Hatchback drivers ever wish they had a sedan instead?

[digraph]

I think that sedans look a little more grown-up/serious. So in some moods, a sedan would be preferable.
I'm also pretty sure you have a wider field of view when the back window is closer to you, so that's an advantage of sedans.
But in some senses, "hatches," as a way to access your cargo space, completely prevail in America (well new england at least). Go to any parking lot, and between the hatchbacks, wagons, SUVs, and Minivans, Sedans are far outnumbered.

[A4Ryan]

NO. However, I sometimes wish I got the 4dr vs. my 2dr GTI, but thats only so my dog can creepily stare at people out the window at stop lights and in traffic.

[AKADriver]

Yes... sometimes.

There have been times in the past when I wish I had a place to lock things up overnight.

I've sometimes heard this as THE argument, but at the end of the day, tons of Americans buy SUVs and crossovers with no covered storage and that sort of smash-and-grab petty crime is not more common here than in the rest of the world. I agree that it's nice to have, but then, every hatch I've owned had some sort of cover. You could still break a window to get in, but you can punch out a trunk lock, too. Or in most modern sedans, break a window then flip the seat back down.

It's really simpler than that, it's that sedans look bigger and this plays into psychology on both sides of the Atlantic.

In a society like ours where there is no perceived premium on space, the typical uninformed buyer will just take the biggest-looking car they can afford. This is why the Versa sells so well, and in sedan trim, too; for barely over $10k you get something the size of a MkIV Jetta. There's a really interesting version of this going on in India where the newly affluent middle class is absolutely gaga for what are effectively sedan versions of Japanese kei cars. There are road tax incentives to have a car under a specific length, and rather than buying a hatch with a longer wheelbase and more effective room, people will go for the micro-sedan instead.

On the other hand, go to a society where you've got to street park and work with a dense urban infrastructure that was built by a wealthy society before the automobile, such as most of Europe, and there's a stronger unconscious incentive to pick the car that looks shorter. There's also some culture here, too, as the explosion of hatchbacks in the late '70s and early '80s cemented them in the minds of a lot of people as the hipper alternative. Unlike in America, where a Rabbit was replacing a much "wealthier"-looking huge American car in someone's driveway, when cars like the Golf appeared in Europe they were replacing similar-sized awkward little sedans like Renault Dauphines with something that looked and felt vastly more modern.

[rbloedow]

You can secure a truck so it's not accessible by breaking glass.

This is a completely false sense of security. For the vast majority of cars, all you need to do is break into the cabin, then hit a switch that opens the trunk.

[romanl]

NEVER

but i always wished that my old car 03 Impala would come as a hatch i would have bought that instead

[Bakounine]

Every winter day with that stupid salt spray.



Otherwise, no.

To be fair, the GTI does get a bit messy easily, but my Outback and my old Cherokee is/was better (higher belt line).

A sedan may not get a dirty rear window as easily, but once it is, you can only get outside the car and clean it yourself. Also, during winter, if you have just a tiny bit of snow left on the roof, it will automatically settle on your window and you need to wait for the defroster to melt everything away.

[Mike!]

Went from wagon to sedan, not because I wanted a sedan, but because they didn't make a hatch or wagon version anymore.

[Volkscience]

Last 7 cars I've owned were all hatches. Couple Focuses, a MK1 rabbit, and a few GTIs. I don't have kids, nor do I plan on having any so four doors is a complete waste for me, although the Focus hatch I have now is a 5 door... a 3 door hatch it all I really need.

The utility of the hatch is pretty awesome. When I had my 97 GTI VR6 I stuffed a solar cover for an olympic sized pool in the hatch, rolled up like a giant sleeping bag. It JUST fit. I mean... JUST... on all sides. But yeah, let's see you do that in a sedan.

I will probably always own a hatch of some flavor. Just too hooked on it that body style.

[Dr. Woo]

God, no. I can't think of a single situation where I think, "Y'know, I wish I had saved about $4.00 a month and gotten a vehicle with less usable space and even worse weight distribution."

[G0to60]

The only car that my wife and I had that didn't have a hatch were her VW Cabrio and her current BMW 325 convertible. The trunk is a pain in the ass and if it's not sunny out side we take one of our other cars. All of which have a hatch.

I've never really understood the appeal of a car with a trunk. They've always seemed so impractical to get stuff into and out of the cargo area. I also like having the rear window closer to the rear bumper. Makes backing out a bit easier because you don't have to judge that extra couple of feet before you hit something.

[McBanagon]

This is a completely false sense of security. For the vast majority of cars, all you need to do is break into the cabin, then hit a switch that opens the trunk.

I'm sure we're both right.. There are plenty of different vehicles out there.

When I said "can secure the trunk," I was referring to the ones that have locking trunk releases and seat backs.

[FlashRedGLS1.8T]

No, I love having hatchbacks...since 2000.

[johnny_p]

There have been times I wished I had the bigger trunk of a sedan instead of the small (with seats up) cargo area of a hatch. Ski trips being the biggie. I can only really take 2 other people for ski trips in my GTI, once you start adding gear the rear fills up too quickly. My Focus didn't suffer from this.

The other thing is... at least that I've experienced... the hatch structure is less rigid than a sedan. My GTI creaks and groans over driveways, speed bumps, etc. Its noticeable that its not very rigid, where a sedan has the extra bracing at the back seats and trunk line.

Otherwise the versatility of the hatch is awesome. My bikes fit in the back super easy. My 40" TV looked small in the back, where I would have struggled to fit it in my previous car.

[askibum02]

I've owned basically only sedans, save one, a MKIII GTI. We've always needed 4 doors because of our kids. I'm on my 4th truck however, and I'll never be with out a truck again. We've had a MKIV Jetta for the past 9 years, and have never has a problem moving stuff because of said truck. I will say that her next car will likely be a wagon of some flavor.

[AKADriver]

The other thing is... at least that I've experienced... the hatch structure is less rigid than a sedan. My GTI creaks and groans over driveways, speed bumps, etc. Its noticeable that its not very rigid, where a sedan has the extra bracing at the back seats and trunk line.

It depends on the car. The Mazda3 hatch is stiffer torsionally than the sedan.

[Slipstream]

I've owned two sedans and hated both of them (not counting my wife's current Jetta). Hatchbacks, wagons, or small SUVs for me.

[Lwize]

I've owned multiple hatches and sedans.
I prefer the hatches mostly for their practicality and versatility.

[Live-Wire]

My Mk6 Golf had a pretty useless trunk, seats up. To the point where I couldn't goto the beach or a camping trip with 4 friends in it. One cooler and the space was almost eaten up. Thank you independent rear suspension!

My new BMW has a larger (or more usefully shaped?) trunk. And my Audi A4 before the Golf had a cavernous trunk... I honestly think it was something like 17 or 18 cu ft or something like that.

With the seats folded down in my BMW, I could fit a flat-screen TV, or lots of IKEA boxes. If I need to haul something extremely bulky - it wouldn't fit in the hatch of my Golf anyway... so I call up my father and bring the XC70.

I prefer sedans after owning
- 3 hatches
- 1 wagons
- 2 sedans

I love real wagons tho... but I don't need one yet. I'd get a wagon in a heartbeat when I have kids. Like my dad did. Same handling and interior as a sedan, but with a huge (25-35cu-ft) trunk!.

[Turbio!]

Sometimes I've wished for a less exposed cargo area, but then I spent $75 on a cargo area cover and that was pretty much it. Concealed storage can be nice. But I've never wished for less cargo versatility.

[G0to60]

^^^ You are also comparing a small car to a mid-sized car. I would think that a better comparison would be your MK6 Golf to a Jetta sedan or the like.

[pdoel]

Had a sedan in college, have had nothing but SUVs and then hatchbacks ever since. Never considered going back. Just so much more practical, not to mention I think they look much cooler.

[Air-over-water]

I'm sure we're both right.. There are plenty of different vehicles out there.

When I said "can secure the trunk," I was referring to the ones that have locking trunk releases and seat backs.

Where are you parking that you are that concerned with smash and grabs?
Even in the lower socioeconomic areas around here I feel safe enough to no worry about smash and grabs.

[6cylVWguy]

I'm more of a coupe guy myself, having owned only a single 4 door car in my life. However, I have owned hatchbacks (currently have one) and a couple of cars with a traditional trunk/trunk lid (like the current mustang). I definitely see the utility of the hatchback. Even the crossfire had an impressive amount of rear storage space for its size and shape. I'm currently in the process of moving from an apt to a house and it's been an interesting experience. There have been times where I wondered if certain items would have fit in my old GTI, instead of having to rely on the GFs Tucson (which has been very nice to have!). In reality though, despite the limitations of the layout, the mustang has been pretty handy with the seats down.

Still, at the ripe age of 36, I have little use for the practicalities of a hatchback, wagon, or SUV in 90% of circumstances. I probably should have just gotten a used Lotus Elise as even the mustang has more space than I really need or typically use.

[VRhooptie]

Went from 2 gtis to a mustang. I really miss the hatchback. Especially the rear wiper on rainy days where you can't go fast enough(highway) to air off the rear window. Also miss the space. But the v8 has me overlooking that side of practicality

[Lujess]

I think that sedans look a little more grown-up/serious.

I want to avoid being (or looking) too grown-up and serious for as long as I can ;-)

I never regret my hatchback. Great flexiblility, so much more enjoyable and tossable than an overweighted/poor performing SUV. Can swallow a entire set of dive gear with no problem :-)

[koston.]

I think it is more the perception that a trunk presents greater security than a hatch.

Not perception, reality for most hatches/wagons. When the greatest car in the world is broken into, mkiii, the only thing protecting hatch contents is a piece of heavy cardboard covered in soft dash felt. All the sedans ive been in have locking rear seats/no fold rear seats.

Sometimes I wish I had a sedan instead my "wagon" due to the backboom and generally noisy ride compared to sedans. But I love the utility of a hatch shape due to the seating area when booting up for snowboarding.

[Turbio!]

I want to avoid being (or looking) too grown-up and serious for as long as I can ;-)

I never regret my hatchback. Great flexiblility, so much more enjoyable and tossable than an overweighted/poor performing SUV. Can swallow a entire set of dive gear with no problem :-)
l]

...Unless you need to carry more than two people along with all that dive gear. Just sayin'. Bigger utility vehicles always have a place, and the Golf is pretty limited when it comes to hauling both gear and people, or a whole lotta gear. That's why I have a commuter and an SUV, and that's why a lot of folks prefer wagons to hatches.

[helement2003]

No.

Though I have wished the opposite at times...that my sedan was a hatch.

[moose82]

No, but sometimes I wish I had a wagon instead

[Lujess]

...Unless you need to carry more than two people along with all that dive gear. Just sayin'. Bigger utility vehicles always have a place, and the Golf is pretty limited when it comes to hauling both gear and people, or a whole lotta gear. That's why I have a commuter and an SUV, and that's why a lot of folks prefer wagons to hatches.

Yes....my wife drives a Highlander.....

[Turbio!]

Not perception, reality for most hatches/wagons. When the greatest car in the world is broken into, mkiii, the only thing protecting hatch contents is a piece of heavy cardboard covered in soft dash felt. All the sedans ive been in have locking rear seats/no fold rear seats.
.

Smash and grabs are opportunistic, though. If it's out of sight, nobody's gonna take the chance of breaking in and spending a few minutes rooting around on the chance that they might find something. S&Gs happen when some dolt leaves their purse, laptop case, wallet, or whatever right there on the seat, and somebody just breaks the window and ganks it in a second and a half.

[Lujess]

...Unless you need to carry more than two people along with all that dive gear. Just sayin'. Bigger utility vehicles always have a place, and the Golf is pretty limited when it comes to hauling both gear and people, or a whole lotta gear. That's why I have a commuter and an SUV, and that's why a lot of folks prefer wagons to hatches.

Yes, good point....my wife drives a Highlander.....

best of both worlds....but don't have to deal with an SUV on a daily basis

[Air-over-water]

...Unless you need to carry more than two people along with all that dive gear. Just sayin'. Bigger utility vehicles always have a place, and the Golf is pretty limited when it comes to hauling both gear and people, or a whole lotta gear. That's why I have a commuter and an SUV, and that's why a lot of folks prefer wagons to hatches.

Yep, I prefer a wagon over hatchbacks.
I prefer wagons over almost anything.

[Turbio!]

No.

Though I have wished the opposite at times...that my sedan was a hatch.

Honestly, I have to wonder why sedans exist sometimes. Even if you prefer the sedan profile, a liftback just makes SO much more sense. I think people are just in the habit of getting sedans, or something. I know preferences are subjective....but every sedan owner I know has had the problem of not being able to fit a bunch of IKEA stuff or a Home Depot run or a friend's bike or something into their car. And then they call me and ask if they can use my 4Runner.

[JMTombstone]

I am always puzzled when I hear people say how sedans are not practical. I have put more into my Jetta then could have ever fit in the Golf/GTI of the same generation. It just takes more thought on how things need to be packed in. Granted there are some items that it can be difficult to get into a sedan (if at all) such as a loveseat (or similar sized item) where a hatch would be nice (I have friends with trucks for that kind of stuff ). However, seats folded down in both, I will stick to saying that my sedan can hold a greater volume than a hatch of the same generation.