Photo: jlord8/Instagram
Remember when two-door SUVs were a thing? Yeah, it was a really long time ago because most of them went into the history books by the end of the 1990s. Granted, the legacy still lives on through the Jeep Wrangler, Ford Bronco, and Land Rover Defender, but we lost so many of them over the decades.
The iconic Chevrolet K5 Blazer, first introduced in 1969, made a name for itself as a two-door SUV. But the layout goes all the way back to 1961 when International Harvester debuted the Scout. And yes, the latter also prompted Ford to develop the first-generation Bronco.
The list of super-cool two-door haulers is much bigger, though, and also includes the Dodge Ramcharger, the Jeep Cherokee, and even the Jeep Wagoneer.
But wait, the two-door configuration can be traced back to the early days of the proto SUV. And by that, I mean the first-generation Chevrolet Suburban, produced in 1935. What's more, the grandfather of American SUVs did not get a four-door version until the 1960s.
Why did the two-door SUV become almost extinct? Well, the reason is quite simple: there's a much bigger demand for four-door vehicles. Whether we're talking about big SUVs, smaller crossovers, or pickup trucks, buyers prefer having four doors and spacious rear-passenger compartments. And needless to say, this trend isn't likely to change.
But this isn't stopping rendering artists from designing two-door versions of modern SUVs. Instagram's "jlord8," for instance, put together a two-door Chevrolet he calls the Silverado Hatch. But the digital hauler is, in fact, more of a two-door, shorter-wheelbase Tahoe than a pickup truck with a bed cap.
Then why does he claim it to be a Silverado? Well, there are two reasons for that. First, the rear section isn't sourced from the Tahoe. The SUV doesn't have the familiar "wraparound" rear windows of the full-size hauler, but thick C-pillars and unusually long second-row windows. And it looks a tad sportier than the Tahoe overall. Second, the front fascia is sourced from the Silverado EV, which employs an extremely thin LED lightbar instead of the ICE truck's more conventional headlamps.
All told, it makes more sense to consider this rendering a revival of the old-school K5 Blazer. And by all means, it could very well be an all-electric hauler that would slot above the already-confirmed Blazer EV crossover and the Tahoe EV that's rumored to go into production by 2026. Just like the latter, it could arrive in showrooms with the truck's powertrain, which combines a pair of electric motors with a 200-kWh Ultium battery for an estimated range of up to 400 miles (640 km).
Yeah, it would be a low-volume niche vehicle (which is why Chevy won't build it), but it would be a very cool addition to the company's growing EV lineup.
The list of super-cool two-door haulers is much bigger, though, and also includes the Dodge Ramcharger, the Jeep Cherokee, and even the Jeep Wagoneer.
But wait, the two-door configuration can be traced back to the early days of the proto SUV. And by that, I mean the first-generation Chevrolet Suburban, produced in 1935. What's more, the grandfather of American SUVs did not get a four-door version until the 1960s.
Why did the two-door SUV become almost extinct? Well, the reason is quite simple: there's a much bigger demand for four-door vehicles. Whether we're talking about big SUVs, smaller crossovers, or pickup trucks, buyers prefer having four doors and spacious rear-passenger compartments. And needless to say, this trend isn't likely to change.
But this isn't stopping rendering artists from designing two-door versions of modern SUVs. Instagram's "jlord8," for instance, put together a two-door Chevrolet he calls the Silverado Hatch. But the digital hauler is, in fact, more of a two-door, shorter-wheelbase Tahoe than a pickup truck with a bed cap.
Then why does he claim it to be a Silverado? Well, there are two reasons for that. First, the rear section isn't sourced from the Tahoe. The SUV doesn't have the familiar "wraparound" rear windows of the full-size hauler, but thick C-pillars and unusually long second-row windows. And it looks a tad sportier than the Tahoe overall. Second, the front fascia is sourced from the Silverado EV, which employs an extremely thin LED lightbar instead of the ICE truck's more conventional headlamps.
All told, it makes more sense to consider this rendering a revival of the old-school K5 Blazer. And by all means, it could very well be an all-electric hauler that would slot above the already-confirmed Blazer EV crossover and the Tahoe EV that's rumored to go into production by 2026. Just like the latter, it could arrive in showrooms with the truck's powertrain, which combines a pair of electric motors with a 200-kWh Ultium battery for an estimated range of up to 400 miles (640 km).
Yeah, it would be a low-volume niche vehicle (which is why Chevy won't build it), but it would be a very cool addition to the company's growing EV lineup.
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