If you happen to’re debating whether or not to purchase a sedan or a hatchback, place to start out is with realizing what distinguishes one from the opposite. It’s possible you’ll hear hatchback vehicles known as sedans, however the construction of every automobile sort is, actually, very totally different.
Sedans are outlined as a four-door passenger automobile that has a trunk separate from the passenger space. It’s what’s referred to as a three-box configuration, with separate compartments for the engine, passengers and cargo.
Hatchbacks are two-door or four-door vehicles, with their passenger and cargo areas linked. What actually units them aside is a liftgate (or hatch) that raises up for straightforward entry to the cargo space. The hatch is usually known as a 3rd or fifth door, and the hatchback known as a two-box configuration.
Due to their variations, hatchbacks and sedans every have benefits and downsides, which can assist you determine which is the higher possibility for you.
This Toyota Corolla is an instance of a sedan …
… whereas Honda’s Civic vary contains this hatchback model.
How do hatchbacks and sedans evaluate?
Listed below are some variations and similarities to consider when deciding between a hatchback and sedan.
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Cupboard space and cargo: Hatchbacks are the clear winner for cupboard space and flexibility when transporting cargo. The rear hatch door opens to create a big space for loading and unloading gadgets simply. Additionally, hatchbacks have rear seats that fold down, creating extra cargo area than you’ll discover in a sedan. Even sedans with rear seats that fold down may have a extra restricted, less-accessible cargo area than a hatchback.
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Passenger area: Hatchbacks and sedans can every seat 4 and probably as much as 5 individuals. The consolation of these passengers is the place it’s possible you’ll discover variations. Of the 2, sedans are likely to have extra legroom, whereas hatchbacks have extra headroom for rear passengers as a result of larger roofline within the again.
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Dimension: Whereas there isn’t an enormous distinction in automobile measurement, hatchbacks could be a bit shorter than sedans. That offers them a slight edge with regards to manueverig in tight areas or parallel parking.
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Gasoline effectivity: A hatchback’s design might be much less aerodynamic than the identical mannequin as a sedan, leading to marginally decrease gasoline effectivity. For instance, the 2025 Honda Civic Sport sedan has an EPA-estimated mpg of 31 within the metropolis, 39 on the freeway and 34 for metropolis and freeway mixed. The identical automobile as a hatchback has an estimated mpg of 30 metropolis, 38 freeway and 34 mixed.
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Price and resale worth: The upfront value for a hatchback is normally barely greater than the identical mannequin as a sedan, however the distinction isn’t usually an enormous one. For instance, the 2025 Toyota Corolla sedan has a beginning MSRP of $22,175, whereas the hatchback is $23,630. Resale worth could be a toss-up, relying on make, mannequin and demand.
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Visibility: For the reason that rear window has a bigger glass space, and the automobile’s again is normally extra vertical, drivers are likely to have higher visibility in a hatchback.
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Highway noise: Sedans are normally quieter on the highway than hatchbacks. Due to the linked cargo and passenger space in a hatchback, highway noises might be louder.
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Safety: If you happen to often haul beneficial gadgets, a sedan could also be a preferable alternative. A sedan’s trunk is absolutely enclosed and out of sight, whereas a hatchback’s rear window provides visibility into the cargo space. Except you could have a canopy, what’s within the cargo space is extra uncovered and probably much less safe.
Figuring out sedans vs hatchbacks might be tough
If you see a hatchback or sedan, it isn’t all the time straightforward to inform the distinction between the 2. At one time, all hatchbacks had a particular boxy look, with the liftgate straightforward to differentiate. Now, extra trendy hatchbacks — particularly sportier and luxurious ones — can have decrease, sloping rooflines that look like the small trunk of a sedan. But when a passenger automobile’s rear door lifts as much as reveal a big storage space main into the passenger space, you’re viewing a hatchback.
Do you have to select a sedan or hatchback?
Whether or not to determine on a hatchback or sedan depends upon your wants. If you’d like a automobile with extra cargo room and visibility, and also you don’t thoughts a barely noisier experience, a hatchback is perhaps extra appropriate for you. Alternatively, if you’d like extra legroom, much less noise and the power to cover what you’re transporting, a sedan is perhaps a greater match. Many automobile fashions — just like the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic — can be found in both a sedan or a hatchback model, so you may check drive each to see which you like.