The hatchback makes a comeback?

February 4, 2003 6:09 PM

Admired from a distance, the almost mythical Audi A3 may come statesideToyota and Hyundai have had great success as of late with the much maligned hatchback auto design here in the United States. Even Volkswagen's international best-selling Golf saw a double-digit sales spurt in 2002 in a country that looks down on hatchbacks. Now it appears that Audi North America is looking to bring over the wonderful next generation A3 to our side of the pond. Why has the hatch been so scorned (Chevette?) and would you be interested in one - or, why not?
posted by tgrundke (56 comments total)

*snicker*
posted by quonsar at 6:22 PM on February 4, 2003

The hatch is scorned because Americans have an unnecessary need/want for large cars, even the Jetta and Civics have huge trunks for such small cars. Jettas outsell Golfs by a huge margin for the entire difference being a trunk.

And no, I wouldn't be interested in one, I'm quite happy with my MINI.
posted by stryder at 6:27 PM on February 4, 2003

Hatchbacks have traditionally been budget cars in the US -- "nice" cars have usually been sedans (or, of late, SUVs). I do think the SUV craze has been helpful, though, because people have come to appreciate the utility of a two-box vehicle, and realize that there is more to them than the awful station wagons of the 70s and 80s; witness all the "sport-wagons", "crossovers", "5-door hatches", etc.

I personally don't want one because I don't haul enough on a daily basis to make use of the space, and hatch models generally have a higher COG than equivalent sedans, which harms handling.

Give me a coupe or sports sedan any day.

It is good to see them gaining market, though. I'm all for it.
posted by jammer at 6:28 PM on February 4, 2003

Hatchbacks are like Michael Dukakis.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 6:33 PM on February 4, 2003

My 85 Honda Civic hatch once carried me, four friends, a 19" television and about 30 pounds of food from a friend's Chinese restaurant on a 250 mile roadtrip. The same car also easily swallowed a cube refrigerator that a friend couldn't fit in her newer, and larger, Olds Cutlass Supreme. I was never short of space, despite it being a small car. And despite being underpowered, it was a fun car to drive.

From a practicality standpoint, the hatch can't be beat (except, of course, for the station wagon.) Efficient, practical, economical, yet so hated in the US. Honda dropped the hatch in favor of the much less useful coupe, for example, because Americans have associated hatches with low-rent.
posted by drstrangelove at 6:34 PM on February 4, 2003

Hatchbacks are like Michael Dukakis.

Hatchbacks are descendants of Greek immigrants?
posted by boomchicka at 6:34 PM on February 4, 2003

crash-

And SUVs are like plastic penis extenders.
posted by drstrangelove at 6:35 PM on February 4, 2003

"almost mythical Audi A3"

what myth would we be referring to here, just out of curiousity, as a non car-enthusiast?
posted by _sirmissalot_ at 6:35 PM on February 4, 2003

"crash-

And SUVs are like plastic penis extenders."

Great. What's that got to do with hatchbacks or Michael Dukakis?
posted by mr_crash_davis at 6:40 PM on February 4, 2003

And I always thought the reason hatchback cars suck was because you have no trunk, and therefore, nowhere you can store expensive stuff that thieves can't easily see/steal. For example, I always put my laptop in the trunk if I'm leaving the car alone for more than 5 minutes.

I guess you have to be a little paranoid and occasionally go to the "big city" to think like that, but that's why I wouldn't want a hatchback.
posted by shepd at 6:42 PM on February 4, 2003

screw audi and yuppies driving them
guys check this one out, all American ! nice piece of work !
posted by bureaustyle at 6:42 PM on February 4, 2003

I keep forgetting something, crash. Driving efficient vehicles is somehow unAmerican. And only real men drive trucks/SUVs, etc.
posted by drstrangelove at 6:45 PM on February 4, 2003

"I keep forgetting something, crash. Driving efficient vehicles is somehow unAmerican. And only real men drive trucks/SUVs, etc."

You've still got me at a loss here. How does any of this relate to hatchbacks or Dukakis?
posted by mr_crash_davis at 6:46 PM on February 4, 2003

Hatchbacks rule
posted by anathema at 6:48 PM on February 4, 2003

no. you cannot put your dukakis in my hatchback.
posted by quonsar at 6:49 PM on February 4, 2003

you have to take quonsar out to dinner first!
posted by amberglow at 6:51 PM on February 4, 2003

I'll bite.

I'm in love with A3 since I saw 'em in Europe on a road trip there. While on the trrip, I was driving a weird Mercedes A160.

It's the MB version of those 5 door Toyota-Matrix / Pontiac-Vibe / Mazda-Protege 5. But it's way uglier. I hated that thing -- but an A3 is a sleek little number.
posted by zpousman at 6:53 PM on February 4, 2003

I'll bite.
i'll say.
posted by quonsar at 6:56 PM on February 4, 2003

These gearhead threads are nothing but big 'ol sausage hangs
posted by boomchicka at 6:58 PM on February 4, 2003

hey, we still don't know why hatchbacks are like Michael Dukakis...why?
posted by amberglow at 7:12 PM on February 4, 2003

"..hatchbacks are like Michael Dukakis...why?"

They both carry a lot of baggage and expect to go a long ways on a single tank.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 7:14 PM on February 4, 2003

now i'm sorry i asked! *groan*
posted by amberglow at 7:14 PM on February 4, 2003

i'll say.
posted by quonsar at 7:16 PM on February 4, 2003

The A3 is "mythical" in the sense that many driving enthusiasts in the States have only heard of this car that so many people in Europe rave about constantly. In fact, it is one of the few "mainstream" cars where you'll find constant requests in forums about how to import the vehicle into the United States.

It's well loved for its slick design, great choice of engines, and smart price point.

Of course, I could be generalizing and this is all solely focused on a group of Volkswagen/Audi lovers who are American-bound and jealous of their European counterparts. ;-)
posted by tgrundke at 7:16 PM on February 4, 2003

"It's well loved for its slick design, great choice of engines, and smart price point. "

Do you own Audi stock, or something? A dealership, maybe?
posted by mr_crash_davis at 7:18 PM on February 4, 2003

Hatchbacks are like Michael Dukakis. It is totally and completely true. They are also like Alan Thicke.
posted by Fabulon7 at 7:20 PM on February 4, 2003

"COME ON DOWN TO T. GRUNDKE AUDI!
WE'RE BLOWING HATCHBACKS OUT THE DOOR!
SAY YOU SAW US ON MEFI - GET 100 T. GRUNKEBUX TOWARD YOUR PURCHASE OF A T. GRUNDKE AUDI HATCHBACK!"
posted by quonsar at 7:20 PM on February 4, 2003

I ride a hatchback also.
posted by the fire you left me at 7:29 PM on February 4, 2003

I have a wagon, close enough the scorn of a hatchback (some call them all hatchbacks). I love it. I wouldn't give up my WRX wagon for a sedan for anything. Its just so handy to be able to throw large stuff into the back.

Hatchbacks and wagons have been making a nice comeback lately. . . but its a little late for dear ol' Saab', they dumped the hatch for a trunk! American's are seen as non-hatch people becuase for a long time the only hatches we got were crappy ones, and who wants those?

Finally we have a few quality hatches and wagons around and the general opinion is shifting. ...not to mention that the general attitude for 'something different' in the car world is finally catching on.... MINI, Matrix, WRX, Evo, and about every new lineup coming out over the past few years.
posted by tomplus2 at 7:30 PM on February 4, 2003

fifth generation A platform shared with the next generation Volkswagen Golf

So, we got a Golf with four interlocking 0s on the front grill, pearlcoat paint and leather options, all for few thousand dollars extra from the bank account.

WOOOOHOOOO! life is SWEEET!
posted by dchase at 7:41 PM on February 4, 2003

zpousman: According to our local Mercedes dealership, the A-Class is also rumoured to be heading stateside. I personally can't wait, because my mum wants one and then I'm buying her hatchback.
posted by Monk at 8:10 PM on February 4, 2003

Last August when I was in the market for a car I really wanted a VW GTI but it was really hard to find where I lived. Too bad Peugeot no longer sells cars in the U.S.. Their 206 hatch looked great when I saw them in Europe.
posted by gyc at 8:11 PM on February 4, 2003

gyc: Agreed. The 206 is sweet as well.

Fucking Europeans and their cool cars. Damn you Miguel. -- I wonder what he drives?
posted by zpousman at 8:17 PM on February 4, 2003

screw that audi. they don't make 'em like they used to (yeah, that's right. a Levi's interior.)
posted by _sirmissalot_ at 8:20 PM on February 4, 2003

I just bought one of the aforementioned Hyundai hatchbacks. Nice little car, and well-appointed for the price.

I always thought the reason hatchback cars suck was because you have no trunk, and therefore, nowhere you can store expensive stuff that thieves can't easily see/steal.

My new Elantra came with a hatchback cover. So did my late unlamented Probe, for that matter. Don't all hatchbacks have those? It's just as good as having a trunk as far as I'm concerned.
posted by kindall at 8:22 PM on February 4, 2003

*shrug* *yawn* Mercedes brought their hatchback to the US a few years ago. (CLK 230?). The Acura Integra (now RSX) has sold well for years.
posted by SpecialK at 8:33 PM on February 4, 2003

Unlike your luxury sedan, my little Escort was able to haul a gigantic chunk of the contents of my apartment across the Northeast, and still fit into every single parking space in every single parking lot between Ohio and Massachusetts.
posted by mirla at 8:36 PM on February 4, 2003

boomchicka: These gearhead threads are nothing but big 'ol sausage hangs

You betcha. And not only do I like cars, I race them. And I do it legally. And in something other than a straight line.

Guess that means I have a really small penis or something, huh?

Why don't people who don't give a shit about threads just keep the hell out of them?
posted by jammer at 9:01 PM on February 4, 2003

This will hopefully encourage Saab to bring back their hatchback. The 2003 Saab 9-3 is just a regular sedan, because Saab wants to compete head-to-head with Audi and Volvo in the "upper-mid-range sedan" market. With a hatchback from Audi, maybe Saab will decide to put their hatchbacks back on the market.

I like hatchbacks... they look like cars, but they have plenty of storage space like a station wagon... and the seats on my Saab fold down totally flat to get even more storage space. It also has a panel that covers the trunk-area of the hatchback, so people can't see into the cargo area from outside the car.
posted by deanc at 9:21 PM on February 4, 2003

The A3 is massive compared to the tiny little Smart Cars we've got buzzing around the Autobahn. Are these things spread throughout Europe? Dealerships stack them in these odd spiral showrooms.

Really interesting is watching people try to load Ikea furniture into the Smart Car's hatchback.
posted by spslsausse at 9:26 PM on February 4, 2003

Funny, when I think of a "hatchback" I think of a little car that's at least nominally sort of vaguely sporty, or pretending to be or at least look like it were. My old Probe (also unlamented, but I did get ~140000 miles on it used), for example -- not *actually* sporty by any sane definition, but trying to look like it. Or real sports cars like (some?) RX-7's or 300ZX's, or more proper sport coupes like the 240SX.

Coupes, with the trunk hinge on the roof instead of at the base of the back window. That's a hatchback to me.

Thinks like the Golf or Festiva or similar -- high-centered, boxy things -- I usually think of as econo-boxes, irrespective of how fast they are, and as Not-hatchbacks.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 9:28 PM on February 4, 2003

Hatchbacks have been extremely popular ever since the introduction of the Ford Focus attracted young, first-time buyers. The Focus sedan is actually cheaper than the hatchback version. Hatchbacks used to be the low end of the Honda Civic line, too, but now they are the most expensive.
posted by MegoSteve at 9:30 PM on February 4, 2003

I once moved across the country with only the stuff I could fit into the hatch of my '87 Honda Civic Si. And I could even see out the back window. With less cargo it was comfy for 4 adults. With the rear seats folded down it could sleep two in a pinch. It was rip-snortin' fun to drive and sharp looking. Way cool hatchback.

When I was a kid, my mom had a Chevy Citation. It could, uh, hold a lot of stuff.

I think Americans will buy hatchbacks again... if they are cool enough hatchbacks.
posted by Tubes at 9:32 PM on February 4, 2003

trgundke, hopefully your Audi A3 will have better ignition coils.

deanc, would you settle for a Saab WRX?
posted by pmurray63 at 9:55 PM on February 4, 2003

Actually, I live in Europe and thought about the A3 (the A3 is good, but did you check out it's Audi-souped-up brother, the S3)? Unfortunately, bang-for-buck the Audi is pricey. Its Seat Ibiza Turbo sibling (based on the same platform and I believe the same engine) is a better bargain.

But, speaking of bringing Euro cars to the U.S., I have an OT question... I own one of these (a Peugeot 206 convertible) and I always wanted to know if it'd sell in the U.S. ('cause I may bring mine back over and I am wondering if I can make back my transit/certification expenses on it).
posted by costas at 3:13 AM on February 5, 2003

Guess that means I have a really small penis or something, huh?

If you say so. I was reading along in the thread like everyone else; I merely chose to point out that car threads are so often dominated by boys. Which this one is. Call it a sociological observation.

And you gotta admit, "sausage hang" is funny. I don't get to use that nearly enough.
posted by boomchicka at 4:36 AM on February 5, 2003

I've wrestled with the hatch-vs-trunk question. I once owned a VW Rabbit hatchback, and after an intervening 11-year ownership of a Saturn, I now own a Jetta diesel. As someone else noted, a Jetta is a Golf with a trunk. I really wanted that trunk, and now I sorta regret it -- it would be easier to stow my bicycle in the car if I had a hatchback. VW makes a four-door Golf, I believe -- put a 49mpg turbodiesel in that, and that's the car I shoulda bought.

That Audi A3 looks nice, although it would make more financial sense to get a top o' the line Golf.

And Costas, that Peugeot looks sweet. Too bad Peugeot used to sell unreliable cars in the States. I doubt you could get anyone to buy a Peugeot on this side of the Atlantic because of their lousy reputation. Renaults were terrible cars, too -- fair or not, I would never buy a "durable good" (auto, appliance, etc.) made in France. Gimme my German-designed, Mexican-made car any day!
posted by Holden at 5:41 AM on February 5, 2003

Hatchbacks scorned in the USA, huh?

I have a ' 99Golf and love it! It's got lots of zip, gets great gas mileage, and has plenty of cargo room — even without the back seats down. I've even moved a large desk and La-Z-Boy recliner in the back of it (at seperate times).

I love my German-designed, Mexican-made car EVERY day as well!
posted by nofi at 6:53 AM on February 5, 2003

I would seriously consider a 206 if there were a turbocharged rear- or all-wheel drive version. But then I'm a rally junky and lust after the 206 WRC. And don't want another FWD car.

(On, and boomchika: Sorry if I misconstrued your comments; I just get irked at the holier-than-thou twits that come out and sniff their noses at the proles any time there's a greasy thread around here.)
posted by jammer at 7:25 AM on February 5, 2003

Gee, along with these neat new cars, maybe we can get some first world quality election mechanisms to replace our current status quo which is fast becomig the laughingstock of the world 'cept nobody dares laugh at multiple batteries of precision targeted cruise missiles...wimps

Audi A3 Rocks!
posted by troutfishing at 8:27 AM on February 5, 2003

This reminds me of a recent salon flash ad. Only sneakier.

btw, I really, really like the Mazda Protege wagon that looks like an of-the-shelf modded car. And they are supposed to be a blast to drive.
posted by mecran01 at 8:41 AM on February 5, 2003

WRX wagon owner here. Once you try a fast AWD wagon, a hatch won't be enough :)
posted by gen at 9:04 AM on February 5, 2003

You guys have nerves! Mentioning the Smart several times, but omitting to bring up the A3's little brother: the Audi A2. And you know what? It hardly needs gas: requires only 2.99 liters (.78 gallons) of diesel fuel per 100 kilometers (62 miles). If my calculator's right, that's 79.5 miles/gallon.
posted by ugly_n_sticky at 9:30 AM on February 5, 2003

gen - Once you've had an AWD system go to the crapper on you, you'll never look at another AWD car again. ;)

("$4000? You've gotta be kidding me! The car's only three years old!" "Sorry, sir, but the limited drivetrain warranty doesn't cover this particular case. You're lucky; we only need to replace the rear half of the system...")
posted by SpecialK at 10:46 AM on February 5, 2003

The next generation Golf is going to be built on the same platform, as the article says; some pics are here.

Golfs just don't sell nearly as well in the States as Jettas, though. My (formerly) local VW dealer had like 15 times (!) as many Jettas in stock when I went looking. The salesman said people just don't buy them as much. So I can't imagine Audi would start selling the A3 here; the market for a hatchback among near-luxury customers has got to be even smaller than among general compact car buyers.
posted by mattpfeff at 12:47 PM on February 5, 2003

Holden: Renaults were terrible cars

Here in Montreal there are still a few hundred Renault 5 daily drivers. The last model year was 1986. And we've got real winters too!

Québec people have always been more European in their preferences: smaller, nimbler, more practical cars. '90 Civics are still selling at insane prices over here, because they're rightly considered the best (mass-produced) car ever. If VW imported the Lupo or Polo and sold it for a reasonable price, they would have an instant Quebec best-seller. Golfs are just way too expensive.

qbert72, 72 BMW 2002 (let's make this totally usenetty!)
posted by qbert72 at 5:01 PM on February 5, 2003