I will have to compare this body type with the sedan due to the fact that
some hatchbacks are derived from a sedan model. The hatchback sometimes called sportback consists of three main compartments:-
- The front of the car with the bonnet or hood and the engine compartment.
- The passenger area with two rows of seats which accommodates four or five averaged sized passengers including the driver.
- The rear compartment which is usually small as the roofline and the car ends directly or shortly after the rear
passenger seat although I have seen sportbacks with reasonable amounts of cargo space.
Hatchbacks are similar to station wagons as there is a tailgate instead of the trunk
to gain access to the cargo area but this rear door is sometimes referred to as a hatch resulting in the name hatchback.
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Audi A3, a five door hatchback |
Volkswagen GTI, a three door hatchback |
Whenever hatchbacks are built from a sedan model, a small model is usually used. They appear to be more sporty in appearance
and performance than their sedan counterparts because of factors like weight ratio, a lower
center of gravity and some hatchbacks have a low ground clearance but their practicality
in the cargo area is greatly reduced.
Hatchbacks can be of two (2) variations:-
- Three doors, the two front passenger doors and a tailgate, if there is a rear seat the passengers will enter in the same manner as
a coupe and this type is really sporty in appearance in most cases as they don't have the full passenger functionally.
This varient can sometimes be called a shooting brake by some high end marques.
- Five doors, the regular four passenger doors and the tailgate in a similar structure to a station wagon but is shorter in overall length.
The hatchback is a small bodystyle, it is generally light weight so it can hold a small engine making it a good economy car.
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