Why Automakers Rarely Build Cars With “Suicide” Doors Today

They’re uncommon today because rear-hinged doors make modern safety compliance, body rigidity, and usability more complicated and costly than forward-hinged designs; they’re not illegal, but meeting door-retention, side-impact, and ejection-mitigation standards is harder, and consumer demand is limited. The layout survives mainly in niche luxury models and a few trucks, while most mass-market cars favor simpler, cheaper solutions that test well and work intuitively for families.

What “Suicide Doors” Are—and How the Name Stuck

“Suicide doors” are rear-hinged doors that open from the front edge of the door frame, the opposite of conventional doors. They were common from the 1920s through the mid-20th century, prized for elegant ingress/egress and dramatic curb appeal. The grim nickname goes back to the era of weak latches and no seatbelts: if a rear-hinged door unlatched at speed, oncoming airflow could rip it open, increasing the risk of occupants being pulled out. Modern latches and interlocks address much of that risk, but the reputation—and the engineering realities—linger.

The Safety and Engineering Hurdles

Meeting today’s crash and containment requirements with rear-hinged doors is achievable but more complex. The following points outline the main technical and regulatory obstacles that make the layout rare in mass-market cars.

• Door retention and ejection mitigation: U.S. FMVSS 206 (door locks/latches), 214 (side impact), and 226 (ejection mitigation), plus comparable UNECE rules (e.g., R11 and R95), demand doors stay closed and occupants remain contained in severe crashes. Rear-hinged doors can be more vulnerable to wind loading and crash forces if not over-engineered with multiple latches and interlocks.
• Side-impact structure: Many visually striking executions delete or minimize the B-pillar for a wide opening. Without a fixed B-pillar, manufacturers must build crash load paths into the doors, sills, roof, and latches, adding weight, complexity, and cost to hit modern side-impact and pole-impact targets (including tougher IIHS side-impact tests).
• Airbag integration: Curtain and side airbags must still deploy and seal the occupant space. Coordinating rear-hinged doors with airbags and window/roof rails is doable, but it’s engineering- and validation-intensive.
• Latch logic and child safety: To mitigate opening risk, many designs interlock rear doors with the fronts so the rear cannot open independently—safer, but less convenient. Robust child locks, sensors, and electronic latches add cost and complexity.
• Weather sealing and NVH: Larger openings and more intricate latch/hinge arrangements can make wind-noise, water sealing, and squeak/rattle control harder to perfect, especially over time.

Taken together, these factors don’t ban rear-hinged doors, but they raise the bar enough that most mainstream programs opt for simpler door layouts that achieve safety and quality targets with less expense and risk.

Cost and Everyday Usability Also Count

Beyond crash performance, automakers weigh manufacturing cost and consumer convenience. Here are the practical reasons many brands pass on suicide doors for volume models.

• Higher bill of materials: Extra latches, reinforced sills/roof rails, and door-embedded structural members increase weight and cost—tough for price-sensitive segments.
• Manufacturing complexity: Nonstandard hinges, unique door modules, and tighter body tolerances complicate assembly and service.
• Parking practicality: Rear-hinged doors often require the front doors to open first, demanding coordination between occupants and more swing space in tight lots.
• Consumer expectations: Families want independently usable rear doors and straightforward child-seat access; conventional or sliding doors tend to win on convenience.

For most buyers, the benefits of easier daily use and lower cost outweigh the theatrical entry experience of a rear-hinged layout.

They Still Exist—But Mostly in Niche Vehicles

Rear-hinged doors haven’t disappeared entirely; they’ve migrated to niches where design theater or specific packaging advantages justify the trade-offs.

• Luxury flagships: Rolls-Royce continues to use “coach doors” across its lineup (Phantom, Ghost, Cullinan, and the Spectre EV), pairing them with extensive structural reinforcement and sophisticated latching.
• Limited editions: Lincoln revived the look with the Continental Coach Door Edition (2019–2020) in very small numbers, demonstrating feasibility but not mass-market viability.
• Compact and specialty vehicles: Past examples include the Mazda RX-8 and MX-30 (markets outside the U.S.), BMW i3, Honda Element, Toyota FJ Cruiser, Opel Meriva, and the first-gen Mini Clubman’s single “clubdoor.” Most are discontinued, reflecting limited demand.
• Pickup trucks: Some extended-cab pickups still use rear-hinged half-doors—e.g., Ford F-150 SuperCab and Nissan Frontier King Cab—typically locked to the front doors for safety and structure.

These applications show the format isn’t outlawed; it’s reserved for brands or body styles that can absorb the added engineering and deliver a clear design or packaging payoff.

What Would It Take for a Comeback?

If rear-hinged doors were to reappear more broadly, carmakers would need to bundle several modern solutions to overcome the known downsides.

• Integrated structure: Strong sills, roof rails, and doors that act as load-bearing components, sometimes with hidden “virtual B-pillars” latched into the roof and floor.
• Advanced latching: Multi-point, power-assisted e-latches with crash-sensing interlocks to prevent opening under load, plus robust child-safety logic.
• Airbag and glazing strategies: Curtain airbags designed to span larger openings and laminated glass for ejection mitigation.
• EV platforms: Battery “skateboards” naturally stiffen the floor, making pillarless openings more feasible without excessive weight.
• Clear use cases: Luxury differentiation or specific packaging advantages (e.g., tight rear quarters) that justify cost and complexity.

These technologies already exist, but they add expense—so without strong buyer demand or branding value, most automakers will stick with conventional doors.

Bottom Line

Automakers don’t commonly make cars with suicide doors anymore not because they’re banned, but because they’re harder and costlier to engineer for today’s safety tests, structural targets, and everyday usability. The design survives where drama or niche packaging trump those trade-offs—think Rolls-Royce and certain truck cabs—but mass-market cars will likely keep favoring simpler, cheaper, forward-hinged doors.

Summary

Rear-hinged “suicide” doors largely faded due to tougher modern safety and containment standards, the structural penalties of wide, pillarless openings, added cost and complexity, and everyday practicality issues. They remain legal and do appear in niche and luxury vehicles—and a few pickups—but broad adoption is unlikely unless manufacturers see strong demand and can amortize the engineering needed to match conventional doors on safety, rigidity, and convenience.

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.

What is the new name for suicide doors?

Today, suicide doors are mostly found on custom cars or luxury vehicles. Some carmakers have even reintroduced this door style in recent years, offering a retro option for modern drivers. Several manufacturers have their own names, such as coach doors or FlexDoors, to help make the feature not sound so morbid.

Are suicide doors banned?

No, suicide doors are not illegal; while they fell out of favor due to safety concerns in the past, modern vehicles with suicide doors often incorporate advanced safety features and are found on luxury and limited-edition models, making them a legal and stylish design choice. 
Why they are not illegal

• Modern Safety Features: Opens in new tabUnlike early models, contemporary suicide doors are engineered with automatic locking mechanisms that keep them shut when the car is in motion. 
• Seatbelt Usage: Opens in new tabPassengers are required to wear seatbelts, providing a crucial layer of protection against ejection. 
• Focus on Luxury and Design: Opens in new tabAutomakers use them on high-end vehicles to maximize the space for rear passengers, creating an elegant, iconic, and exclusive look. 

Why they were historically problematic

• Lack of Safety Regulations: Opens in new tabIn the early days of motoring, there were fewer safety regulations, and door latches and seatbelts were not as reliable. 
• Aerodynamic Forces: Opens in new tabThe air pressure on a moving vehicle could easily catch a rear-hinged door and pull it open or even rip it off its hinges, a hazard not present with front-hinged doors that are forced shut by the wind. 
• Risk of Ejection: Opens in new tabIf a door opened while the vehicle was moving, the force of the air could eject passengers from the car, which led to the “suicide door” nickname. 

Why did suicide doors go away?

‘Suicide’ doors largely disappeared due to previously mentioned structural integrity issues resulting from having no B-Pillar which an increasing focus on safety and crash testing in the latter part of the last century would have driven.