5 Essential Things to Know About Owning a Hatchback Car

Hatchback cars are the vehicles you see with a large rear door that can open to allow access to the cargo area. To be clear, however, a hatchback car can be considered a station wagon as well to some people. If you’re trying to decide whether this type of vehicle is right for you, there are five things you should know before you buy.

Compact or Midsize

Hatchback cars are available in both compact and midsize options. Typically, the compact options have two doors and are often available in models that offer a sporty experience when driving. A midsize, which looks considerably more like a wagon, provides more space and is a great option for use as a family car.

Improved Cargo Areas

One of the main draws for hatchbacks is that most of them offer rear seats that fold down. This drastically increases the available cargo space over what is available in a sedan, and some models can even rival that of a small SUV. Additionally, the hatchback design makes it much easier to access these areas.

Increased Maneuverability

In many cases, hatchback cars are simply easier to maneuver than their larger counterparts. The lack of the additional trunk space that extends the typical sedan isn’t a part of the hatchback design, thus creating a shorter vehicle. This makes parking in tight spaces or moving around crowded parking lots that much easier. If you are considering one of the high-end sporty models, that maneuverability also extends to how it handles on the road as well. Some of these options can provide plenty of power and exceptional handling.

Lower Costs

Hatchback cars are often considerably smaller than sedans, which also means they are cheaper as well. In addition to the lower purchase price, these vehicles also tend to have fairly good fuel economy as well. There are also plenty of hybrid or all-electric hatchbacks available, which might be more expensive initially, but will considerably lower your fuel costs.

Increasing Popularity

Contrary to the popular belief that hatchbacks aren’t that popular in the US, Ford, Toyota, Hyundai and Nissan have all reported that hatchback models outsell their sedan counterparts quite frequently, especially the Fiesta, Yaris, Accent and Versa respectively.

As you can see, there are many reasons to consider hatchback cars for your next vehicle. If you are considering a used one, make sure to contact YourMechanic about a pre-purchase inspection so you know exactly what you’re buying.


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Jermaine

25 years of experience
382 reviews
Jermaine
25 years of experience
Dodge Durango V6-3.6L - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - Silver Spring, Maryland
Awesome mechanic! Very reliable !! Awesome personality! Explained everything and now I feel less stressed.
Hyundai Ioniq - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - Chevy Chase, Maryland
Jermaine was very friendly, efficient and professional. He kindly explained to me those things that did not score well in the service report, so that it didn't come as a surprise, and I would know what to do about it.

Caz

18 years of experience
146 reviews
Caz
18 years of experience
Mercedes-Benz GLA250 L4-2.0L Turbo - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - Woodstock, Georgia
Caz was extremely knowledgeable, personable and provided excellent service. He was on time for the appointment and answered and explained everything I asked concerning my vehicle. I will definitely use the company again and I would love to have Caz as my mechanic! Excellent!
Mercedes-Benz S550 - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - Mableton, Georgia
Caz Arrived on time much earlier than scheduled. He was very professional in inspecting the car and made excellent recommendations.

Brian

19 years of experience
138 reviews
Brian
19 years of experience
Lexus RX350 V6-3.5L - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - McDonough, Georgia
Brian was very informational and knowledgeable about the Inspection. He throughly inform me what issues on vehicle. Great Mechanic !!!
Ford Transit-350 HD - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - McDonough, Georgia
Great service. Honest , respectful and truly cares about making sure you get the best options possible at an affordable price. Finding a mechanic you can trust is rare. I highly recommend Brain.

Jay

24 years of experience
262 reviews
Jay
24 years of experience
Honda CR-V L4-2.4L - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - Glendale Heights, Illinois
Jay did a great job! Excellent at taking time to explain things about your car. And provided sound recommendation on repair. Courteous and responsive. I would definitely recommend Jay!
BMW 535i xDrive - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - Des Plaines, Illinois
Excellent ! Jay is very detail oriented and forward thinking. I would highly recommend him to anyone.

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