith got one and has made a few cosmetic mods to his.
@@DroneShots_UK It seems to me that Suzuki have temporarily stopped production of the Jimny and sales in all countries and plan to put it back into production again soon.
Coming in commercial form .
I have had a 3000 Shogun (like your mums) A couple of Sportraks a 3 door Fourtrak and a Jimny. The common element though, is the rear luggage space falls into chocolate teapot territory unless you put the rear seats down. Currently have a new (4d) Vitara which I love.
Totally with you. I used to buy fully prepared 3 door ravs straight off forecourts where the dealer didn’t know the premiums and put them on at the correct prices. A low mileage, automatic 55 plate can still fetch £8,000 😀
Good idea
Not forgetting the three door Freelander as well. I swear the rear seats had never been used in my old Range Rover p38! Really like your reviews. Keep up the good work.
Firstly, I have secretly always liked that 3 door shogun, much better looking than the 5 door and if I were ever to defect from Land Rover, the 3dr Shogun would be a very strong contender. As far as other 3drs go, I suspect that, with the dwindling numbers, it may not be long before even Land Rover axe the 90. Time will tell
Have to say I fully agree here, had a lightweight landrover that was a buzz, 2 seats and a whole lot of fun.
01:28 My korrando was an ugly thing. But that 5cyl Merc engine has a cracking song to it and it ran on anything I put in oily. 1000 mile road trip round Scotland on waste veg oil two up and dog, plus gear. Seats folded down flat into a bed. I'd have another in heart beat if I could find one.
You can still buy a new 3 door Toyota Landcruiser (we did last year). It’s old technology but it will last for ever. What was amusing was the fact that the sales guy thought it was only available as a commercial derivative - perhaps explains in part why more aren’t sold.
True they look so much better! I want a Shogun Pinin at the moment
Not forgetting the original three door Freelander too. Unfortunately it's not just SUV's that have had three door models pruned, it's regular passenger cars too, Golf, Polo, Focus etc. Land Rover don't do a three door Evoque anymore either which is a shame. You hit the nail on the head though, it's all about manufacturers streamlining production, or in other words cutting costs!
My parents had 2 Daihatsu Sportraks growing up, a red one and a bright 90s green one. Both with soft and hard tops, they were fantastic and always felt special even though they were probably quite common back then, especially sitting in the back with the roof down on holiday!
Great vid Matt & totally agree with you about the coolness of the 3 door 4X4s. Back in the mid 1990's I nearly pulled the trigger on a 3 door M-B G-Wagon (way before these were cool & desirable) It was a D reg Black 3 door G230 4 pot Auto but the extensive rust (poorly disguised as bodywork) put me right off it and I walked away. BTW if you can find one, please do a full review of an Isuzu VehiCross which championed the 3 door 4X4 idea back in the late 1990's.
Great video as always my friend. Absolutely love my Mitsubishi Shogun sub, had it for 5 years, fantastic in the mud, great road manners, always being asked do I want to sell it, hard to find a good example these days. Is yours up for sale, I’m tempted to buy a slightly newer one. Great review by the way. Thanks for sharing mate.
The evoque mk1 also came with 3 doors and JLR canned that I recall...
Yes my wife had one & it took about 30 seconds to bring the electric seats forward enough to climb in the back 🤣 meanwhile on a wet day you got soaked waiting to get in.
Now that everyone is going electric, it would be a great time to re-introduce a cool futuristic-looking 3-door 4x4.
The biggest downside of those from what I remember, is that they are very tall and sit on a very short wheelbase. That makes them inherently unstable on motorways, especially in the cross-wind prone areas.
My first Landcruiser was a 70 series 3 door, it wasn't just that it had a short wheelbase it wasn't permanent 4WD, to get 4WD you had to engage the front drive via a switch (the second lever was to engage low range) and get out and manually lock the frong hubs.
Buy cheap rubbish tyres and it was a skittish vehicle in the wet (as Hilux's can be), but put the right tyres on it and the vehicle was stable and could be punted around corners with surprising agility, but it was one of the last versions with the 3 litre engine and, unusually for the type, coil springs all round.
The G wagon W463.
Great 4x4.
3 door version obviously.
Got the exact same car warrior with seats in back and 3.5 gdi petrol goes well but does it like a drink ! But still love it .
Had a Trooper and Pajero in three door and would have a land cruiser but they’ve stopped importing them. All the benefits you mentioned are right and the reason I like them.
The Land Cruiser is still available as a 3 door (Active grade) but your point is correct most have been withdrawn
Completely agree Matt. The original Range Rover was also in a three door version. And there’s the amazing Mercedes G wagen too.
You forgot the best and most reliable, the Daihatsu Fourtrak! If you keep the rust away they go on forever. Mine is still towing 3 tonne most days and in 20 years the only thing thats let me down is one fan belt that snapped!
I remember asking you to review the 3 door Shogun ages ago. The 3.2 diesel seems like the perfect all-rounder.
Thumbs Up for mentioning the HR-V. :-D Got a 4WD last year. Very rare cars in the meantime...
Bought a brand new 3 door Toyota 2.ltr NRG petrol Rav 4, in 2003.
2nd version newer looking one. Fantastic car. Would have bought another one but they do not make them anymore so we keep on running it. Still looks and drives great in silver Starts fist time every time!
Loved the Fourtrak ,can’t remember last time I saw one...
Mines still driven daily, never let me down in 20 years
There quite popular around Derbyshire great engines 👍🏻
Thanks for the feedback Matt. I'll get the boys on the production line to roll their sleeves up and start making another 3 door 4x4
I live in the US and I had a 3 door Chevy blazer years ago and now I have a 3 door Ford Bronco on order
Spot on Matt. Loved this video. I’ve often wondered about these and had forgotten about some of these. 👌
Glad you enjoyed!
Wasn't the Freelander a three door (or the majority were)?
Very interesting video Matt, it's something I had never really thought about, but now I am. 👍
Yes it was (and 5 door)
First and second generation were 3dr and 5dr, they also made a 3dr commercial van version of the MK1, my neighbour has one, great little vehicles.
Ttally agree. I love 3 door fbf s. Love the samurai and the land cruiser ones spesh.
You just spoke my mind!! Agree totally.
Last version of the 3dr Shogun probably the best looker out there
that "three door" Ranger Rover you speak of, has the exact same dimensions as a proper 5 door Range Rover. all they did was, extend the front doors by a further 6 inches to make rear access easier. hardly saving any road space, parking space, or anything else.
There was also the old-style K-series Blazers and Broncos, though the 3-door Broncos are back
Short wheel base 4x4s are becoming as rare as small smartphones. I wish manufacturers would continue making them because I personally am a big fan of both. I'm sure I'm not alone.
100% agree with Matt on this one- i just want a small SUV to lug my mountain bike around (quick release front wheel) not interested in rear seats.
i bought a 3 door warrior with seats in back 3 years ago best buy ever ,was not easy found and had to pay a premium but love it ,easy to park ,do not like double cab pickups as too clumsy
JLR had projected that 3-door 5-door Evoque sales would be 50-50.
They were actually 10-90, so they dropped the 3-door.
Go back to the 70s & 80s and you used to be able to get 2-door larger saloons.
There were 2-door Mk1 & Mk2 Granadas (not in UK),
2-door Carltons (well, Opel Rekord), Sierras, Cortinas, Cavaliers.
I owned a mitsubishi montero 99 and is still run solid, off and on road great truck
I miss the 3 doors. I had a Daihatsu Sportrak in the 90s and its the ideal size. Same size as a boring hatchback but with bags more style and ability to drive in snow
Got my 3 door Jeep Wrangler here in the states. We’re also getting the new bronco which offers a 3 door version. Not really as big of a fan of huge cumbersome 4x4s. Can’t imagine going through a tight trail in a raptor or Trx
Back in 2001 I was running my own business and living in a rented cottage in the arm pit of nowhere in the Forest of Dean. I was at least a mile off the grid down a muddy track in the woods and owned a Daihatsu Sportrak which was a great little vehicle in the mud, snow and ice. You could fold the back sits down which gave plenty of space for carrying my goods, along with sacks of coal or bundles of wood to run the heating and cooking in the cottage I was renting. It had a dif lock for 4-wheel drive but you never really needed it, even squelching through a few inches of mud to get to and from the cottage. It's 1.6 engine was perky enough and it was really robust.
I had a Toyota RAV4 2ltr NRG it was awesome and could shift. Just got too expensive to run, but I would have it back now.
Funny enough I sold my longwheel base Land Cruiser yesterday to by the more practical Shogun as I didn't need all that space in the back. Liking my Mk3 Shogun now, it's ace..
Freelander 1, Honda CRV, and Toyota RAV 4 make my top 3 small 3 door jeeps.
I certainly agree, I have owned a Jimny & a couple of Riva's, good fun & practical and could get two in to the same space as a stupidly large 4x4.
Stupidly I turned down a tidy mk1 2 door Rav 4 for £500 last year, but did not really want an auto....
Love the look of those old 3dr shoguns
I loved my Grand Vitara soft-top. I owned it from 1 year old until it was 14 years old and I was sorry to see it go.... but it was that time when it was about to start getting expensive. There was simply no equivalent to replace it with, so the convertible I switched to for towing the caravan is a VW Eos (nearly as old as the Suzuki now!) - it's a far superior car in many ways - but I wouldn't want to be taking it off-road!
1:51 They still do the Landcruiser in a 3dr.
Even with 3 kids in tow we loved our Mk2 Vitara and it was perfect for my wife being a district nurse. It was a sad day when it had to be sent of to the scrappy. A cheap Proton is filling the space badly and will hopefully get her a RAV4 soon.
Owned a Vauxhall Frontera 3-door back in the day. Loved it back then, although now thinking back it was neon blue. Not sure what I was thinking (smoking?) at the time.
That was a great colour
My dad had a burgundy frontera “2.2 Dti RS Sport” to give it its full title 😂 not sure what was rs or sport about it as it had dreadful mpg and awful to drive however it was surprisingly quick and me and my friend bought it for a laugh and off roaded in it best £100 ever spent as it was clean rotten with rust
Frontera's, they had leaf springs like cowboys wagons from the 1800's? Along with Vauxhall underpinnings. Not great, really.
@@Mr330d RS = Really Slow
@@carlosfandango2419 No shit. I loved the pop out back top. Back in the 90's we weren't exactly car connoisseurs back then.
I recently bought a iszuzu trooper 3.0 5 door, I like the the look of the 3 door but I can’t imagine my 70 year old grandmother climbing in the back without breaking her hip lol, great videos btw
Completely agree really fancy a shogun swb but only a handful in my budget available
I have a suzuki jimny 2017 and I think the same as you, it is not the same to go to the beach with a 3-door than with an suv from mom!