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What do you like about hatchbacks?

245

Comments

  • markellismarkellis Member Posts: 7
    I'm looking at ti's now...and they handle VERY WELL!
  • gtkachgtkach Member Posts: 10
    You don't hear of kids dying because they were locked in the back of their hatchback.
  • paulc1paulc1 Member Posts: 1
    I like Stuff, and I can stuff it all in an hackback.
  • mznmzn Member Posts: 727
    Good point, paulc1!!! Stuff is what hatchbacks are all about! ;-)

    carlady/host
  • car7car7 Member Posts: 2
    I love hatchbaks for their looks, room, and things it can do hatchbaks are my favorite cars I also love coups. A hatchback is a great way to take any thing were it needs to go.
  • bchaubchau Member Posts: 8
    OK, I am gonna be the bad guy and say hatchbacks always get wet back there. On the other hand those rear speakers sound fabulous !

    - Great for a pet or two.
    - Great for spending the night in a jam.
    - Looks better than a late model Mercedes, whose
    driver obviously just came from the home
    improvement center with a couple of long 4x4s
    sticking out of the sunroof like a boat's sail.
    - Just stuff it in there.
  • pam2pam2 Member Posts: 185
    As the proud new owner of a 1996 Civic Hatchback, I have to say I was mostly swayed by the price. But it drives great, is a lot of fun, and is very cute! Big plus with the storage area. Lay down the back seats and you could almost put a refrigerator in there!!


    Pam
  • jdunphyjdunphy Member Posts: 4
    I have a 95 integra gs-r not only is it good at
    hauling a** it is great for hauling fertilizer too. I recently put 8 bags of compost ( you know the big ugly white cubes) which was twice as many as my wife could put in her neon even with the pass through. I could probably haul more stuff in my integra than one could in an explorer or blazer. But of course I cant really go off road but who does in an SUV ( Stupid non Utility Vehicles)
  • CarmenHCarmenH Member Posts: 1
    I've had a '92 Nissan 240SX and basically this is my free commercial for Nissan's product. The car has been so reliable. To date, I have not had a single thing wrong with it. I'm looking for a new car but I hate to part with this car so I'm keeping it. It is so fun to drive especially in the mountains. I wish Nissan would come out with something as stylish and reliable as they did with this one. Hats off to the company.
  • fasteddie1fasteddie1 Member Posts: 20
    For what it's worth, I have a 1988 Mazda 626 5 door liftback with 170K miles on it... I have changed the oil every 3K and done the other scheduled maintenance... still gets 30+ mpg... my mechanic says he's seen several with up to 300K+ miles on 'em... I think they built them until 1990... been one of the best cars I ever owned...and here in AZ they don't rust out so I guess I'll drive it another ten years... my X-wife had the turbo version of this engine and used to easily blow off Mustang GTs off the line...both are a little hard to find, but worth it... I still see them around from time to time...
  • mel41mel41 Member Posts: 2
    I have just purchased a 1991 Hyundai excel GS hatchback for 1,300 dollars from 75 year old women that the doctors said she couldn't drive anymore. She has all of the maintenance records on it. It has 41,000 miles on it and is in very good good condition. I figure once I tint the windows and put some custom wheel covers and fog lights to compliment the rear spoiler she will be a real looker. I was just wondering whether anyone has heard that there was any problem with this year. I look forward to enjoying it for years to come.
  • mznmzn Member Posts: 727
    Welcome mel41! Since this discussion, "What do you like about hatchbacks?" (Topic #3)is more general, I suggest you start a new topic on the Hyundai Excel GS hatchback. Just use the "Create Topic" button at the top left of the Topic List. If you have any problems, just email me or leave a note for me here.

    Thanks for joining us. IMHO, you've got a cream puff on your hands! :-)

    carlady/host
  • prophet2prophet2 Member Posts: 372
    Hatchbacks combine s/w-like cargo capacity with sedan/coupe looks. Many times, it's not the volume of the cargo, it's the odd-shaped items that a car trunk can't handle. Like having a s/w with a 30 degree slope on the backside.

    Looking over the early posts, I gotta agree with "Guitarzan." I have a Fender Quad-Reverb amp (same shape as his Super, but with 4-12"s in the cabinet). It barely fits in my Legend coupe's trunk, so I usually use our minivan. Except for its high liftover, our long-departed Integra would have the Legend beat in this category.

    One funny thing, though. A number of women, whom I generally regard as "practical," have told me that they prefer coupes with separate trunks. I guess that cargo covers aren't good enough. Also, one used her coupe to haul 50-lb. bags of feed for her horses - the hatch would have been infinitely better with fold-down rear seats.
  • bluetahoebluetahoe Member Posts: 4
    My 90 Integra hatchback has amazed my friends
    many times over its 179K journey.

    Just this summer, I was able to help a friend
    move a twin bed (mattress, box spring, frame,
    and headboard). I needed about 6 more inches
    to close the hatch. I guess I could have moved
    the driver's seat up but I didn't want to
    sacrifice my driving position. 5 ft. of rope
    did the trick.

    One more example of hatchback utility.
  • mznmzn Member Posts: 727
    Thanks, bluetahoe! With recommendations like these, I don't know why *everyone* doesn't drive a hatchback! :-)

    carlady/host
  • carnut4carnut4 Member Posts: 574
    Hatchbacks-love 'em! Everything said here is true. My first was a 1980 Ford Fiesta-loved that car. Sports car feel and station wagon utility. I had it tweaked with a rear sway bar, Konis, and 13x5.5 wheels with the old Pheonix 30011 tires. Rolled the car and destroyed it right after putting on the big-throat Weber carb. Now, I have an 85 Dodge Daytona Turbo, which I bought new. After 206,000 miles, the original turbo is still going strong, thanks to the water-cooled bearing and meticulous maintenance. At 170,000 miles, the head gasket started leaking, so I replaced the whole engine [except turbo]thinking it was time. Turns out I could have just put on a new head gasket and gone another 100,000 miles. The mechanics told me that engine was designed from the ground up to take the turbo, and with the high chrome alloy block, was a 300,000 mile engine. Heck-it,s still comfortable, fast, fun to drive, and gets 30+ mpg on the road. Plus I can load my bike and all camping gear in the back and still have sports car handling and mileage with suv utility. I really think some [not all] of Chrysler,s engineering is underated, and the rputation for unreliability is not totally deserved.
  • mel41mel41 Member Posts: 2
    I'm back. The 91 Hyundai excel hatchback with 41,000 miles that I was so happy about turn out to have a blown head. No problem though it's costing me about 250.00 to get it fix,but I figure its worth it,because I only paid 1,300.00 for it. I'm just looking forward to driving it. Its performace wasn't to bad with the blown head,I can imagine what's it's going to do when I get it out of the shop. I'm just sad that I'm going to have wait to put some of the extras on it,like the tinted windows and fog lights. I did manage to find some pretty nice chrome wheel covers for it though. That dressed it up pretty nice.
  • maydaytoymaydaytoy Member Posts: 22
    1985 Honda Accord Hatchback, 8 years, 115,000 miles. belts/hoses/oil changes/tires.
    Never even had to adjust a belt.
    Pulled everything from a motorcycle trailer to a full sized Helicopter with it.
    Growing family caused me to part with it.....
    Thank You Mr S. Honda for what you started.
  • mznmzn Member Posts: 727
    Thanks for your testimonial, maydaytoy! :-)

    carlady/host
  • RankledRankled Member Posts: 15
    One thing I've liked about hatchbacks is how useful they are for carrying things. My past cars are a 1984 Chevrolet Chevette (bought as a dealer demo) and a 1989 Dodge Shadow (bought as a leaseback).Although I liked the Chevette, I traded it in because I didn't like how it handled on the highway and the poor acceleration. The Dodge accelerates better but needs frequent repairs. I have a couple postings in 1989 Dodge Shadow.
  • ydnaydnaydnaydna Member Posts: 4
    Hatchbacks rule!

    I've read (or at least skimmed) every post here, but no one has mentioned the infamous Plymouth Horizon! I've had an '88 since it was new <$6000 and still going.

    Four doors, comfortable back seat, cavernous storage, and a 2.2l FI engine! I live in Minnesota and it has NEVER not started.

    I have a web page tributed to it here (<A HREF="http://www.tc.umn.edu/~grant026">http://www.tc.umn.edu/~grant026 ) - I've exaggerated some problems for comedic value.

    Although rusting profusely (my fault for parking it on the street for 3 years in addition to not having mud guards) it has been great. I can fit 2 mountain bikes along with camping gear in the back. It was my first car and has been driven VERY hard over the past 11 years. It has accepted challenge pretty well.

    Anyone else?

    Want a bigger garage? Trade in your SUV for a Hatchback.
  • mznmzn Member Posts: 727
    "Want a bigger garage? Trade in your SUV for a Hatchback."

    You're absolutely right, ydnaydna!! Now all we have to do is get that tip into one of the many "how-to declutter" books that sell so well in January! :-)

    carlady/host
  • redeeredee Member Posts: 1
    would like to find out the price of 1976 ford
    hatchback restored
  • philthwingphilthwing Member Posts: 1
    I sure do love my 1988 Nissan Pulsar. not only is it a hatchback with all that unbelievable storage capacity, but it's sporty, zippy and has a T-top (better than a convertible!)

    Why don't they make stuff like that anymore????
  • mznmzn Member Posts: 727
    Well, philthwing, IMHO, it is because hatchback owners are the red-headed stepchildren of the auto world. All we want is something sporty, zippy, & with great storage capacity. And they do make it, BTW, they just make it available in Europe only. :-(

    carlady/host
  • k2sk2s Member Posts: 2
    I think Ford should bring back the Ford Escort in the old body style. the 89 RULES! The thing that I would like most is if they made a convertible. That would be cool. And they need to put more power in it, so it can blow the doors off a Cavilier.
  • shiro85shiro85 Member Posts: 2
    mzn writes:

    "...hatchback owners are the red-headed stepchildren of the auto world. All we want is something sporty, zippy, & with great storage capacity. And they do make it, BTW, they just make it available in Europe only. :-("

    I agree that its a cultural difference between the USA and Europe in particular: the hatch is a wonderfully _practical_ vehicle, particularly when combined onto a fun, good handling, platform.

    Europeans have high gas prices which foster a "small is beautiful" attitude and they of course prefer much tighter suspensions than the land yachts of the USA.

    Unfortunately, the USA's initial exposure to hatchbacks was often in the inexpensive, low-end imports, so they got the stigma of "hatchback=cheap", whereas the real message was one of _frugality_.


    IMO, I think that hatchbacks will continue to be an increasingly rare breed for at least the next 10 years, partly because of design cycle lag. A hatchback can be the vehicle of for the "<30 and no kids" demographic. Unfortunately for those of us >30, this also means "and doesn't have a ton of money to spend", which is why the "NICE" hatch is even a rarer breed (the BMW was dropped for 1999). Unless gas prices shoot up this week to kill off the SUV craze, the current age<30 demographic group (...aka the baby-boomette population bubble...) is going to pass by and they'l be out having familes and be doomed to a minivan, so there won't be enough demand to spark interest among the manufacturers.

    For the older age>50 customer, this is the baby boomer who's kids have left the nest. If Dad still remembers what it was like to be an enthusiest after 15 years of driving a minivan, he's going to be buying a highly masculine SUV (which he'll never go offroading in) or a "real sports car" such as a Miata, Z3 or a Corvette. He's unlikely to buy a hatchback because he's not going to tolerate a cheap entry level car and he doesn't ski or bike or scuba or have some other type of athetic life that promotes the utility of a hatchback...so long as it can him to & from the office and carry groceries, he's fine.


    The bottom line is that all vehicles are design comprimizes of one sort or another: hatchbacks are just in a very hard segment to build for and if you ignore the market, they will eventually settle on buying something else.


    ...but I still _miss_ my Scirocco. I called it my UAUV, which stood for "Urban Assault Utility Vehicle" :-)
  • mznmzn Member Posts: 727
    Are you in marketing, shiro85? If not, I think you're a natural! Your analysis makes sense to me. Too bad we have such a bleak future... :-(

    carlady/host
  • shiro85shiro85 Member Posts: 2
    No, I'm an Engineer. I've been a hatchback fan ever since having suffered thru a 70's vintage Honda Civic with a "8 inches tall" trunk :-).

    If there's any justice in this world, just yesterday I wrote: "Unless gas prices shoot up this week to kill off the SUV craze..." and the TV news last night reported that OPEC is getting their act together and the price of gas is starting to head back up. Maybe there's still a little bit of hope on the horizon...


    FWIW, the Station Wagon market is another one that's suffered over the years. Granted, a lot of times minivans are indeed a better material solution for the customer, but for many years, they were much, much less safe from a crashworthiness standpoint. I'm currently driving a Saab 900s "5 door", but there was a Passat Wagon in the running and if I had to do it again today, an Audi A4Q Avant looks very interesting...call all of these wagons "square end hatchbacks" :-) :-)
  • guitarzanguitarzan Member Posts: 873
    I agree there should be a good selection of station wagons. Minivan's are large, obstruct the view of cars, and have poor handling. If I ever have a family, I think my choice will have to be a "cool" Volvo wagon :)

    The Acura Integra is EVERYTHING anyone could want in a hatchback. Sure does hold a lot of band equipment too.
  • quickshiftquickshift Member Posts: 16
    I like litte hatchbacks because they are very manuverable and the backseats can fold down to increase trunk space.
  • gnlgnl Member Posts: 94
    I had a Datsun 310 back in the earlier 80's. My husband bought a Mazda 626 hatchback (used, 1986 model) in 1988. We had to sell it when we went overseas again in 1993. We both loved our hatchbacks. Hubby still mourns the fact that he had to sell his. This was an example of a "better" hatchback with a few creature comforts. Great vacation car - took all our stuff and the 50-lb dog as well!
  • freakboyfreakboy Member Posts: 1
    I bought a cheap '87 Toyota Celica hatchback for my senior year and it has been amazingly trouble-free (Nothing broke for a whole year!). But now that I have a job and my A/C compressor died last week, I'd like to buy an interim car (1990 -1996) until I get a promotion.

    Here's what I love about my car:
    1) the extra space because of the hatchback
    2) even though it's old, the v6 engine still makes it zippy/sporty
    3) it's not "cute" (ie., I don't want to drive a GOLF)

    So now that I've been looking around for cars, I realize there's not much out there in the 2 dr-sporty-hatchback-that's-not-"cute" department

    Do I have any options besides a Saab 900? Or am I going to have to accept the high maintenance / high depreciation of the Saab?

    Any advice would be greatly appreciated
  • mznmzn Member Posts: 727
    freakboy, I think the best way to get an answer to your question is to look at our model-specific conversations, especially our Saab, VW Golf & Beetle, and Honda Civics. Our users are very generous with their expertise and experience.

    carlady/host
  • jimlandjimland Member Posts: 9
    freakboy, I was surprised to see anyone call the Golf '"cute." The New Beetle is cute. In my book, the Golf is stylish and refined.

    I've only owned VW Golfs and Jettas since 1985 and my next car will be a 2000 Golf.
  • r34r34 Member Posts: 178
    I love hatchbacks. My family got a 1989 Horizon. I could open the back, sat on it, and watched movies in those drive-in cinemas. However, the built quality was terrible. Too many problems.

    My dad had 2 Mazda 323 before. 1 is new and the other one is a demo. The demo was a nightmare. The new one is a perfect car. Even though it's a 2 door small car, I can sit in it comfortablly. I can move a lot of stuffs. I like the rear wiper especially in a heay rainny day. When it is rainning or snowing, I can move to the backseats, put down the seats, and then get all the luggages and umbrella from the trunk.

    Some people used the old Civic hatchbacks to move everything in their apartments. I saw a guy
    used a 70+ Civic to tow something. He must be crazy !

    I hate my Altima. The trunk is high and narrow.
    I can't even put a 20" TV into my car (even the back seat because the read door cannot be opened wide) . I had to remove the box to get the TV into the back seat.
  • r35r35 Member Posts: 2
    I used to like hatchback, it was very fun to drive. However, as I get old now,it's considered too dangerous to drive as if there were no tail to the car. I have more chance to get serious injury when there is an accident.
    hatchback should be stopped !!!
  • r34r34 Member Posts: 178
    R35:

    To certain extent, I agree with you. Those small hatbacks like Suzuki Swift and Geo Metro are too small and dangerous. However, Integra, Cougar, and Probe are ok to me. I prefer a hatchback to a car with a trunk because most hatcbacks have a rear wiper (and washer fluid). I like this very much.

    As I mentioned before, putting big objects into my sedan's trunk is a nightmare.
  • r35r35 Member Posts: 2
    I don't agree with you, if you are really looking for storage, you should own a truck instead; hatchback is for fun driving only, however, because it is so light weighted and therefore is dangerous.
  • scooter63scooter63 Member Posts: 1
    my new honda civic hatchback is great, plenty of room for four adults, drives great and insurance was good on it, you look at it and it makes you smile. who needs a beetle or a golf for 20000. my honda was 13000 and looks just as great and will have a great resale value
  • occupant1occupant1 Member Posts: 412
    The reason Geo Metros are so small is because they are designed to be light and efficient. Light efficient budget conscious cars are aimed at folks who are defensive drivers. Except me. I am probably a maniac in my Metro, but I have learned the cars limits in 35K and know what it can and cannot do. It can take expressway offramps (certain ones) at 60-65. It can crawl down the edge of the grass near an overpass and get me onto the road overpassing the road I was just on. It can go through construction sites to get to a job trailer to deliver blueprints. It can fit on sidewalks on OSU campuses to get around kids who walk in the street. It can not jump 6" or higher curbs. It can not hit anything and survive. I remember these things as I drive it.
  • mznmzn Member Posts: 727
    More hatchback lovers! Good to see you!

    r34, I agree that some hatchbacks are lighter than sedans and other body styles, yet much has changed in the development of hatchbacks. All are required to meet the same safety standards as other autos.

    My preference of a hatchback (I have a VW Golf) over a truck is that most of the time, I don't need all the storage space. I do need it often enough to want to have a car as versatile as a hatchback. I also like the fact that what I am moving is covered, inside the car, rather than out in the weather and rolling around the pickup truck bed. Of course, you can get tarps and things to cover it but speaking for myself, that's way too much trouble.

    carlady/host
  • only1harryonly1harry Member Posts: 1,140
    I own TWO hatchbacks: a '97 blk Civic DX and a '99 red Integra GSR.
    I own the Integra for its reliability, fun, and obvious reasons(speed&handling). The Civic for its price, gas mileage, storage capacity, reliability and resale value.
    I paid $12,500 for mine with A/C - $800 less than sticker. I 'm a computer consultant so many times I carry computer monitors, 15", 17" and 19".
    I can't even fit a 14" monitor box in the trunk of my wife's '98 Galant! Only with 17" monitors and up do I have to put the rear seat down in the Civic or Integra and slide them in a bit. The Civic especially is higher than the Integra and can take a ton of stuff! The Integra on the other hand is longer and can put longer items in it, although ski's in the Civic fit just fine.
    I also owned a '90 Geo Storm hatchback for 6.5 yrs. and an '82 Chevy Citation V6 hthbk, which is why I keep buying hatchbacks. I just really like the extra space they offer.
    And the best part is that hatchbacks are cheaper than coupes with little tiny trunks that will only take one suitcase and 2 small bags.
    The only drawback is that they tend to have a little more road noise than their counterpart coupes/sedans.
    '99 Integra GSR
    '06 Civic LX coupe
    '11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
    '13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
  • dbakalardbakalar Member Posts: 39
    I'm seeing so many responses that refer to their hatchbacks using words like, "efficient", and "reliable", "practical". Although all those may be true, the reason I bought my 1999 VW Golf GLS is because it's FUN to drive, and it's REALLY cute. And yes, I suppose the amount of stuff that I can fit in the back is PRACTICAL too.
  • mznmzn Member Posts: 727
    I've got to agree with you on the Golf, dbakalar! I love mine. It's fun to drive, stylish, and all that practical stuff too!

    carlady/host
  • bigfurrbigfurr Member Posts: 3
    I have a '92 Honda Civic Si hatchback, and I adore
    it -- *GREAT* fun to drive, easy on gas, *and*
    highly practical when I need to move "stuff"!

    I think the problem is that those of us who love
    hatchbacks aren't yelling at the car companies
    enough -- making our voices heard, as it were.
    Honda dropped the "performance" Si version of their Civic HB almost 5 years ago because, they say, "poor sales." I can only say it makes me quite angry to note that the car I'd love to have is being sold in Japan as the Civic SiR, and under varying initials in other countries -- but not in the USA or Canada. (It's quite easy to import a car from Canada, but a nightmare from anywhere else... believe me, I've checked, given the state of the HB market in this country!)

    At this point, given that when I sat in the Integra Sport Coupe (i.e., liftback/hatchback) the top of my head was pressed to the roof liner, I think I'll be keeping my '92 Civic, get it a thorough interior cleaning and detailing, a new paint job and so on until the US car market comes to its senses.

    Oh, and every time I see a behemoth SUV with one person and no cargo in LA traffic (which is unfortunately frequent), I *pray* for gasoline to go to $5 a gallon and those people will have to decide between driving and *food*. ;)
  • mznmzn Member Posts: 727
    Yes, we need a lobby group!

    I can't believe that Ford isn't bring the 5-door Focus to the US. It has been hugely popular in England and I think it would be here as well. They definitely need to hear from us!!!

    carlady/host
  • alexand1alexand1 Member Posts: 1
    .
  • dodie1972dodie1972 Member Posts: 3
    Does anyone know what I should be paying for a used 96 Integra?
  • mznmzn Member Posts: 727
    That sounds like a great question for one of our Integra discussions. I suggest using the Search feature on the left menu bar to find the topic that suits you best. I am assuming you have not reviewed the edmunds.com pricing for this car. If you have not, go to our homepage, click on Used Cars and follow the pointers.

    Good luck!

    carlady/host
This discussion has been closed.