Should you’re debating whether or not to purchase a sedan or a hatchback, a superb place to begin is with understanding what distinguishes one from the opposite. Chances are you’ll hear hatchback vehicles known as sedans, however the construction of every car kind is, in reality, very completely different.
Sedans are outlined as a four-door passenger automotive 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 simple entry to the cargo space. The hatch is typically known as a 3rd or fifth door, and the hatchback is named a two-box configuration.
Due to their variations, hatchbacks and sedans every have benefits and downsides, which might help you resolve which is the higher choice 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 examine?
Listed below are some variations and similarities to consider when deciding between a hatchback and sedan.
Space for storing and cargo: Hatchbacks are the clear winner for space for storing and flexibility when transporting cargo. The rear hatch door opens to create a big space for loading and unloading objects simply. Additionally, hatchbacks have rear seats that fold down, creating extra cargo house than you’d discover in a sedan. Even sedans with rear seats that fold down can have a extra restricted, less-accessible cargo house than a hatchback.
Passenger house: Hatchbacks and sedans can every seat 4 and probably as much as 5 individuals. The consolation of these passengers is the place you might discover variations. Of the 2, sedans are likely to have extra legroom, whereas hatchbacks have extra headroom for rear passengers as a result of increased roofline within the again.
Dimension: Whereas there isn’t a giant distinction in car dimension, hatchbacks generally is a bit shorter than sedans. That offers them a slight edge on the subject of manueverig in tight areas or parallel parking.
Gas effectivity: A hatchback’s design could 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 car as a hatchback has an estimated mpg of 30 metropolis, 38 freeway and 34 mixed.
Value and resale worth: The upfront value for a hatchback is often 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 generally is a toss-up, relying on make, mannequin and demand.
Visibility: Because the rear window has a bigger glass space, and the car’s again is often extra vertical, drivers are likely to have higher visibility in a hatchback.
Street noise: Sedans are often quieter on the street than hatchbacks. Due to the linked cargo and passenger space in a hatchback, street noises could be louder.
Safety: Should you often haul beneficial objects, a sedan could also be a preferable alternative. A sedan’s trunk is totally enclosed and out of sight, whereas a hatchback’s rear window offers visibility into the cargo space. Except you’ve got a canopy, what’s within the cargo space is extra uncovered and probably much less safe.
Figuring out sedans vs hatchbacks could be tough
If you see a hatchback or sedan, it isn’t at all times simple to inform the distinction between the 2. At one time, all hatchbacks had a particular boxy look, with the liftgate simple to differentiate. Now, extra fashionable hatchbacks — particularly sportier and luxurious ones — can have decrease, sloping rooflines that look like the small trunk of a sedan. But when a passenger automotive’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 resolve on a hatchback or sedan is dependent upon your wants. If you would like a car with extra cargo room and visibility, and also you don’t thoughts a barely noisier experience, a hatchback could be extra appropriate for you. Then again, in order for you extra legroom, much less noise and the power to cover what you’re transporting, a sedan could be a greater match. Many automotive fashions — just like the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic — can be found in both a sedan or a hatchback model, so you’ll be able to take a look at drive each to see which you like.
