Choosing between a hatchback and an SUV is mostly down to what you value the most, and what you need the most. These two are quite different so the driving and ownership experience differs substantially. In this article, we will compare these two popular car segments and help you choose the right car for you.
Hatchbacks have long been on the upper echelon of most sale charts in a long time, but they are nowhere near as popular as SUVs are. SUVs/crossovers are the most popular cars these days and most automakers concentrate on making their SUVs/crossovers as best as possible.
Be that as it may, both of these have their own sets of benefits and drawbacks. Hatchbacks are both cheaper and easier to drive, but SUVs are more spacious and more comfortable. Another great difference between these two is the passenger space because some SUVs can comfortably sit up to seven passengers.
On the other hand, large hatchbacks can comfortably accommodate up to five passengers at best. As such, it’s crucial to be aware of all the specifics of each car segment in order to make a sound purchasing decision, so be sure to read this article to find out.
Hatchbacks – Benefits and drawbacks
One of the greatest benefits of buying a hatchback is that you generally get more for your money because hatchbacks tend to be more affordable across the range. This means that you can buy a highly-optioned hatchback for a price of an entry-level SUV. Furthermore, hatchbacks are considerably cheaper to run as well.
Because most hatchbacks come with smaller displacement engines and are generally lighter than most SUVs, you will spend less money on maintenance because added weight tends to increase the rate at which specific car components wear over time.
Hatchbacks are also superior when it comes to spirited driving because they are lighter, more agile, and offer a lower center of gravity. However, hatchbacks lack space and they are not as stately as SUVs are. Furthermore, they cant go off-road and the visibility they offer is inferior to most SUVs out there.
SUVs – Benefits and drawbacks
SUVs are as the name might suggest utility-oriented vehicles which means that they can cope with all sorts of surfaces and environments which is not something you can say for a hatchback. As such, an SUV can be a great only car for all sorts of duties while a hatchback lacks behind due to its small tires and an overall small chassis.
This means that an SUV usually offers more interior space for both more passengers and more luggage. There are many seven-seater SUVs on the market and that’s something no hatchback can offer. SUVs are also a lot more rugged and able to take more strain than a comparable hatchback.
Even though a hatchback might seem like a better idea in urban driving environments, an SUV offers you a more commanding view of the road ahead. However, SUVs are more expensive to buy, maintain, fuel up, insure and register because they offer more potent engines across the range.
Your usage scenario – What type of car suits you best
Up to this point, we have a broader understanding of why a hatchback might be a better fit for you over an SUV and vice-versa. All you have to do now is to apply this knowledge to your specific set of circumstances such as where you live, how often do you drive, and how many passengers you tend to take with you.
If you are primarily driving by yourself and you are keen on saving money in the long run, you should go for a hatchback because they are cheaper from almost every angle. On the other hand, if you want a more pleasant experience and you tend to take lots of passengers with you, an SUV might be a better option for you.
Furthermore, if you live in colder climates you can benefit from an AWD system which is associated with most SUVs out there. On the flip side, a hatchback rarely ever comes with AWD and even if you upgrade to an AWD system you are still not getting nearly as many benefits.
FAQ Section
Why do people love SUVs?
People love SUVs because they look nice, they drive nice, they offer lots of space and they make you feel special. There is something about being higher up than most drivers on the road which makes you feel that bit more special and it increases your overall visibility so it makes it easy to drive the car and get in and out of one.
They also love SUVs because they are beefier than all cars on the market even though most people never take their beloved luxury SUVs off-roading. It’s good to know that they can go off-road if they ever need to.
Why do people love hatchbacks?
People love hatchbacks because they are compact and easy to live with while being affordable to buy and cheap to run. Hatchbacks are also usually cheaper to maintain, insure and register which makes them the value option for most value-oriented buyers.
To be honest, if you don’t need anything more than a hatchback, it’s better to opt for a hatchback because it saves you money in the long run. Moreover, they are not all that small either because many modern-day hatchbacks are now similar in size to many compact sedans which was not the case a decade or two ago.
Why are hatchbacks better performance cars?
On paper, it seems like an SUV is a way better sports car than a hatchback because it usually offers a more potent engine, beefier brakes, and more performance-oriented features like active wings and carbon-ceramic brakes.
However, large SUVs tend to be considerably heavier than hatchbacks which completely eliminates all the advantages an SUV has on paper. SUVs are also higher off the ground which means that they offer a higher center of gravity which negatively affects cornering because the car tends to lean more which makes it less agile.
