Hatchback cars in the Philippines

Hatchback is a car body make that has an upswing rear door or hatch which provides access to its cargo area and acts as its trunk. This type of body design is available on a number of car categories from superminis to small family cars or subcompacts.

Depending on pillar configurations hatchbacks can range from the typical two box (as in most hatchbacks and station wagons); to three box for sedans. The design primarily involves a three-door or five-door design and a sloped or curved back.This car is also called a liftback, as a broad marketing term.

One prominent characteristic of a hatchbacks is the flat floor contoured cargo area and the car’s prioritization in style over cargo volume. It also has a smaller window (or no window) at the cargo area and a shorter overhang. A feature that separates it from a station wagon.

Early examples

Among the earlier examples of hatchback are the Volkswagen Beetle which was first marketed in 1931 as the people’s car and the Aston Martin DB2 which was released in 1953. It has top a hinged rear tailgate. The successor of this model also offered folding rear seat.

Another difference between a hatchback and a station wagon is how far their hatch or liftgate can be extended. Hatchbacks can’t extend down to the bumper as opposed to station wagons that can.

What’s good About hatchbacks?

Today, small cars, subcompacts and even superminis adapt the hatchback design. Despite their size, these cars are some of the most fuel efficient vehicles on the market. The Mazda 3, for example, has an impressive fuel economy of 38 km/L in highway conditions paired up with a decent 17 cubic feet cargo area.

Because of their small size, these vehicles are also some of the most enjoyable rides to drive because of their good handling. Hatchbacks, especially subcompacts, are one of the cheapest car models in the automotive industry.

Price range of hatchbacks

According to Carmudi’s database, some of the older model hatchbacks, such as the Hyundai Atos 1999 is priced below P150,000. One of the newest hatchback, the Ford Fiesta with Ecoboost, costs P898,000 for brand new units.