Trendspotting: U.S. Hatchback Offerings Mushrooming
USA Today is the latest major news outlet to cotton on to the growing hatchback movement in the U.S., with a sizeable article in today’s edition.
Author Chris Woodward notes that offerings as diverse as the Dodge Caliber, Volvo C30 (they actually picture the SCC one-off... oops!), and even upcoming vehicles like Infiniti’s EX35 and BMW's X6 point to an increased acceptance of the slopebacked body styles. According to a figure attributed to Hyundai product planning chief Brandon Ramirez, sales of five-door vehicles doubled from 2001 to 2006.
What accounts for this newfound acceptance? Are the consumers who are stepping out of their minivans and SUVs simply more comfortable riding “with
Comments
Dustin
It's all about "stuff."
Trunks never made sense, really.
Hatches, SUVs and Vans allow you to pile stuff "wall-to-wall & ceiling tall" on occasion and when you can fold down a rear seat and get lots more stuff inside it adds utility to the car.
Now that we're past seeing hatches as "econo boxes" maybe we're ready to embrace diesel as superior to gasoline.
Steve
I've loved my hatch for years, and plan on loving them for many more! This is really exciting news.
Ken
I love hatches, I got the last laugh at work when my MINI was the only car capable of carrying these plastic Toughbox storage containers they gave us.
autostox.com
Hatches are just so much more versatile. When you only have one vehicle they are the only way to go. One reason I think they are growing in popularity is the Y generation doesn't have the econobox perception of them from the 70's & 80's. I remember people saying they didn't want one of those cheap hatches, they wanted a classy coupe and a perfect example is the Civic. Maybe Honda will even bring back the Civic hatch.
Michael
I suspect that it is part of evolution. 30 years ago cars in Europe were minuscule compare to American and now they almost same in size. Automatic transmissions were not to be found in Europe and now they are commonplace (at least in civilized countries). The hatchbacks are bigger and make more sense now statewide. Furthermore, hatchbacks of 70's and early 80's were noisy: you had your rear axle inside your car. With advances in sound insulation this problem is gone. New metals are accommodating more rigid structures, so hatches don't make screechy noises as they did 30 years ago. More people travel to Europe and appreciate European presentation.
Sammy B
Another big hatch fan here! These new "premium" hatches really make me happy. The segment is getting hot again! Hopefully Toyota will make an XRS version of the next Matrix/Blade to bridge the gap between $16K econobox and $26K "premium hatch". I guess the Mazda3 (and Mazdaspeed3) do that, but a few more choices is always a good thing!
ryan
.. and ford killed the hatchback focus..
way to miss the boat!
back to this article, it's about time!!
Paul In Jersey
The article in USA Today makes no sense. It mentions some sporty coupes. It mentions some crossovers. What choice of rear passenger access do you have with a crossover? Aren't most of them hatches? Aren't minivans hatches? Technically speaking, isn't anything without a trunk a "hatchback?" The fact that people are buying Fits and Yarises is because they're economy cars. And by default, they're hatchbacks. But that doesn't mean "hatchbacks are popular." What it means is "cars that don't burn a lot of fuel are popular."
Russ Bellinis
I suspect it has a lot to do with the rising cost of gas here in the US. Cafe standards virtually eliminated the traditional station wagon, but families still needed the room that station wagons offered. The suv became the station wagon of today. Now gas prices have climbed to over $3.00 per gallon, they have since dropped back to @ $2.50 per gallon, but will probably never drop below $2.00 again. That makes a suv too expensive to operate, so the market has shifted to hatchbacks or Dodge Magnum type cars because families still need station wagons.
There are really two restraints that will keep diesel engines from becoming an realistic alternative in the US until these problems are solved. #1 the US government does not subsidise diesel fuel as they do in Europe. Therefore diesel cost as much at the pump as gasoline. The second problem is that diesel engines are far too expensive for the typical consumer to recover the initial investment unless they put similar mileage on their cars as commercial truckers do.
There are two reason that I can think of right off to explain the higher cost of diesel powered vehicles. The first is the fuel system, the typical injection pressure of a diesel system is between 1500 to 2000 psi at the injector. That requires a pump that is capable of putting out 2500 to 3000 psi. In order to put out those kind of number the internal parts must run on clearances measured in 1/1,000,000 of an inch! That sort of precision is expensive.
The second problem is the torque of a diesel. A 350 hp small block Chevy probably makes about 350-400 ft lbs of torque, and it makes the torque about midway up the power band. A 350 Cummins makes 350 horsepower, but it makes 1200 ft lbs of torque, and it does it almost off idle! The block webbing, crankshaft, main bears, rods, pistons, and cylinder head of a diesel has to be 4 times as strong as a gas engine that is putting out similar horsepower numbers, if it is to be reliable. That is why the infamous Olds 350 diesel of the early 1970's was such a failure.
dante
There aren't many good small wagons out there, so the only choice for an everyday car to me is a hatchback. I don't like too many sedans and if you look at the evolution of the automobile and see how the removeable trunk, hanging off the ass end of what were generally 2-box shapes (like SUVs and wagons) later became incorporated into the body, the sedan seems like a less natural solution.
rwcmick
And tell me why it is that when we do get a version of the next Fiesta in the USA it's going to be a sedan? Why? I just don't get it.
We’ve heard this before: USA Today reports hatches are comin
[...] [Source: USA Today via Winding Road] [...]
Autoblog : We've heard this before: USA Today reports hatche
[...] | Email this | Comments Share this post: email it! | bookmark it! | digg it! | reddit! Published Wednesday, August 29, 2007 3:04 AM by Autoblog Filed under: Wagons/Estates,Hatchbacks, Crossovers/CUVs, suv, Car Buying, CUV, Volvo, Infiniti, ex35, crossover, Trends, fx35, c30 [...]
We've heard this before: USA Today reports hatches are comin
[...] [Source: USA Today via Winding Road] [...]
We've heard this before: USA Today reports hatches are comin
[...] [Source: USA Today via Winding Road] [...]
Cecily
I bought my first car (ever!) three years ago - a Ford Focus ZX5 hatchback. I love it so much that my next car will most likely be a *small* hatch. I was greatly disappointed to find out that Ford has plans to kill the Focus hatch for their '08 edition.
Ducati Minor
Yet, the auto press is still convinced Americans don't want hatches.
VehicleBuzz.net » Blog Archive » We’ve heard this before: US
[...] [Source: USA Today via Winding Road] [...]
Don
Dear Auto Press,
I DO want a hatchback.
Love,
Don
Holden
So who doesn't like the look of a 55-56-57 Nomad? I'm really kinda tired of being the timid little Salvation Army lass banging her tamborine in the brothel. No one, especially the automotive press and American auto manufacturers listens or has a clue on the hatchback thing. Two door cars look more sporty than 4 doors. Many of us rarely have more than one person in a car, but need to carry 4 on rare occasions. A 2 door hatchback is the most versatile format for carrying passengers and luggage, as well as being sporty, if done right. I absolutely have to HOWL seeing the Mini being so successful, after I told all of them the secret, 20 thousand times, and NO ONE LISTENED. The only thing the Mini lacks is enough room in the back to lay the seats flat so I can sleep and camp with it. Then it could be my commute car, my economy car, my sports car, AND my RV.
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