# Hatchback
A hatchback is a passenger car with a rear door, incorporating the rear window, that swings upward to open the cargo area to the passenger compartment; the cargo space is not permanently partitioned from the cabin as a sedan's trunk is[1](https://www.kia.com/uk/about/news/what-is-a-hatchback/) • [2](https://www.nhtsa.gov/file-downloads/download?p=nhtsa%2Fdownloads%2FGES%2FGES05%2FManual%2Fges05.PDF). The body style is a two-box design, with one box for the engine and a second combined box for passengers and cargo behind it[3](https://www.edmunds.com/car-buying/hatchback-vs-sedan.html?msockid=053ffefd7dde63371bc7e8887c6262a4).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Defining feature | Rear hatch hinged above the backlight; cargo area not permanently partitioned from the passenger compartment[2](https://www.nhtsa.gov/file-downloads/download?p=nhtsa%2Fdownloads%2FGES%2FGES05%2FManual%2Fges05.PDF) |
| Door counts | Classified as 3-door/2-door (two side doors plus hatch) or 5-door/4-door (four side doors plus hatch)[2](https://www.nhtsa.gov/file-downloads/download?p=nhtsa%2Fdownloads%2FGES%2FGES05%2FManual%2Fges05.PDF) |
| Term coined | "Hatchback" dates to 1970, from hatch + back[4](https://www.etymonline.com/word/hatchback) |
| Early examples | Kaiser Traveler and Vagabond, introduced 1949; Renault 4 (1961) and Renault 16 (1965) established the modern layout[5](https://kaiserbill.com/Flyers/7.pdf) • [6](https://www.renaultgroup.com/en/magazine/our-group-news/from-carrying-straw-bales-to-golf-bags-the-hatchback-sparked-a-revolution/) |
| Cargo example | 2021 Toyota Corolla sedan: 371 liters; Corolla Hatchback: 660 liters[7](https://www.toyota.ca/en/connect/2021/hatchback-vs-sedan-which-is-right-for-you/) |
| Noise tradeoff | 2022 Honda Civic sedan measured 71.2 dB at full throttle versus 77.1 dB for the hatchback[3](https://www.edmunds.com/car-buying/hatchback-vs-sedan.html?msockid=053ffefd7dde63371bc7e8887c6262a4) |
| Market position | SUVs took a record 54% of European new car registrations in 2024, pressuring traditional hatchback segments[8](https://www.vut.cz/www_base/zav_prace_soubor_verejne.php?file_id=280732) |
## Definition and body style
The technical definition goes beyond small size: a hatchback is a car whose rear door incorporates the rear window and swings upward, so the whole rear end of the car opens into a large loading space[1](https://www.kia.com/uk/about/news/what-is-a-hatchback/). In a sedan, the trunk lid hinges below the rear window and the trunk is a separate, walled-off compartment; in a hatchback the rear window is part of the opening[1](https://www.kia.com/uk/about/news/what-is-a-hatchback/). The American Heritage Dictionary defines the style as "having a sloping back with a hinged rear door that opens upward"[9](https://www.cs.tlu.ee/~rinde/oppetoo/arvestus/english/2012/about_automobile_example.pdf).
Regulatory classifications follow the same logic. The U.S. [National Highway Traffic Safety Administration](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-highway-traffic-safety-administration)'s crash-data coding manual distinguishes the 3-door/2-door hatchback, with two side doors for ingress and a rear hatch hinged above the backlight, from the 5-door/4-door hatchback with four side doors, and states in both cases that the cargo area is not permanently partitioned from the passenger compartment[2](https://www.nhtsa.gov/file-downloads/download?p=nhtsa%2Fdownloads%2FGES%2FGES05%2FManual%2Fges05.PDF). Folding rear seats do not violate the separate "trunk area" concept of a sedan, so a sedan with fold-down seats is still a sedan[2](https://www.nhtsa.gov/file-downloads/download?p=nhtsa%2Fdownloads%2FGES%2FGES05%2FManual%2Fges05.PDF).
The style shades into related categories. SUVs and estate cars (station wagons) also use a large fifth door at the rear, but they are treated as separate categories: SUVs are bigger with rugged styling and higher ground clearance, and estates have a longer, boxier rear[1](https://www.kia.com/uk/about/news/what-is-a-hatchback/).
## History
**Early American origins.** In 1949 the Kaiser-Frazer Corporation introduced the Traveler and Vagabond, which the company promoted as the first "Hatch-Back" car[5](https://kaiserbill.com/Flyers/7.pdf). [Henry J. Kaiser](https://www.edgepedia.org/henry-j-kaiser) wanted a car he could take fishing, and the design split the trunk lid horizontally so the upper section raised up and the lower section folded down; with the rear seat folded flat, the car offered a large cargo bed[10](https://www.motorcities.org/story-of-the-week/2023/the-kaiser-traveler-america-s-first-utility-vehicle). Only just over 1,000 of the two models were built during the 1949 and 1950 model years[11](https://gershon.ucoz.com/USA1946-1959/CARS_1946_1959.pdf).
**The Renault layout.** The modern two-box hatchback took shape at Renault. The [Renault 4](https://www.edgepedia.org/renault-4), unveiled in 1961, was designed around a flat floor and a fifth door, then called the "service door" and later the tailgate, made possible by torsion-bar rear suspension that allowed the absence of a rear end panel and an extremely low loading sill[12](https://cdn.group.renault.com/ren/master/renault-classic/tools-and-services/Renault4T1.pdf.asset.pdf/379ae4ac61.pdf). Renault's CEO Pierre Dreyfus briefed his teams with the words "I want to see loading volume" for a "blue jean" car suited to all ages and social classes; over 8 million Renault 4s were sold in more than 100 countries over more than 30 years[6](https://www.renaultgroup.com/en/magazine/our-group-news/from-carrying-straw-bales-to-golf-bags-the-hatchback-sparked-a-revolution/).
The Renault 16, launched in 1965 and styled by the industrial designer and aerodynamics engineer Gaston Juchet, applied the same principle to upmarket family cars: a two-box body with a tailgate for accessing the boot, six windows, and highly modular rear seating[13](https://www.renaultgroup.com/en/magazine/our-group-news/renault-and-the-familiy-cars-50-years-of-history-since-the-renault-16/). Renault credits it as the figurehead of a revolution that heralded more upmarket hatchbacks[6](https://www.renaultgroup.com/en/magazine/our-group-news/from-carrying-straw-bales-to-golf-bags-the-hatchback-sparked-a-revolution/). The word "hatchback" itself entered English around 1970[4](https://www.etymonline.com/word/hatchback).
## Cargo and practicality
The hatchback's advantage is the shape of its opening and the continuity of its load floor. For a given-size car, a hatchback can carry larger pieces of cargo and can be loaded and unloaded more easily than a sedan, because the flip-up hatch opens to a tall, unimpeded space with no package tray in the way[14](https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a28259591/sedan-vs-hatchback/). Split-folding rear seatbacks, which usually come standard on hatchbacks, extend the load floor into the cabin[15](https://www.motortrend.com/features/reasons-to-get-hatch-over-sedan-five-reasons-not-to).
Measured volumes show the gap. In Toyota's 2021 Canadian lineup, the Corolla sedan offered 371 liters of cargo capacity against 660 liters for the Corolla Hatchback[7](https://www.toyota.ca/en/connect/2021/hatchback-vs-sedan-which-is-right-for-you/). In Edmunds' comparison of compact entries, the Corolla sedan's 13.1-cubic-foot trunk was smaller than the Corolla Hatchback's nearly 18 cubic feet of cargo space[16](https://apnews.com/article/8d23f8e52c5282e59b53c78bfda8c5c6).
The comparison is not universal, however. Real-world luggage tests can favor the sedan: in Edmunds' suitcase test, the [Honda Civic](https://www.edgepedia.org/honda-civic) sedan's longer trunk swallowed six bags entirely below its cover, while the Civic Hatchback's extra volume sits high above the seat line in a triangular shape that is less useful for luggage, so the hatchback carried less in that test[17](https://www.edmunds.com/car-news/honda-civic-hatchback-cargo-test.html?msockid=15131c6e8b8963990e490a858aa662f0). Most hatchbacks include a rigid cargo cover over the load area, which hides contents but must be removed for maximum capacity[17](https://www.edmunds.com/car-news/honda-civic-hatchback-cargo-test.html?msockid=15131c6e8b8963990e490a858aa662f0).
## Noise, aerodynamics, and driving
Because the rear area of a hatchback is not sealed off from the cabin as well as a sedan's trunk, some additional road noise can seep in[14](https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a28259591/sedan-vs-hatchback/). On Edmunds' test track, a 2022 Honda Civic sedan registered 71.2 decibels at full throttle against 77.1 decibels for the 2022 Civic hatchback, a noticeable difference[3](https://www.edmunds.com/car-buying/hatchback-vs-sedan.html?msockid=053ffefd7dde63371bc7e8887c6262a4).
Aerodynamically, the hatchback's near-vertical rear glass produces a large recirculation of vortices in the separated wake region behind the car, which gives rise to additional pressure drag; in a sedan, pressure and viscous drag are almost 50 percent each at all speeds[18](https://www.internationaljournalssrg.org/IJME/2017/Volume4-Issue1/IJME-V4I1P102.pdf). [Motor Trend](https://www.edgepedia.org/motor-trend) notes that hatchbacks may take a minor fuel-economy hit from being sometimes less aerodynamic and shorter than sedans, and that the tailgate and extra structure can add from a few pounds to nearly 100 pounds of weight[15](https://www.motortrend.com/features/reasons-to-get-hatch-over-sedan-five-reasons-not-to). Offsetting this, the more upright rear window gives better rear visibility, and the shorter overall length makes urban parking and maneuvering easier[15](https://www.motortrend.com/features/reasons-to-get-hatch-over-sedan-five-reasons-not-to) • [19](https://automobilesavenue.com/auto-reviews/sedan-hatchback-reviews/sedan-vs-hatchback-what-actually-separates-these-two-body-styles).
## Market context
Hatchbacks remain a staple in Europe, where the [Volkswagen Golf](https://www.edgepedia.org/volkswagen-golf) was among the [Volkswagen Group](https://www.edgepedia.org/volkswagen-group)'s highest-volume models in the first half of 2025 alongside the T-Roc and Tiguan[20](https://www.volkswagen-group.com/en/publications/more/half-yearly-financial-report-2025-3077/download?disposition=attachment). The segment is under pressure from SUVs, which accounted for a record 54% of all new European car registrations in 2024, with 6.92 million SUVs sold, a 4% increase over 2023[8](https://www.vut.cz/www_base/zav_prace_soubor_verejne.php?file_id=280732). In the United States, small cars have largely left the market: the [Mitsubishi Mirage](https://www.edgepedia.org/mitsubishi-mirage), offered in hatchback and sedan versions, was the last vehicle selling under $20,000 before its planned discontinuation[21](https://apnews.com/article/e33932cfa77a799329f278dfb120c30d).
## References
1. [What is a Hatchback? Kia UK](https://www.kia.com/uk/about/news/what-is-a-hatchback/)
2. [NHTSA GES (2005) Coding Manual, body type definitions](https://www.nhtsa.gov/file-downloads/download?p=nhtsa%2Fdownloads%2FGES%2FGES05%2FManual%2Fges05.PDF)
3. [Hatchback vs. Sedan: Which Is Right for You? Edmunds](https://www.edmunds.com/car-buying/hatchback-vs-sedan.html?msockid=053ffefd7dde63371bc7e8887c6262a4)
4. [Hatchback - Etymology, Origin & Meaning, Online Etymology Dictionary](https://www.etymonline.com/word/hatchback)
5. [Kaiser Flyer #7: The Unique Kaiser-Frazer Traveler & Vagabond](https://kaiserbill.com/Flyers/7.pdf)
6. [Renault invented the hatchback, a revolutionary 5th door, Renault Group](https://www.renaultgroup.com/en/magazine/our-group-news/from-carrying-straw-bales-to-golf-bags-the-hatchback-sparked-a-revolution/)
7. [Hatchback vs. Sedan: Which Is Right for You? Toyota Canada](https://www.toyota.ca/en/connect/2021/hatchback-vs-sedan-which-is-right-for-you/)
8. [Automotive market by segment in 2024, Brno University of Technology](https://www.vut.cz/www_base/zav_prace_soubor_verejne.php?file_id=280732)
9. [About Automobiles (body style definitions, American Heritage Dictionary citation)](https://www.cs.tlu.ee/~rinde/oppetoo/arvestus/english/2012/about_automobile_example.pdf)
10. [The Kaiser Traveler, America's First Utility Vehicle, MotorCities](https://www.motorcities.org/story-of-the-week/2023/the-kaiser-traveler-america-s-first-utility-vehicle)
11. [American Cars 1946-1959 (Kaiser Traveler/Vagabond production)](https://gershon.ucoz.com/USA1946-1959/CARS_1946_1959.pdf)
12. [Renault 4: A Child of the Sixties, Renault Classic](https://cdn.group.renault.com/ren/master/renault-classic/tools-and-services/Renault4T1.pdf.asset.pdf/379ae4ac61.pdf)
13. [Renault and the family cars: 50 years of history since the Renault 16, Renault Group](https://www.renaultgroup.com/en/magazine/our-group-news/renault-and-the-familiy-cars-50-years-of-history-since-the-renault-16/)
14. [Sedans vs. Hatchbacks - Differences Explained, Car and Driver](https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a28259591/sedan-vs-hatchback/)
15. [5 Reasons to Get a Hatch Over a Sedan and 5 Reasons Not To, Motor Trend](https://www.motortrend.com/features/reasons-to-get-hatch-over-sedan-five-reasons-not-to)
16. [Edmunds puts sedans Nissan Sentra and Toyota Corolla to the test, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/8d23f8e52c5282e59b53c78bfda8c5c6)
17. [Honda Civic Hatchback Cargo Test, Edmunds](https://www.edmunds.com/car-news/honda-civic-hatchback-cargo-test.html?msockid=15131c6e8b8963990e490a858aa662f0)
18. [Hatchback versus Sedan - A Review of Drag Issues, SSRG International Journal of Mechanical Engineering](https://www.internationaljournalssrg.org/IJME/2017/Volume4-Issue1/IJME-V4I1P102.pdf)
19. [Sedan vs Hatchback: What Actually Separates These Two Body Styles, Automobiles Avenue](https://automobilesavenue.com/auto-reviews/sedan-hatchback-reviews/sedan-vs-hatchback-what-actually-separates-these-two-body-styles)
20. [Volkswagen Group Half-Yearly Financial Report 2025](https://www.volkswagen-group.com/en/publications/more/half-yearly-financial-report-2025-3077/download?disposition=attachment)
21. [Looking for a new car under $20,000? Good luck, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/e33932cfa77a799329f278dfb120c30d)
22. [Kia aims to grow 15% in Spain, Cinco Días](https://cincodias.elpais.com/companias/2026-02-11/kia-aspira-a-crecer-un-15-este-ano-en-espana-sin-temor-a-las-marcas-chinas-no-competimos-por-precio.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Technology and the built world › Transport and spaceflight › Road transport › Automobiles › Car body styles and types*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 15, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 15, 2026 · Last review: Oct 15, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license