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You’ll probably have come across people using the word ‘hatchback’ to describe cars with certain body styles. Why? Well, hatchbacks are among the best-selling car types in Britain due to their practicality and efficiency. But what is a hatchback, and why is this vehicle shape popular among car users? This article will go over everything you need to know about hatchbacks, including their unique features and why some people prefer them to saloon cars.
Table Of Contents
What Is A Hatchback?
A hatchback is a car with a large rear door hinged to the roof that opens upward, differing from SUVs, crossovers and such by its compactness, budget-friendliness and city-practicality. Unlike saloon cars, which have enclosed boot spaces, the boot compartment of a hatchback leads to the passenger cabin, and you can access the rear seats. Also, the door (or hatch) has a rear window in it, while salons have a rear window above the trunk.
Click here to learn the difference between a saloon and a hatchback.
Why Is A Hatchback Called That?
A hatchback is called that because it has a hatch rather than a boot lid at the vehicle’s rear. A hatch is a small opening that serves as a doorway or window into a building. In the case of a hatchback car, the rear hatch serves as an opening that leads to the boot.
Citroën, a French automaker, produced the first hatchback called the Citroën Traction Avant 11CV Commerciale in 1934. The vehicle aimed to attract families and workers who needed more cargo space.
Hatchbacks usually have a parcel shelf behind the rear seats where you can store groceries and such.
What Is A Hot Hatchback?
A hot hatchback is a hatchback model with high performance. Hot hatchbacks (hot hatches) come with playful handling and more powerful engines for a fun driving experience. Often will car companies boost one model variant of its series, which will be ‘hot’. The term ‘hot hatchback’ is popular among hatchback models that are quick and lively on the road.
The Difference Between A Hatchback And Sportbacks, SUVs And Estates
Since various cars are on the market, it is important to understand what makes a hatchback different from other popular cars such as sportbacks, SUVs and estate cars.
Sportback is a term that car manufacturer Audi uses to describe its hatchbacks and SUVs with more stylish and sporty looks. Audi’s Sportback combines the features of a sedan/saloon, a hatchback and a fastback coupe, They have the roomy interiors of sedans, the rear door design of hatchbacks and the sloping roofline of fastback coupes. See more on the ‘coupe vs hatchback’ topic.
SUVs differ from hatchbacks in their design, height and driving character. SUV stands for ‘Sports Utility Vehicle’, and this term describes cars that have chunky, rugged designs like off-roaders. Both hatchbacks and SUVs have boot compartments connected to passenger cabins, but SUVs are bigger, more powerful and have a higher driver seating position.
Estate cars are the most similar to hatchbacks but have an extended rear, which makes their boot compartment more spacious. Therefore, an estate car is better for transporting bulky equipment but is less compact than a hatchback.
Three-Door Vs Five-Door Hatchbacks
There are two types of hatchbacks based on the number of doors they have: three-door and five-door hatchbacks. The hatchback boot door counts as an extra door because it provides access to the rear seats of the vehicle, although passengers don’t enter through there.
A three-door hatchback has two front doors, one on either side of the driver’s seat, in addition to the hatchback boot door. This design is common among small vehicles and superminis. You can access the rear seats in a three-door car by folding the front seats forward.
A five-door car has two doors on either side of the front seats and another two doors on either side of the rear seats, plus the hatchback boot door. The presence of the two rear doors in a five-door car ensures easy access to the rear seats. Understandingly, both three and five-door versions have a rear window on hatches. Read more about 5-door cars.
Hatchbacks may have four or a maximum of five seats.
The Pros & Cons Of A Hatchback
Hatchbacks have their benefits and drawbacks, like other vehicles.
Pros
Here are four major pros to using a hatchback:
- Spaciousness: On average, even small hatchbacks have more boot space than regular cars with four doors. You can also fold the back seats in most hatchbacks to increase the boot space.
- Flexibility: Their practicality makes hatchbacks suitable for various purposes, such as transporting people, cargo and pets. You can also access these vehicles from the boot thanks to the third or fifth door at the back.
- Compactness: Most hatchbacks have enough interior space without the added exterior dimensions. Therefore, hatchbacks are awesome as city cars, especially in areas where parking space is limited.
- Head Room: A hatchback usually has more headroom than a coupe or saloon car due to its higher roof.
Many hatchbacks have sliding rear seats that you can adjust to increase leg room.
Cons
These are the major drawbacks to using a hatchback:
- Not Very Stylish: Hatchbacks prioritise practicality. Therefore, they are usually not as stylish as coupes or cars with four doors. However, many car manufacturers are beginning to make hatchbacks that are both stylish and practical.
- Noise: Hatchbacks may be slightly noisier than saloons because their boot isn’t separate from the passenger rear like in saloon cars.
The Popularity Of Hatchbacks: Why Are They So Favoured?
Hatchbacks are so popular because they are more practical than sedans and often cheaper than other five-door car types. Hatchbacks have more interior and boot space, which allows them to transport people and cargo efficiently. Additionally, the compact design of a hatchback makes it easy to drive around narrow city roads. They also fit in smaller parking spaces than sedans, SUVs and most other types of cars.
Hatchbacks are most popular in the UK and other European countries, making up 50% of the European market share of the global market in 2019, compared to 5% for sedans. However, the case is much different in the United States. Although Americans use hatchbacks, SUVs and sedans make up the majority of the car market, at 47% and 22%, respectively.
Hatchbacks have good resale value in Europe due to the high demand for this vehicle type.
SUVs also dominate the car market globally, accounting for more than 45% of all new car sales around the world. While demand for SUVs rises globally, hatchbacks continue to dominate the European car market.
The Best And Most Popular Hatchback Models
Hatchbacks are distributed into various categories, ranging from small hatchbacks to family hatchbacks and hot hatches. Here’s a breakdown of the most popular vehicles across each category:
- Small Hatchback: Small hatches are the most compact types of hatchbacks and sit on the affordable end of the market. Some popular models include the Ford Fiesta, Vauxhall Corsa and Volkswagen Polo.
- Family Hatchback: Family hatchbacks, larger than small hatchbacks, are great as family cars. The Ford Focus, Volkswagen Golf, Volkswagen ID.3 and Audi A3 are some of the most popular examples of these vehicles.
- Hot Hatchback: Hot hatchbacks are high-performance hatchback models such as the Ford Fiesta ST, Honda Civic Type R and Golf GTI.
Should You Choose A Hatchback?
You should choose a hatchback if you want a car that has good practicality and fuel economy while offering a decent driving experience. Hatchbacks are great for families that need a spacious vehicle for grocery shopping or to transport their children to school. Hatchbacks are also great for city driving, as their compact size makes them easier to manoeuvre and fit into tight parking spots.
Coupes and sedans are more stylish, while SUVs are more practical, but a hatchback is your best option if you want a great all-rounder that combines the basic features of all of these vehicles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Defines A Hatchback Car?
The presence of a rear boot door that provides access to the back seats defines a hatchback. Unlike a saloon car, a hatchback has a unique rear door attached to the car’s roof. This door opens upward to make it easier to load items into the vehicle’s boot. A hatchback also has an open area all the way to the rear window, differing from a saloon with an enclosed luggage space.
How Do I Know If My Car Is A Hatchback?
You’ll know if your car is a hatchback because it will have a rear door that opens upward. While saloons and sedans have boot lids that hinge beneath the rear window, a hatchback’s boot door hinges to the roof of the vehicle. The boot door in a hatchback is regarded as an extra door, which is why most hatchbacks have either three or five doors.
Why Is It Called A Hatchback?
It is called a hatchback because it has a rear hatch instead of a boot lid. A hatch is a small door or an opening that serves as an entrance into a building. Likewise, the rear hatch in a hatchback provides access to the rear seats of the vehicle. This body style is different from that of saloons, which have enclosed boot spaces.
Does A Hatchback Have A Trunk?
Yes, a hatchback has a trunk. The trunk or boot is the storage compartment of a vehicle. A hatchback has a storage compartment, but there is no divide between the boot space and the passenger cabin. You can create more room in the trunk of many hatchbacks by folding their rear seats.
Are Hatchbacks Safer Than SUVs?
No, hatchbacks aren’t safer than SUVs. The safety of a vehicle depends on the particular car model and the safety features that it has. In fact, reports show that SUV occupants are more likely to survive accidents than people in smaller cars. For maximum safety, select a car with high safety ratings and drive carefully.
Conclusion
So, what is a hatchback? A hatchback is a vehicle with a unique body style that prioritises practicality. These cars are characterised by large rear doors that hinge to the top and provide access to the rear seats. A hatchback is your best bet if you want a vehicle that combines some of the features of other car types but in a more compact and budget-friendly manner.
