These Are The Best Door Handles Of All Time

Who doesn’t love a good door handle? I know I do, and it seems like you all do too. They’re often overlooked, but they really do add a certain something to a car when they’re executed well. Because of that, we decided to make last week’s question all about door handles.

Specifically, we wanted to know what car you thought had the best door handle of all time. You guys were all over the place with this one. We’ve got hidden door handles, push buttons, pull-ups, nothing at all and even a shout-out to keyless entry. You folks really took this one and ran with it.

Anyway, I don’t want to hold you all up with this little door handle preamble, so why don’t ya head over to the slides and start clicking on what door handles your fellow Jalops consider to be the best of all time?

2 / 17

I love the handles on the 10th (and final) generation of the Lincoln Continental. The way the sit flush against the chrome trim around the windows gives them a well-integrated and elegant look. I actually thought the entire car itself was pretty nice looking, but the door handles in particular stood out to me as a nice touch with obvious effort put into their design.

I absolutely love the look of these door handles. The last Continental was such a great-looking car that unfortunately lacked the substance needed to make it anything more than an Uber Black you’re mildly excited about.

Submitted by: paradsecar

3 / 17

FD handle is pretty cool

Just like the rest of the FD RX-7, the door handles are very cool.

Submitted by:ilikefoodandcars

4 / 17

I’ll kick it off with maybe an unpopular opinion... I like those second-row door handles that disappear into the trim work. I find them surprisingly ergonomic and, when done well, keep the style lines really tight. Honda’s HRV and the Acura ZDX are the examples that immediately jump to mind but there are a bunch.

YES! Thank you. You are deeply correct. In fact, the entire ZDX is a great-looking car that still looks modern today, 15 years after it went on sale.

Submitted by: Tycho13

5 / 17

I always thought the handles on the Subaru XT6 were pretty sweet.

The lower flap was there for aerodynamics. push in the lower flap to then get your fingers under the upper flap, pull to open the door.

There’s so much weird stuff about the XT6 that the door handles may get overlooked, but they shouldn’t. They’re really a neat little piece of design.

Submitted by: Sucker for a ‘23 300C (formerly Magnum_SRT8)

6 / 17

Pretty biased here, but I love the door handles on my 718 Cayman S. It doesn’t really look like much, but the handle hinges upward when you pull it instead of straight out. So one would have to reach and pull with palms facing up. Ergonomics come in to play, as the car is quite low. In addition, the cavity between the handle and door is quite large, so the chances of me scratching the door paint with my nails are pretty slim.

Also, unlike other the other door handles of cars I’ve owned in the past, it’s pretty solid and has very tight tolerances. It doesn’t wiggle when it’s resting in its closed position and it doesn’t wiggle when it have it pulled out. For reference, the door handles on my Mazda CX-50 feel flimsy in comparison. I can wiggle it when its resting in closed, and it feels like it’ll be easy to break when fully extended out.

It’s the little details like this that make a Porsche a Porsche.

Pull-up door handles on Porsches and old BMWs exuded luxury to me as a child. Don’t ask me why. I just thought it was so neat.

Submitted by: snisps

7 / 17

As ergonomically effective as it is elegant.

I was genuinely unaware of how cool the 308's door handles were. Those things are sick.

Submitted by: pizzaman09

8 / 17

Maybe it is just my personal experience and sentimental attachment, but I’m going to say Porsche 911 (G series, 1974-1989). Just something so mechanical and satisfying about the feel and sound.

Nothing sounds better than the clicking door noises of a G-Series 911.

Submitted by: reverse_synchromesh

9 / 17

The classic 60's American door handle that’s basically just a chrome blade with an oval button under the rear end. These rule incredibly hard.

Those sons of bitches must have gotten so hot in the summer, but we were built different back then, weren’t we?

Submitted by: Mosko

10 / 17

no push button handles. i like having to pull the handle out. the push button makes me afraid for my thumbnail. pull out handles just always work. IE 1st gen jeep liberty. awesome handles. dont care how they look, they work perfect

Okay, negative Nancy! I see your point, but have you ever considered that you’re actually wrong?

Submitted by: Nate Mason

11 / 17

This isn’t a specific handle, but any car that has the touch lock/unlock on every door. I have a TLX with this, (I’m sure there are many more), and although the handles themselves aren’t anything special, being able to lock/unlock from any one of the 4 doors is perfect.

Keyless entry rocks. It’s so deeply convenient. I do wish there was somewhere to put the key once I was in the car, though.

Submitted by: KCyclone

12 / 17

Let’s go back in time, when cars were beautiful, and so were their door handles. Case in point, the absolute Italian diva: Lamborghini Miura and it’s ‘fin’ door handles

You’re so right, bestie. Everything on the Miura looks amazing, even the door handles.

Submitted by: Da Car Guru - 15,000 RPM daily driver

13 / 17

After having fancy handles in a Tesla Model 3 and my wife’s VW ID4, my answer is my 4Runner. Why? Because it’s just a big chunky door handle. It’s not electronic, it won’t get frozen, and it has all the same functionality with a sensor to lock and unlock the door. I will also never have to explain to someone how to use it.

Normal door handles FTW.

IF IT AIN’T BROKE DON’T FIX IT BROTHER

Submitted by: Eury

14 / 17

I liked AMCs flush door handles which they used on everything from the Gremlin to the Ambassador.

These are so of a different era, that I cannot even imagine a modern implementation of them. They’re so groovy.

Submitted by: Earthbound Misfit I

15 / 17

Always been a fan of the hidden ones that don’t interrupt the lines of the car.

Such as the hidden button on the Koenigsegg Regera. (For when you don’t use the button on the remote fob, anyways.)

The Regera’s doors are so cool I never even thought about how you’d open them.

Submitted by: Knyte

16 / 17

GMT400 truck. Black + metal + Phoenix = theft deterrent.

I was about to be snarky and say no one wants your GMT400 regardless of its door handles, but I know I’m wrong. Those were made in an era WHEN TRUCKS WERE TRUCKS. THEY DON’T MAKE ‘EM LIKE THEY USED TO, NO SIR, GOBBLESS.

Submitted by: soloyosh

17 / 17