End of the three-door hatchback?

We're preferring more doors these days. A sign of the times?

WHEN a new medium sized car is launched and put on sale. They've always been available with a few bodystyles. Five and three door hatchback, an estate, but also an open-top cabriolet, and even an ugly four-door saloon.

In recent times, the choice of bodystyles have been slashed by car manufacturers. The most notable one has been the three-door hatchback. They're going the same way as the four-door saloons and open-top models have gone. Now that's a sign of the times.

There is a very simple reason behind this. They don't sell in the numbers like they used to. When manufacturers make a three-door hatchback in recent times, some have made them to look more like a coupe - like Vauxhall and Renault have done with the previous Astra and Megane. But no one wants a coupe today, hence why the latest Astra and Megane aren't made and available in three-door variants.

Others like Ford, Peugeot and Honda have stopped making three-door hatchbacks on their Focus, 308 and Civic. On their current models, they're only available as a five-door hatch and an estate. Volkswagen and Audi have also recently discontinued making three-door variants of the Golf and A3.

It doesn't just apply to mid-range hatchbacks, Superminis as well. Renault have stopped making the Clio in three-door guise. Kia and Nissan now make the Rio and Micra as five-door only hatchbacks. As have Audi, SEAT and Volkswagen (VAG) with all-new A1, Ibiza and Polo. However, Ford and Vauxhall still continue to make three-door variants of the Fiesta and Corsa.

With the phetlora of SUVs and crossovers, the market for them has boomed. Which has coincidentally been killing off the MPV.  In the rhythm of the famous Buggles song, Qashqai killed the Scenic. It's something I couldn't help but notice. But who really saw the demise of three-door hatchbacks coming anytime soon?