Space is essential for every daily driver out there because it enables you to take both your family and your luggage on a week-long trip without having to worry about having all your necessities on hand. Hatchback tailgates have introduced a more practical way of using your trunk space, even if the car itself is compact.
If you are primarily interested in a compact hatchback form factor, be sure to check out the Honda Civic hatchback or the Hyundai Elantra GT. If you want a more luxurious compact hatch, be sure to check out the VW Golf because the Golf combines both practicality and approachable luxury.
If you want a larger hatchback, be sure to check out the VW Arteon or the Subaru Impreza. If you fancy a more luxurious large car with a hatchback tailgate, you ought to check out the Audi A7 Sportback. All of these aforementioned cars should be more than enough for the majority of people out there.
It’s worth mentioning that the word “hatchback” is sometimes referred to cars of small proportions like the Civic or the Golf, but the word actually refers to cars equipped with a hatchback tailgate. Either way, you should be satisfied with any of these, no matter if you want more trunk space or interior room.
Honda Civic Hatchback – 25.7 cubic feet of trunk space
The Honda Civic is a true jack-of-all-trades type of car because it is relatively affordable, is fun to drive, has lots of space, is fairly economical, and is extremely reliable. The trunk space is wide and tall and it also has a fairly low load lip which enables you to fill it up with relative ease.
The Civic also comes with 60:40 split-folding rear seats which increase the trunk space to a humongous 46.2 cubic feet. With the rear seats in place, the Civic is amply spacious even for taller adults. It’s worth mentioning that the Civic is not all that wide which means that the person sitting in the middle seat is a bit limited when it comes to space.
VW Golf – 22.8 cubic feet of trunk space
The VW Golf has always been a car with impressive ergonomics, and that’s rather obvious the moment you take a look at the squared-off design at the back. This means that the trunk opening is huge and wide with a really low load lip so there is hardly any other car out there that is as easy to load as the Golf is.
The Mk7.5 and the new Mk8 Golf generations are also equipped with an extremely advanced infotainment system and a digital gauge cluster. Even though the Mk8 generation is newer and looks more impressive, the older Mk7.5 gen Golf is still a great car to buy.
VW Arteon – 27.2 cubic feet of trunk space
The VW Arteon is an extremely futuristic-looking hatchback sedan/coupe that is aimed at stealing more budget-friendly customers from the Audi, Mercedes, and BMW corner. With 27.2 cubic feet of trunk space, the Arteon is the most spacious car in its class, but it does lack when it comes to interior design and quality considering the price tag.
Be that as it may, it’s hard to downvote the Arteon no matter how you look at it because it also offers great ergonomics. The space on offer can be increased to 55 cubic feet if you lower down the second row of seats. Reliability is decent, efficiency is great and there are many different engines options to choose from.
Audi A7 Sportback – 24.9 cubic feet of trunk space
The Audi A7 Sportback is a significant step up from the Arteon when it comes to price, luxury, and technology. The A7 looks stunning, so much so that many believe that the A7 Sportback is one of, if not the most beautiful 4-door Coupe on the market. If you pair that with a 4.0L V8 pushing out 600hp in the RS7 model, you might be looking at the perfect car.
Nonetheless, the A7 is extremely practical as well because it offers 24.9 cubic feet of trunk space with the rear seats in use and more than 50 cubic feet of trunk space with the seats down. For a spot of context, the Audi A6 only offers 13.7 cubic feet of trunk space and that’s the difference a hatchback tailgate makes.
FAQ Section
Are compact hatchbacks too small for tall people?
It depends on how you use your car, but to be honest, most compact hatchbacks are more than enough even for tall people. I have personally used an A3 Sportback as my daily driver for about 3 years, and even though I am 6’5’’ I could easily get comfortable in the A3 Sportback.
That being said, whenever someone had to use the rear seats I had to push my seats forward which usually robbed me of well-needed space. All in all, most hatchbacks are fine for the most part, but if you plan on transporting multiple passengers often, it’s better to opt for a larger car.
What is the best “hot” hatchback on the market?
“Hot” hatchbacks are cars designed to combine performance and agility in a relatively small form factor which also comes with a hatchback tailgate. The VW Golf has long been the benchmark for the very best hot hatch, but the last decade or so saw a huge shift towards cars such as the AMG A45 and the Audi RS3.
The Audi RS3 Sportback is the very best hot hatch because it offers a glorious 5-cylinder engine which sounds like a baby version of the V10 found in the Lamborghini Huracan. The A45 AMG is also a thrill to drive and so is the outgoing Ford Focus RS.
What is the best 2-door hatchback on the market?
When you think about a 2-door hatchback you probably think about cars made by Fiat, Mini or such, but the very best 2-door hatch on the market is far more exciting than that. The best 2-door hatchback is being offered by none other than Ferrari with its fire-breathing V12 powered GTC 4 LUSSO.
This ludicrous creation from Maranello combines performance, space, and style in a package that can not be matched by any other car on the market.
