Sedan and Hatchback: Advantages and Disadvantages of These Body Types

Choosing a car is a delicate matter. This procedure requires a careful approach of the future owner to many factors. First of all, you should decide in what conditions and for what tasks the vehicle will be used. Based on this, you can choose the type of car body. There is a sufficient choice of vehicles on the market, and they all differ, including in form.

Among the most common are the sedan and hatchback. The fact is that cars with these body types are highly maneuverable, and this is a very important factor in urban environments, where there is a shortage of parking spaces and dense road traffic. So if you are going to buy or lease a car, you should know the pros and cons of both sedans and hatchbacks.

The difference between a sedan and a hatchback

The fundamental difference between a sedan and a hatchback is the body structure, which determines the amount of free space for accommodating units, passengers, and cargo. So, a sedan is a three-volume body, where the engine compartment, interior, and trunk are separated. A hatchback is a two-volume body, where the engine has a separate compartment, and the passenger and luggage compartments are one space separated by a partition. The trunk lid in this case is considered to be a door: there are 3-door and 5-door variations.

Pros of a sedan

The main advantage of this type of body is that the luggage compartment is not combined with the passenger compartment. This suggests that during the transportation of cargo that emits a strong smell or rattles, the driver and all passengers will not feel discomfort. Another plus is that in the cold season, the interior warms up much faster.

The sedan has a better distribution of body weight. This makes the car much easier to drive. In addition, it is not prone to skidding and has a smaller roll angle during tight turns at speed. In the rear part of the body, a more rigid part is presented, since here the manufacturer installs additional struts. If a car enters the rear, the trunk will take the brunt of the impact and reduce the risk of serious injury to passengers and the driver.

Since the sedan has a greater body weight, it is inferior to the hatchback in dynamics and acceleration, as well as in maneuverability in dense traffic

Cons of a sedan

The sedan is larger than the hatchback. In some cases, it can be more than several inches. This may cause inconvenience when parking and driving in heavy traffic. Since the sedan has a greater body weight, it is inferior to the hatchback in dynamics and acceleration, as well as in maneuverability in dense traffic. The volume of the luggage compartment of such a car is limited in size, so it is very difficult to carry a large load, even if you fold the back of the rear seat.

Pros of hatchback

The volume of the luggage compartment in this vehicle can be increased if the driver folds the rear seatbacks. The height of the compartment in the trunk makes it possible to transport even large household appliances. A car with this type of body has less weight than a sedan. This allows you to save on fuel.

To ensure fast acceleration, the hatchback engine will require less operating speed. And this results in lower fuel consumption. In addition, the intensity of heating of the engine is reduced, which means that the load on the entire cooling system is reduced. The smaller dimensions of the hatchback make it more maneuverable in large cities. It is easier to move around in heavy traffic and park in limited areas. Another advantage is good visibility through the rear window.

Cons of hatchback

If the vehicle is driven on a rough road, passengers will hear noise from the trunk. In winter, the luggage compartment of the hatchback warms up along with the passenger compartment, and this takes longer. Over time, the back door begins to loosen and deform, which makes it difficult to open and close. The pneumatic stops on which the door is fixed wear out and weaken. Therefore, after a few years, the trunk lid may no longer hold in the upper open position.

When driving on sharp turns and performing sharp maneuvers, the car behaves uncertainly and can go into a skid. Since the rear of the hatchback is lighter while driving at high speed, even the slightest bump will lead to its tossing. However, for drift lovers, this disadvantage is an advantage.

Sedan or hatchback: which is better?

This is perhaps the most common question asked by people looking for a car. But there is no universal answer to this question since each of these body types has its own advantages and disadvantages. So it is better to reformulate this question a little - “what to choose?”. In this case, the answer will depend on the specific tasks that your car will perform.

The sedan, as a body type, provides more comfort to passengers, but, alas, is not so practical in the economy. The hatchback, on the other hand, does not provide the same level of comfort as the sedan, despite its high practicality and ease of use. So, if comfort is more important for you when operating a car, then it is better to pay attention to sedans, and if practicality, then hatchbacks.