Which Cars Still Use “Suicide” (Rear‑Hinged) Doors Today

Only a handful of new vehicles still use rear-hinged doors: Rolls-Royce’s current lineup, several extended-cab pickups (such as the Ford F-150/Super Duty SuperCab and Nissan Frontier King Cab), and Mazda’s MX-30 in select markets. Below is a clear look at what’s still available, where, and why this door style has largely disappeared.

What “Suicide Doors” Means—and Why They’re Rare

“Suicide doors” is the long-standing colloquial term for rear-hinged doors that open from the front edge rather than the rear. Automakers and luxury brands typically prefer terms like “coach doors,” “freestyle doors,” or “rear-hinged” doors. While the layout can offer elegant ingress/egress and dramatic curb appeal, modern crash standards, sealing requirements, side-impact structures, and buyer expectations have pushed most manufacturers toward conventional front-hinged doors.

Current Production Passenger Cars With Rear-Hinged Doors

Among passenger cars, the configuration survives chiefly at the very top of the market and in a niche electrified model, where design drama or packaging benefits justify the extra engineering.

• Rolls-Royce Phantom (current generation) — rear doors are rear-hinged “coach doors.”
• Rolls-Royce Ghost — rear coach doors remain a brand signature.
• Rolls-Royce Cullinan — the SUV retains rear coach doors.
• Rolls-Royce Spectre — the two-door electric coupé uses long, rear-hinged coach doors.
• Mazda MX-30 — retains Mazda’s rear-hinged “freestyle” rear doors; the pure EV was discontinued in the U.S., but the e‑Skyactiv R‑EV range-extender version remains on sale in select markets (notably Europe and Japan).

In short, Rolls-Royce has standardized coach doors across its lineup, while Mazda maintains the layout on the MX-30 where the model is still offered. Market availability and trims can vary, so it’s worth checking local dealer stock and model-year updates.

Pickups and Work Vehicles That Still Use Rear-Hinged “Access” Doors

Extended-cab pickups often use compact, rear-hinged auxiliary doors to maximize space and durability without the complexity of a full second row. Availability differs by brand, market, and model year, but several remain in production.

• Ford F-150 SuperCab and Ford Super Duty (F-250/F-350) SuperCab — rear-hinged “clamshell” back doors remain a staple of the SuperCab layout.
• Nissan Frontier King Cab — retains rear-hinged half doors for the rear area.
• Ford Ranger SuperCab — rear-hinged doors in many markets outside the U.S. (the U.S. lineup recently shifted toward Crew Cab).
• Isuzu D-Max Space/Extended Cab — typically features rear-hinged access doors in numerous regions.
• Mazda BT-50 Freestyle Cab — generally mirrors the D-Max with rear-hinged access doors in markets where sold.
• Mitsubishi Triton/L200 “Club Cab” — commonly uses rear-hinged access doors depending on region and trim.
• Toyota Hilux “Smart/Extra Cab” — select markets offer rear-hinged access doors on extended-cab variants.

These designs prioritize practicality: the rear-hinged doors are secondary openings that improve loading and occasional rear-seat access without the space penalty of full-size rear doors.

Notable Recent or Limited-Run Examples (No Longer New)

Several cars helped keep the format alive in the 2000s and 2010s but have since ended production. Shoppers may still find them on the used market.

• Lincoln Continental Coach Door Edition (2019–2020 limited run) — bespoke rear-hinged rear doors.
• BMW i3 (2013–2022) — compact EV with rear-hinged rear doors.
• MINI Clubman (R55, 2007–2014) — featured a single rear-hinged “Clubdoor” on the passenger side.
• Mazda RX-8 (2003–2012) — rear-hinged “freestyle” rear doors.
• Honda Element (2003–2011) — clamshell, rear-hinged rear doors.
• Toyota FJ Cruiser (2007–2014 in North America; later in some regions) — rear-hinged rear doors.
• Rolls-Royce Wraith and Dawn (discontinued) — both used coach doors while in production.
• Saturn Ion Quad Coupe (mid-2000s) — featured small rear-hinged rear access doors.
• Previous-generation extended-cab pickups from GM, Ram, and others — many used rear-hinged access doors before shifting to front-hinged or full-crew layouts.

These models illustrate how the layout found homes in both avant-garde city cars and practical SUVs/trucks, as well as prestige luxury and performance niches.

Why You Don’t See Them More Often

Safety and Structure

Modern side-impact standards, roof-crush requirements, and side-curtain airbag packaging are easier to meet with conventional hinges and B-pillars. Rear-hinged designs demand additional reinforcements and latching complexity.

Usability and Cost

While they can aid entry, especially in chauffeur-driven sedans, they’re typically more expensive to engineer and assemble. For mass-market family cars, the benefits seldom outweigh the costs.

Brand Positioning

Today, the configuration signals either ultra-luxury theater (Rolls-Royce) or pragmatic access on work-oriented extended-cab pickups—two very different, well-defined use cases.

Buying Tips and Terminology

If you’re shopping specifically for rear-hinged doors, it helps to know the language manufacturers use and to verify local specs, since trims and cab styles vary by region.

• Search terms: “coach doors” (Rolls-Royce), “freestyle doors” (Mazda), “clamshell/access doors” (pickups), or “rear-hinged doors.”
• Check market notes: U.S. lineups sometimes differ from Europe, Japan, Middle East, and Asia-Pacific offerings.
• Confirm cab style: For trucks, look for SuperCab/King Cab/Space Cab/Club Cab/Extra Cab/Freestyle Cab nomenclature.

A quick review of the manufacturer’s build-and-price tool or regional brochure will confirm whether a specific trim includes rear-hinged doors in your market.

Bottom Line

The rear-hinged door lives on, but narrowly. In new passenger cars, it’s essentially a Rolls-Royce hallmark plus Mazda’s MX-30 in the regions where it remains on sale. In trucks, rear-hinged access doors continue to make sense on extended-cab variants such as Ford’s SuperCab and Nissan’s King Cab, with several global midsize pickups offering similar layouts. Beyond that, you’ll be looking at used or limited-run models.

Summary

Still in production: Rolls-Royce Phantom, Ghost, Cullinan, Spectre; Mazda MX-30 (market-dependent); and extended-cab pickups like Ford F-150/Super Duty SuperCab and Nissan Frontier King Cab, plus comparable global pickups. Most other examples are discontinued or limited-run, reflecting safety, cost, and market realities that favor conventional doors for mainstream vehicles.

What current car has suicide doors?

2022 Vehicles With Suicide Doors

• Rolls-Royce Cullinan.
• Rolls-Royce Ghost.
• Rolls-Royce Phantom.

What was the last car to have suicide doors?

The most recent mass-produced model with such doors may be the Opel Meriva, followed by the Rolls-Royce Cullinan in 2018, and a few Chinese electric vehicles including the Singulato iS6 in 2018 and HiPhi X in 2020.

Do they still make suicide doors?

Vehicle doors that are hinged on the rear side, or rear-hinged doors, are commonly known as suicide doors. The name appeared in the 60s due to them being unsafe for passengers. Today they are not that common but are still put in some vehicles by manufacturers.

Why don’t cars have suicide doors anymore?

They stopped making “suicide doors” because the design is inherently dangerous, especially in the context of modern safety standards and technology. The primary reasons were increased risk of accidents due to the doors flying open, occupant ejection, and reduced structural integrity for vehicles without a B-pillar. While they are rare on mass-produced vehicles, luxury and niche vehicles sometimes reintroduce them with modern safety interlocks and designs to mitigate these risks.
 
Safety Hazards

• Accidental opening: On the road, wind resistance can cause the door to swing open, potentially ejecting an occupant. 
• Lack of seat belts: In the era when suicide doors were common, seat belts were not standard, increasing the risk of occupants falling out. 
• Collision dangers: A side-impact accident could cause the rear-hinged door to trap a passenger between the door and the car’s bodywork, leading to serious injury. 
• Pedestrian risk: When a passenger opens a suicide door on the sidewalk side of the road, they could easily push a pedestrian into oncoming traffic. 

Structural Integrity and Regulations

• Structural weakness: Without a B-pillar (the pillar between the front and rear doors), the vehicle’s overall structural integrity is compromised. 
• Crash standards: Stricter safety regulations and crash-testing standards made it more difficult and costly to design suicide doors that meet modern safety requirements. 

Modern Solutions 

• Clamshell doors: Opens in new tabSome modern manufacturers, such as Rolls-Royce and Mazda, have reintroduced rear-hinged doors as “clamshell doors”.
• Safety interlocks: Opens in new tabThese modern versions feature interlocks and other safety systems to prevent the door from opening until the vehicle has stopped and the front door is open.