Hatchback or sedan

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handyman007

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In the market for a new car within the next year. My first 3 cars have all been sedans, having always thought that the boot space in a hatchback with seats up is nowhere near that of a sedan. I've read some articles where most authors say that boot space in a hatchback is superior to a sedan, but you lose out in legroom for the rear passengers.
 
The opening in a hatchback is bigger, thus you can more easily load bulkier items. Boot size only, in similar class size cars(jetta and golf for example), the sedan usually has a much bigger boot. I wouldn't trade my sedan for a hatchback easily for example. We have had both a hatch and a sedan between my SO and myself now for a number of years, the sedan has always been the weekend getaway car as we could always fit more inside.
 
I've found we can fit stuff easier in a sedan compared to a hatchback or SUV, usually because the boot is longer. So a pram for example, can easily lie flat in a sedan's boot but would have to be upright in a hatch. Same with big luggage.Split the difference, get a station wagon!
 
Cr419 said:
The opening in a hatchback is bigger, thus you can more easily load bulkier items. Boot size only, in similar class size cars(jetta and golf for example), the sedan usually has a much bigger boot. I wouldn't trade my sedan for a hatchback easily for example. We have had both a hatch and a sedan between my SO and myself now for a number of years, the sedan has always been the weekend getaway car as we could always fit more inside.
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Yes, I think with that particular example (Golf vs Jetta), the difference is massive.
 
Sepeng said:
I've found we can fit stuff easier in a sedan compared to a hatchback or SUV, usually because the boot is longer. So a pram for example, can easily lie flat in a sedan's boot but would have to be upright in a hatch. Same with big luggage.Split the difference, get a station wagon!
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Station wagons are scarce in SA.
 
I like the fact that with a hatchback rear seat passengers are more protected from the sun. It was an issue when we had small children to transport. The trade-off is, as Cr419 says, the smaller packing area. The trouble is you need the sun protection at the same time as you need more packing space. Now both issues are less relevant, but I still enjoy the flexibility of being able to load a hatchback.
 
Marsie27 said:
I like the fact that with a hatchback rear seat passengers are more protected from the sun. It was an issue when we had small children to transport. The trade-off is, as Cr419 says, the smaller packing area. The trouble is you need the sun protection at the same time as you need more packing space. Now both issues are less relevant, but I still enjoy the flexibility of being able to load a hatchback.
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What do you mean more protected from the sun? Generally the rear window on hatchbacks and SUVs are bigger? My sedans rear window is just large enough to see out of, I had a Polo for quite sometime and yes it was nice being able to load things like TVs, recliners, washing machines into the car, what I couldn't do is take the family on holiday as the bags just didn't fit properly. In my Cruze sedan yes I cannot load bulky things but groceries fit, bags fit and my boot is loooong.
 
handyman007 said:
Station wagons are scarce in SA.
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Yeah and mores the pity.
But here's the thing, I reckon too often we buy a car for the 1% exception. Like yes, you can fit a washing machine in a hatch but how often are you doing that?
If you want a sedan, get one and add a tow bar, hire a trailer for those odd events.
If you want a hatch cos it's smaller and easier to drive or looks cooler, get one and maybe add a Thule roof box or something for extra space.
But basically get the one that will suit your lifestyle most of the time.
 
Lupus, with a sedan, the sun would hit the back of our kids heads, which made them, and by extension, us, grumpy. With the hatchback the roof extends well over their heads. If your sedan has a really small back window then, as you say, it wouldn't be as much of an issue.
 
Lupus said:
What do you mean more protected from the sun? Generally the rear window on hatchbacks and SUVs are bigger? My sedans rear window is just large enough to see out of, I had a Polo for quite sometime and yes it was nice being able to load things like TVs, recliners, washing machines into the car, what I couldn't do is take the family on holiday as the bags just didn't fit properly. In my Cruze sedan yes I cannot load bulky things but groceries fit, bags fit and my boot is loooong.
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On a hatch the rear window is further back so the sun don't shine directly onto the kids, unlike in a sedan where the rear window stops almost over the rear passengers.
 
Cr419 said:
On a hatch the rear window is further back so the sun don't shine directly onto the kids, unlike in a sedan where the rear window stops almost over the rear passengers.
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I'll double check but I'm sure the hatchbacks rear windows aren't actually further back. As they've all got the tailboard.
 
Sepeng said:
I've found we can fit stuff easier in a sedan compared to a hatchback or SUV, usually because the boot is longer. So a pram for example, can easily lie flat in a sedan's boot but would have to be upright in a hatch. Same with big luggage.Split the difference, get a station wagon!
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Or SUV? I'm not sure what SUVs you're referring to but mine, which is classified as a smaller crossover SUV, has way more space than your typical sedan.
 
Lupus said:
I'll double check but I'm sure the hatchbacks rear windows aren't actually further back. As they've all got the tailboard.
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Meaning further back than your head, has been the case in most of my cars. In almost all my sedans that I had the rear window stopped almost over the rear passengers head. The circles would be where your head is.
jetta vs golf.png
 
bwana said:
Captiva. There's enough space in the boot area to seat two adults in the flip up seats.
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I would actually love to own an SUV next, but cheap tyres, low fuel consumption and cheap maintenance requirements trumps what I really want for now.
 
bwana said:
Or SUV? I'm not sure what SUVs you're referring to but mine, which is classified as a smaller crossover SUV, has way more space than your typical sedan.
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Which smaller crossover SUV? Are you also comparing it to a compact sedan?
 
bwana said:
Captiva. There's enough space in the boot area to seat two adults in the flip up seats.
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Well I'd put the Captiva in the bigger SUV bracket, with the likes of the CX3, Mokka X in the small category. Still it's got a what, 465 litre size boot according to google? Obviously depends on what sedan you're comparing it to but a C Class, which is about average I'd say, has a 480 litre boot. Jetta's is massive at over 500 litres.
I hate that measurement unit for space though as it doesn't tell the full story - shape and loading height also play a role. And that's loading the SUV to the loading tray height probably.
Either way, I wasn't referring to which is strictly bigger, but which is easier to fit stuff in. I find sedan's the most accommodating.
 
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