What cars have really wide front door openings?

What saloon car has the widest front passenger door opening?

J McMunn (Mayo)

Apr 2013 Filed under: choosing new car

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Expert answer

Hi there,

This is a bit of a tricky one as few car makers quote door aperture size or angles, but there are a couple of models that spring to mind with especially easy access. In new car terms the best is probably the new Ford B-Max. Because it lacks a B-pillar (the metal post usually found between the front and rear doors) it means that, when you open the front and rear doors, you end up with a massive 1.5-metre long aperture in the side of the car, making access to front or rear especially easy. Actually, Ford has traditionally been very good at making cars that are easy to access for those with limited mobility due to either age or medical conditions. Part of the design of all new Fords for some time now has involved the designers wearing a special suit that restricts their joint and movement so that they can experience what it's like to try and get in and out of a car without full mobility in their limbs.

On a personal note, and if you're looking for something cheaper than a new B-Max, I seem to recall that the last-generation Daihatsu Charade had massive doors that opened to more than 80 degrees, making entry and exit spectacularly easy. Cheap as chips to buy and run and surprisingly good fun to drive too, it's a shame Daihatsu abandoned the Irish market in the face of shrinking sales.

Hope that helps

Neil Briscoe - Complete Car Adviser
@neilmbriscoe