Easier to park and with plenty of cargo space and versatility, hatchbacks are the ultimate choice for the city dweller. Often shorter than its sedan counterpart, it offers plenty of visual references and more rear-seat headroom thanks to the more extended, flatter rooflines. Here are some of our favorites so far this year.
Honda Fit
The Fit gives you more cargo room and is an excellent about-town runabout that’s perfect for most young families. The biggest reason is the rear Magic Seats that fold in numerous ways and make space for all kinds of cargo up to a maximum capacity of 1,402 liters. A 1.5-liter four-cylinder that makes 130 horsepower and 114 pound-feet of torque offers a satisfactory performance while delivering a comfortable ride even in peak traffic.
Kia Soul
The Soul has a sharper style and nicer interiors compared to many others in the same class. With plenty of head and legroom, it has 1,758 L of cargo space with the seats folded. While most models also come equipped with plenty of safety aids, the base model misses out on the option to have many of these. Excellent handling and decent suspension round off this smoothly powered vehicle for a hatchback worth your consideration.
Mazda3 Sport
Top of its compact class, the Mazda3 Sport has had an extensive and refreshing remake and an all-wheel-drive model now. With some of the most advanced tech around, the cabin feels plush, centered around an 8.8-inch infotainment screen. A full suite of safety aids the cargo space goes up to a very decent 1,334 L when the seats are folded flat. Yet perhaps one of the best things about this car is Mazda3’s agile handling with G-Vectoring Control Plus that makes cornering plenty of fun.
Mini Cooper 5 Door
The latest Mini Cooper, with its five-door format, is perfect for folks that don’t use the back seat too much. While rear seat cargo space is limited to 941 L, even with the seats folded down, the Cooper S offers one of the best powertrain choices around. The 2.0L turbo-four pushes 189 hp and 207 lb-ft of torque. Responsive and unflustered, you’d be hard-pressed to find better handling anywhere.