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Ask most people, and they’ll tell you a car can only have two or four doors. However, there is a third or fifth door that people often overlook – the car boot. You’re probably wondering now, ‘How is a boot a door?’
The boot of a car is designed to be a secure compartment that provides additional storage space for various items, such as luggage, groceries and sports equipment. However, in the case of certain three and five-door cars, such as a hatchback, it is considered a door. In this article, we will look at the characteristics that set a boot apart from other types of entryways. We’ll also determine whether the boot of your vehicle qualifies as a door.
A boot is a storage compartment in the back of a car or other motor vehicle. It is commonly used to store luggage, groceries and other items transported in the vehicle. Opening your car’s boot or trunk makes loading and unloading items a breeze. Some vehicles have easy-access designs where the lid or hatch opens to provide access directly into the rear seating area, while others may be fully separate from the rest of the vehicle.
Why Is A Boot Called That?
A boot is called that because it shares space with the rumble seat, which was originally referred to as a ‘boot.’ The ‘rumble’ is the compartment at the extreme rear of horse-drawn carriages and early motorcars, which was either used as an additional seat or boot space. Over time, the term ‘trunk’ also came into use for the same storage compartment.
British English Vs American English
The boot is the British term for a car’s main storage compartment. The storage space was originally referred to as a ‘boot locker’ before being shortened to simply ‘boot.’ In American English, this storage compartment is not known as a boot but rather a ‘trunk’ due to its similarity in function to the trunks used for storage on ships. It may also be called a decklid by some people in America.
Two and four-door vehicles tend to have sleeker and more stylish interior designs.
When Is A Boot Considered A Door?
A boot is considered a door when you can use it to get access to the main cabin of the vehicle. You can find this feature in a five-door car or any car with three doors. In cases where the boot or trunk lid is considered a door, the car will have an odd number of doors.
With that said, the automotive industry regulations set a distinction between the boot lid and the doors of a car. The boot lid on three and five-door cars is known as the ‘rear door’, whilst the regular doors of these odd-number vehicles are termed ‘side doors’.
Types Of Cars In Which A Boot Is A Door
Cars where the boot can be considered a door include:
- Hatchbacks: Hatchbacks have a rear door that combines the boot and the rear window that you can use to access the rear seats. Most people regard the boot as the fifth door in this vehicle.
- Estate cars: station wagons (the preferred term in the US) have a rear cargo area integrated with the main cabin. They almost exclusively come in five-door variants.
- SUVs: SUVs have a vertically split deck lid or liftgate that you can use to access the rear cargo area or the back seats.
- Crossover vehicles: Similar to SUVs, most crossover vehicles have a rear liftgate or split tailgate that serves as an extra door.
Although not often, some luxury cars also have a boot door. See here for more on luxury cars.
A Boot Door Vs A Separated Boot: Which One Is Better For You?
Choosing a car with a boot door or separate storage space is largely a matter of personal preference. Hatchbacks and other five-door cars offer integrated boot doors, which makes them the best in terms of practicality. These models offer wider access to the storage compartment as well as foldable rear seats to optimise cargo capacity.
Tip: In vehicles with boot doors, you can fold down the back seats to increase the cargo space.
A two-door or four-door vehicle with separate boots, on the other hand, offers a more enclosed and secure space for storing your belongings as well as a more streamlined appearance for your vehicle.
SDVH offers estate cars and other five-door cars for hire. Reach out to us today to book these spacious vehicles in any part of the UK.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Counts As A Door On A Car?
Every entry point counts as a door on a car. A ‘door’ in the context of a car is typically a movable panel that allows access to the vehicle’s interior. In most cars, the passenger doors are the only doors on the vehicle, but the boot opening may also be considered a door if it provides access to the car’s main cabin. In this case, the car is a three or five-door vehicle.
Why Is A Hatchback Considered A 5-Door Car?
A hatchback is considered a 5-door car because it has five distinct openings that allow you to enter and exit the vehicle. These openings include two front doors, two rear doors and a rear hatch that you can open upward to access the cargo area. Some hatchbacks may also have just three doors – the rear hatch and the two side doors.
How Many Doors Are There On A Car?
The number of doors on a car depends on the type of car. Many cars have two or four doors, but there are also three and five-door cars. For example, hatchbacks are considered three or five-door cars because the boot opening in these vehicles counts as an additional entry point.
Is There A 6-Door Car?
Yes, there are 6-door cars. However, they aren’t as popular as three, four or five-door models. In six-door cars, there are three doors on each side of the vehicle. This vehicle design is usually common among expensive sedans. Six-door cars are usually longer than regular sedans, and they have seating space for 6 people.
How Do You Call A Car With 4 Doors?
A car with 4 doors is called a ‘four-door car’ or a ‘sedan’. The term ‘sedan’ generally refers to a car that has a separate compartment for passengers and a separate compartment for cargo and is characterised by having four doors and a closed roof. Some sedans, however, have more than four entries or doors.
Conclusion
If you read to this point, this article has provided a comprehensive answer to your question, ‘Is a boot a door?’ In some ways, the answer is yes. Hatchback models, estate cars, SUVs and some crossovers have boots that provide access to the luggage compartment and the rear seats. The boot in these cars can be regarded as an additional door.
