Car doors play a pivotal role in helping us access the vehicle. Also, they keep protecting us from falling while the car is in motion. There are various types of doors in the market, and you can pick the right one considering the unique features and comparing the car door parts and accessories price to pick the right one based on your preferences.
Surprisingly, there are 13 different car door types and distinct features offered by each one of them:
Categories of Car Doors
Butterfly Door
The butterfly door has hinges on the top front corner of the door frame. The butterfly category is less popular than its counterpart scissor door and highlights issues related to scissor doors. They don’t open on a strictly vertical arc; the door is attached outside using the hinges. They need less clearance than a conventional door and help better interior access than a scissor door. Install these car doors & take advantage of the automotive door glides that allow the opening and closing of doors without any help.
Canopy Doors
The idea of this door was taken from jet fighter cockpits. Windshields, side windows, and roofs are combined in a single unit. It comes with a canopy attached to different points that rises vertically, sideways, or moves forward. Apart from this, canopy doors have a single continuous wraparound window that helps you see things without any impediment.
Conventional Car Door
Most vehicles have conventional car doors installed within them. Hinges are attached to the forward door frame and open in such a way that this car door type faces the vehicle’s front. These are comparatively safe and don’t open as the car moves; the door shuts completely due to wind resistance. This door often becomes a concern when the adjacent vehicle is closed. If you face concerns with them, determine the
Dihedral Door
Dihedral doors are the latest forms of doors that have been installed in modern cars. Both these car doors are hinged and open up to an angle of 90 degrees. With the arrival of these doors, entry and exit won’t be a concern made from expensive materials that damage when they scrape the high curb.
Front Hinged Door
BMW Isetta 600 was the first car that introduced us to front-hinged doors. It is the steering, dash, and front open out that gives drivers and passengers a chance to get out of the front door. In addition, it takes advantage of forwarding clearance while parking.
Gull Wing Doors
This door was introduced by Delorean DMC-12 and installed at the back of Future Franchise. Jean Bugatti, in 1939, came up with the idea of Gull Wing Doors. The hinges are attached to the car’s roof and can be arced out & upwards. As a result, you can access with less side clearance than is often expected in the case of a conventional door.
Pocket Doors
It is not installed in cars and is often installed on delivery vehicles. These doors move to the cavity of the vehicle instead of moving outside. When installed on delivery cars, it slides back and is commonly seen on cars rarely in which it slides forward. One example of cars with these doors is the 1954 Kaiser Darrin, which only came up with 435 models.
Scissor Door
Scissor doors came into the limelight after they were introduced in Lamborghini cars. It has a hinge on the front door frame at the top corner to vertically open the door from 90 degrees to 130 degrees. The door is quite safe and, when opened, doesn’t come out. Park this car door type in the tight spaces, and you’ll be able to come out of the car.
Sliding Doors
Large vans generally have sliding doors inside them. Doors lie on the track, so popping out of the car won’t be a hassle and can slide back easily. They come with a vertical or horizontal clearance, are more costly than conventional doors, and have a narrow tolerance. Those with kids are going to reap numerous benefits of sliding doors while being in a crowded parking lot.
Suicide Door
Suicide doors used to hold a poor image among the motorists. Over time, the popularity of these doors has been rising. It was avoided as it offered two main drawbacks. First, it comes with a rear-facing hinge that is improperly latched and rips due to wind pressure as the car starts moving. Second, these doors are as risky as conventional doors when motorists open in traffic. Most cars have conventional front doors, and rear doors are suicide. Certain cars come with a suicide door design. Situations might get weird when multiple people get inside or out of the car.
Swan Doors
Popular brands like Jaguar and Aston Martin first used this modified version of conventional doors. Hinges are attached to the frame with the angle upwards, giving more access than a conventional door. However, closing the car could get more annoying with these car doors while someone tries to close it in a cramped space.
Station Wagon Tailgates
Station Wagons developed in the US in the 1980s.It has a rear section with fold-down seats and is commonly used as hearses and family cars. Some designs have a vertical hinge on the side or are attached to a slip gate.
The Bottom Line
Complete knowledge about all car door types can help you find the right one for your vehicle.