These Are The Two-Door SUVs You Can Find In America, Both New And Old

Throughout its many generations, the Ford Bronco has mostly always been available as a two-door SUV. Indeed, the original Bronco was a two-door SUV that resembled a small truck in all configurations. When the Bronco returned for its latest redesign, a two-door model was only fitting. But it’s a shame Ford doesn’t offer the Bronco Raptor in the two-door body style. I call that a missed opportunity.

I’ve never been a fan of the latest Wranglers, but I am grateful that Jeep has kept the two-door around despite the success of the four-door model. Unlike Ford’s approach with the Bronco, Jeep has graced higher trims of the Wrangler with a two-door version, such as the Rubicon.

It seems the Land Rover Defender has strayed from its roots, but while the Defender 130 is the latest addition to the lineup, the two-door Defender 90 has always been around. That’s worth celebrating. You can hate the new Defender all you want, but Land Rover makes a two-door Defender with a V8, which is excessive in the best way.

Land Rover can’t help itself with two-door vehicles, which is an endearing trait. Or, it would be if the British automaker wouldn’t have stopped selling the two-door Range Rover Evoque in America. At the end of the first-generation Evoque’s life cycle, it was available as a two-door SUV and two-door convertible, in the tradition of so many others here. So, it’s in good company even if it’s not as hardcore as some of the other SUVs here.

OK. So the Toyota FJ Cruiser technically has four doors, but the two just behind the main doors are not full-size like those found in a sedan or four-door truck. That means it’s more like an extended cab truck than a crew cab, so to speak, which means it belongs here. It’s also a popular off-roader whose capabilities take after its namesake, the Toyota Land Cruiser FJ.

The Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet is hardly a serious off-roader, but I’ll be damned if I leave out this swing for the fences from Nissan. Two doors? Check. Four-wheel drive? Check. Convertible, like the Wrangler, et. al? Check. This SUV is not something I would ever want, but I commend Nissan for having the gall to make and sell the Murano CrossCabriolet.

The Land Rover Freelander is more successful than you might remember, and it broadened Land Rover’s appeal beyond its tough traditional models, including the Defender and Discovery. But that success was most pronounced overseas, and the five-door Freelander was more of a bargain for most buyers. The two-door Freelander remains a neat SUV that is often overlooked.

The Chevy S-10 can do no wrong, if you ask me. Whether as a single cab compact off-roader that would eventually spawn the powerhouse that the Chevy Colorado ZR2 would become, or as a uniquely American take on the slant window two-door SUVs from Japanese rivals, the S-10 and S-10 Blazer rock. Ditto the Jimmy from GMC, which is a top ten vehicle name.

The Chevy Tracker was also known as the Geo Tracker and Suzuki Sidekick in the States. The golden bowtie was the last badge that the two-door convertible Tracker wore in America, which is a recurring theme among two-door SUVs for some reason.

The Ford Explorer was once little more than a Ranger with enclosed cargo area, and the early aughts Explorer was one of the last to showcase its similarities with the Ford pickup. One generation prior to the one pictured here, Mazda and Ford still shared the platform, yielding the similar three-door Mazda Navajo.

Ah, Isuzu. The Rodeo Sport was also known as the Amigo on earlier models, but the Rodeo Sport was the last of its kind from the Japanese carmaker to be sold in the U.S. Truly, Isuzu is almost as missed as Suzuki around these here parts.

The Jeep Cherokee (XJ) with two doors was available until the early aughts, but finding a photo proved just as hard as finding one for sale. I’ve included a photo of the final generation of the XJ (below) to give you an idea of how the two-door looked. The Cherokee is rare in this configuration, which makes it all the more desirable — for me, that is.

The Isuzu Vehicross is another example of how Isuzu was too good to last in America. It deserved better than to be cast aside and overlooked. The Vehicross was just as competent as it was characterful, boasting a clever drivetrain that sacrificed nothing in the way of comfort, and yet it was just as capable off-road as popular four-wheeler SUVs from Jeep and Toyota, which lacked road manners.

A perfect vehicle. No notes. Next.

I’ll admit: I like the first-generation Toyota RAV4 more than I should. It’s easy to make fun of an “off-roady” SUV that’s based on the Camry, but I won’t try to convince you. I’d rather let Stephen Papadakis do that with his awesome RAV4:

The Suzuki X-90 “replaced” the Suzuki Samurai in the mid-’90s, but we all know that’s a lie. How could something that was clearly inspired by the original Toyota RAV4 be a replacement for the hardy Samurai? It couldn’t, and the X-90 flopped hard. It looks kind of cool, I guess.

The Suzuki Samurai needs no introduction. It’s the predecessor of the beloved Suzuki Jimny, which is sadly not sold in the U.S. But that just goes to show how markets change over time, much to our chagrin. Compact two-door SUVs went by the wayside in America, and the Suzuki Samurai/Jimny went with them.

I’ve never seen a Daihatsu Rocky in real life even though they are about as common as old Suzuki Samurais in the state of Texas. All those used Samurais tend to be soft top models, whereas most of the used Rockys usually have removable hard tops. That’d be my choice to cut down on wind noise somewhat.

The RamCharger and Plymouth Trail Duster was Dodge’s reply to the Ford Bronco and Chevy K5 Blazer. It was based on the Dodge D-Series trucks and, later, the Dodge Ram.

If the SUV were to exist today, it would likely be called the Charger given the spinoff of Ram. Wait. Then there would be a Ram Charger and Dodge Charger. That can’t be right. In any case, the Dodge RamCharger did get a redesign with the Ram’s famous glow up, but it was made and sold only in Mexico for one year. It’s so good, though, that I had to include a photo.

The second generation Toyota 4Runner was quite different than the first, which is pictured at the top of this slideshow. The first-gen 4Runner was clearly based on the Toyota Hilux, and was basically a truck with a fiberglass top. The second-gen, however, got its own dedicated frame design, although it still resembled a Toyota truck. The frame was still hearty and stout and a two-door SUV was sold in the U.S. until the early 90s. The four-door overtook it in popularity quickly.

The only thing better than a single cab Nissan Hardbody with those glorious wheels is a Nissan Hardbody SUV with those same wheels. The Pathfinder, once known as the Terrano, has strayed from its trucky beginnings, but the old two-door Pathfinder is one of Nissan’s best designs.

Dodge and Mitsubishi were strange bedfellows in the past, yielding some cool vans and sports cars. Their partnership produced the Dodge Raider, a rebadged Mistubishi Pajero or Montero. For most of us who dream of owning a Mitsubishi Pajero Evo, the old Raider and Montero are about as close as we get to the gnarly Dakar machine.

The two-door Isuzu Trooper was dropped some years prior to the final year it was sold in America, which was 1989. The last model sold in the States was a short wheelbase SUV known as the Trooper RS. Isuzu imported only about 800 of these, according to Popular Mechanics.

 
The Scout is beloved by enthusiasts, and it’s due for a return as an EV. When it does, it will represent Volkswagen’s attempt to cater to the off-road and EV community. The center set in that Venn diagram has been difficult to pin down, but that hasn’t stopped Hummer and Rivian from trying. I’m hoping — even if hope is futile — that the revived Scout EV will only have two doors. Or, at the very least, that a two-door is optional.