posted on 10 September 2023
Whether you’re looking to hire or buy a new car, making the hatchback vs sedan decision is an important one. While both are popular, there are key differences in their style, design and the amount of space they offer. Ultimately, your choice will depend on your preferences, lifestyle and how you intend to use it. Let’s break down the differences so you can make an informed decision about whether a hatchback or sedan is right for you.
What is the difference between a sedan and a hatchback?
Both sedans and hatchbacks are passenger cars. The main difference comes down to boot space and style.
A sedan has a separate trunk and is built on a traditional-looking three-box body. Meanwhile, a hatchback has a compact, sportier-looking two-box body and a tailgate that flips up. Typically, this allows a hatchback to carry larger pieces of cargo, and bulky items can be loaded and unloaded more easily than in a sedan.
| Features of a sedan | Features of a hatchback |
| Four doors | Three or five doors |
| Three-box design | Two-box design |
| Separate trunk | Flat loading area |
| Spacious interior | Fuel Efficiency |
What is a sedan?
A sedan is a four-door passenger car that includes a separate, enclosed trunk compartment or cargo area. Sedans come in all different sizes, but they usually have seating for four passengers, two in the front and two in the rear. Many can accommodate a fifth passenger in the rear middle seat. Popular sedan models include the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Ford Fusion, and BMW 3 Series.
Features of a sedan:
Four doors: The easy four-door style makes sedans perfect for carrying passengers, making them a firm family favourite.
Three-box design: Sedans typically follow a three-box design, with distinct compartments. Engine in the first box, passenger compartment in the middle box, and trunk in the third box.
Separate trunk: In a sedan, the trunk space is enclosed, so any valuable items in the boot are away from prying eyes.
Spacious interior: Sedans make for a spacious ride. The longer wheelbase and three-box design create a passenger area with a little more legroom, which is great for longer journeys.
What is a hatchback?
Often referred to simply as a ‘hatch’, a hatchback is typically a smaller two-box passenger car with no separation between the passenger seats and cargo area. The engine is upfront in the first box, while the second box contains the passengers and boot combined. Hatchbacks can have either two or four doors and get their name from the distinctive one-piece flip-up tailgate, called a hatch. Popular hatchback models include the Toyota Corolla, Volkswagen Golf, Ford Focus and Subaru Impreza Hatchback.
Features of a hatchback:
Three or five doors: Traditionally a smaller car, hatchbacks always used to have two passenger doors. Modern models often have four passenger doors; the hatch also counts as a door. That’s all to say: there’s plenty of room to get passengers and cargo in and out!
Two-box design: Hatchbacks will typically follow a two-box design. Engine in the front box, passengers and trunk in the second box.
Flat loading area: Known for its cargo-hauling capabilities, the rear seats in many hatchback models can be folded down to create a flat loading area, allowing more space for larger or bulkier items.
Fuel Efficiency: Most hatchbacks are more compact than sedans and they’re often designed with fuel efficiency in mind.
Hatchback vs sedan: Understanding the advantages and disadvantages
It’s time to pit the hatchbacks pros against the benefits of a sedan. When it comes space, efficiency and value, which car model comes out on top?
| Feature | Winner |
| Interior space and rear seats | Draw |
| Boot space and storage | Hatch |
| Fuel efficiency | Draw |
| Safety | Draw |
| Cost and resale value | Hatch |
| Road noise | Sedan |
Interior space and rear seats
Sedans provide more rear-seat legroom since the passenger compartment in four-door sedans typically has more space. So, if you’re considering a long drive with passengers in the back, they might thank you for choosing a sedan vs a hatchback.
With their smaller and sportier appearance, hatchbacks have less space in the passenger cabin. However, hatchbacks offer more versatility in terms of rear seat configurations, allowing you to maximise boot space when needed.
Boot space and storage
A hatchback undoubtedly has more storage space than a sedan. The rear hatch door, which combines the rear window and cargo area into a single unit, allows for a more spacious and accessible cargo area. In a sedan, the cargo space is limited by a solid partition that separates it from the rear passenger compartment.
Fuel efficiency
Both hatchbacks and sedans can be fuel-efficient, which depends a lot on your driving habits and the specific make and model of the vehicle. However, due to their smaller size, lighter weight and sporty aerodynamic design, hatchbacks are often considered to have the edge in fuel economy.
To make an informed choice on fuel efficiency, it’s always best to research and compare the fuel economy ratings of the models that take your fancy.
Safety
Hatchbacks are slightly smaller, so they are often more easily manoeuvred than their sedan counterparts. If you’re driving in a city and need to park in tight spaces, a hatch could be the safer way to go.
What a sedan lacks in boot space, it provides in boot safety. Its enclosed design offers a cargo cover for greater privacy of your belongings in the back. This could give drivers greater peace of mind day-to-day.
Cost and Resale value
When considering your next car, its cost and ability to hold value are big factors.
Even when comparing the same model, aspects like value, competition, and customer preference can play a part in pricing. However, hatchbacks are the most budget-friendly option as sedans tend to be more expensive than hatches, and most hatchbacks have better fuel economy.
Hatches appear to win on the resale front, too. Traditionally, hatchbacks have tended to have a better resale value than sedans, with the Honda Jazz hatchback known for retaining a 67% residual rate after three years (as reported by Glass’s).
Road Noise
If you like a quiet ride that doesn’t interfere with your music playlist, a sedan could be a smart choice. The more structured sedan is often quieter in terms of road noise, usually because they have more layers of isolation between the rear wheels and the passenger cabin. This provides a buffer between the rear wheels and your passenger’s ears.
Are sedans or hatchbacks more popular?
The popularity of hatchbacks and sedans varies around the world. The world’s two biggest car markets, America and China, typically prefer a sedan over a hatch. However, in Europe and here in Australia, hatchbacks have a bigger share of the market.
This is partly due to the size difference. While customers in the USA and China favour a larger, more luxurious ride, that more compact style of a hatch suits tight streets and city living.
Comparing hatchbacks vs sedans with examples
Let’s take a look at the Kia Cerato to compare the two. It’s a popular small passenger car in hatchback and sedan body styles.
As expected, the ‘sleek’ sedan measures longer than the ‘athletic’ hatch. According to the Kia website, the sedan measures 4,640mm and the hatch 4,510mm. The hatch is technically taller, but there’s only 5mm in it. They are the same width.
When it comes to luggage space, things get a little more complicated as there are two different measurement systems in play: VDA (Verband der Autombilindustrie) and SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers). The VDA calculates how many standardised blocks could fit in the boot, but it only measures to the top of the back seats. Meanwhile, the SAE method uses smaller-load objects, measuring all the way to the roof. The VDA method misses out on plenty of usable space in a hatch, so if we look to the SAE method, the hatch comes out on top, 741 to the Sedan’s 434.
On the Kia Cerato, only the hatch has a parcel shelf, under-floor storage box and luggage net hooks.
Most popular hatchbacks and sedans in Australia
The Toyota Corolla is Australia’s favourite hatchback. In 2022, it was named the best-selling small car for an incredible ninth year in a row. It appears to tick all the boxes. Spacious enough to be comfortable, compact enough to be fuel-efficient, it’s a budget-friendly all rounder. The fact that they’re such a common sight on the roads of Australia provides some convincing social proof for others looking to buy a new car – or hire one. The Hyundai i30 is another hatchback model with enduring appeal.
The Mazda 3 is a hugely popular choice for Aussies, in both its hatchback and sedan variations.
Some of the most popular sedan models on the car market in Australia include the perennial favourite Toyota Camry and the Tesla Model 3. Earlier in 2023, Tesla ended the Camry’s 28-year winning streak and became the top-selling mid-size sedan, nodding to the growing popularity of electric vehicles.
How do hatchbacks and sedans differ from other car types?
Hatchbacks and sedans are both medium-sized passenger cars but are some of the smallest cars you’ll see on the road in Australia (a nation known for its love of SUVs).
Other cars in the same category as sedans and hatchbacks include station wagons, coupes, convertibles and people-movers. While in the same category, station wagons and people movers have a lot more space for passengers and cargo.
SUVs (Sport Utility Vehicles) have their own category and are taller than both sedans and hatchbacks, often with all-wheel or four-wheel drive, providing increased off-road capability and interior space. More than 50% of new vehicles sold in Australia in 2022 were SUVs.
Then there’s the light commercial vehicle category, which includes even bigger vehicles that are very different in style, including utes, vans and buses.
Sedan vs hatchback: How to decide
As always, choosing the right car for you comes down to your needs and lifestyle, not the features alone.
Consider where you’ll be driving
City commuters navigating congested city streets might find a hatchback more manoeuvrable, and its compact size makes parking in tight spaces easier. But if you frequently hit the highway for longer journeys, a sedan could provide a smoother and quieter ride than their hatchback counterparts, giving your passengers more space to get comfy.
How much space do you need?
Space requirements are a big deciding factor in the hatchback vs sedan decision. For families, sedans generally offer more rear passenger space. However, many modern hatchbacks also have spacious rear seats, so it’s worth comparing specific models.
If you frequently transport large items, like sports equipment or camping gear, a hatchback provides easy access and potential for a more expansive cargo area.
Do you have a style preference?
Sometimes style beats practicality, and people simply prefer the aesthetic of one style over the other. It’s important to like the car you drive. If you value a sedan’s sleek and classic look or a hatchback’s sporty and versatile appearance, your style preference may outweigh other factors.
Take a test drive or try a hatch or sedan with Turo
Taking a hatch or sedan out for a spin could help you make the decision on what’s best for you. Hire one from a Turo host for the weekend to really get a feel of how it fits into your life.
Whether you’re located in Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, Hobart or beyond, you can test drive your dream ride through Turo.
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Lucinda Starr
Lucinda is a Sydney-based content specialist and avid road tripper. Having travelled across Asia, North America and the South Pacific, she's experienced everything from glamping in a Yurt in -30 degrees in The Yukon, snorkelling in the open seas of Vanuatu and hiking the rocky alps of Kamikochi in Japan. She's currently planning her next overseas adventure, a toss-up between a classic #EuroSummer or a multi-day trek through Nepal.
