The days of affordable sporty yet practical economy coupes are distant memories now that Honda killed off its Civic coupe. The Toyota GR86 is now the cheapest coupe on the market, and it sells for almost $30,000. Way back in the ‘90s and early 2000s, numerous automakers had compact, affordable, and versatile coupes in their lineups from the Chevrolet Cavalier to the Toyota Echo. Even Mercedes-Benz and BMW made small coupes as their respective entry level models. Despite a crowded market, the innovative Saturn SC2 distinguished itself by offering the first coupe to feature a hidden third door.
Located behind the driver’s door on the left side of the vehicle, Saturn added a rear-hinged clamshell door to make accessing the rear seats easier. Saturn realized the error of its ways when the brand launched the SC2’s successor, the Saturn Ion Quad Coupe. As that name suggests, the Ion Quad Coupe doubled down on the SC2’s bonus door and included clamshell bonus doors on both sides. The Ion only lasted one generation, which ran from 2003 to 2007, but the next weird cheap car with a bonus door came from Korea.
Hyundai offered a compact coupe that competed directly with the Saturn SC2 called the Tiburon, but the Tiburon’s replacement took the Saturn SC2’s idea for an extra door to new heights. The Hyundai Veloster which came along in 2012 hid a front-hinged rear door on the passenger side of the vehicle. The Veloster lasted just two generations, the latter of which became the recipient of Hyundai’s first N treatment.
As the pursuit of profit continues to win over all other automotive pursuits, these compromised but quirky coupe-style cars with surprise bonus doors have gone the way of the Dodo. Consumer taste transitioned away from low-slung cars and moved towards the enchanting high driving position and maximized box-on-wheels convenience of the small crossover vehicles that populate our roads today. Thankfully Motorweek has documented automotive history with its Retro Reviews, and continues to share them for free online.