Reasoning behind 5 door over 3 door (or visa-versa)

[Chief1337]

Be interested to know people's reasoning behind selecting a 5 door GTi/GTD over a 3 door (or visa-versa).

Main reason for me personally was because we have a young son, so I need the practicality of a 5 door. I 'personally' prefer 5 door cars anyway, just makes life a bit easier. Looks aside.

[smiffy555]

It would be a 3dr for me as we don't have kids and 3drs look better!

 

[Gryzor]

Practicality and convenience is why I went for 5 doors over 3 - can't really think of any other reasons!  Though my daughter is long past needing a child seat in the back, it's still a pain when ferrying more than two passengers about if you only have 3 doors.  It's also nice to just be able to open a door to throw some shopping or a bag in the back.  A major plus in favour of the Golf is that it is one of very few cars that still looks really good in 5 door guise.

Admittedly 3 doors looks a bit better, and saves you some cash, but for an everyday car I'll take 5 doors every day.

[Exonian]

Real GTI's only have 3 doors 


I went for 3 purely for looks and to keep the weight down and cost too come to think of it.
I've got two teenage sons and have had a string of 5 door Golfs and similar cars. I really fancied a mid-life crisis Scirocco so made the compromise on the mk7 GTI and went for the arguably better looking 3 door.
Cheaper too!!!

When I saw the first motor show pics of the white 3 door I fell for the rear three quarter detailing of the roof channel and the mk1 style window line.
So it had to be.

[Gryzor]

When I saw the first motor show pics of the white 3 door I fell for the rear three quarter detailing of the roof channel and the mk1 style window line.
So it had to be.

Definitely love the window line cutting back to match the angle of the rear lights etc. 

Another negative for me is that the doors on 3-door cars are heavier, and being longer you get less room to wiggle out of when parked up next to other cars.

[OF1]

I got the 3 Door because it looks better IMO and I don't have any kids.

Even if I had kids, I would still have the 3 Door because i'm not that considerate 

[JohnP]

I think the GTI is one of the few cars that looks just as good in 5 doors as 3 so I went for the added practicality of 5 doors.

I looked at A3/S3 and the 5 door versions look like estate cars to me and I'm not sure if any number of doors look good on an M135i!

[Gryzor]

Even if I had kids, I would still have the 3 Door because i'm not that considerate 

Haha, me neither, it's my impatience at having to wait for others to clamber in that's my problem!

[Exonian]

Even if I had kids, I would still have the 3 Door because i'm not that considerate 

  
A man after my own heart!!

[matchboy]

3 door looks better IMO. Plus wife has a 5 dr so no point having two 5 dr cars. Little one will just have to climb in the back if we all go out in the GTI!