Sedan vs. Hatchback: The Pros and Cons of Each Body Type

Sedan vs. Hatchback

Most people compare based on price or fuel economy, but one of the most important features is the body type. There are two basic body styles for cars:two-door and four-door. There is a third choice, the hatchback, that is somewhere in between. The sedan and hatchback have their own merits and drawbacks, so you'll have to choose what best fits your needs.

Can body type affect car life expectancy? Which is better? And it is impossible to give a definite answer to it. Since the final decision depends on the operating conditions, travel routes, luggage compartment load, and personal preferences.

Perhaps you are trying to decide which body type is better, or maybe you've already made your choice but are curious about the other one. Either way, there are several considerations that can help you to make an informed decision:

What is a Sedan?

A sedan is a closed type of car body in which the luggage compartment and engine compartment are structurally separated from the passenger compartment. Therefore, the sedan is also considered one of the few three-volume body types. Initially, sedans had two or four doors, but later a three-volume body with two doors was isolated into a separate body type - a coupe.

Sedan vs. Hatchback

Advantages of a Sedan

Sedan as a body type is one of the least practical due to the small cargo capacity, but it also has significant advantages:

1. Stylish appearance: The proportions of the sedan allow automotive designers to give such cars a stylish appearance even with large vehicle dimensions.

2. Sound insulation of the cabin: Since the luggage compartment of a sedan is separated from the passenger compartment, it is much easier to provide it with high sound insulation than any other type of body, where the volume of the passenger compartment and the luggage compartment are the same.

3. Fast heating and cooling of the interior: Isolation of the luggage compartment from the total volume of the passenger compartment allows you to quickly and efficiently warm up the car interior in the cold season or cool it with air conditioning in the hot season.

4. No odors: Often, in the trunk of a car, you have to transport things and objects that have specific odors. In the case of a sedan, it will not penetrate into the interior, since its volume is isolated from the cargo compartment.

5. Clear rear window: As a rule, sedans are not equipped with a rear wiper, since this body shape allows the rear window to remain clean even in muddy and slushy weather.

Disadvantages of a Sedan

As we mentioned, the sedan, as a body type, is one of the least practical, so let's consider its disadvantages:

1. Small luggage space: This is perhaps the most important disadvantage of the sedan. The isolation of the luggage compartment from the passenger compartment does not allow automakers to make the trunk volume large. In addition, it is extremely difficult to transport long items in such a trunk. After all, even if a hatch is provided in the partition between the passenger compartment and the trunk, it is usually very narrow.

2. Narrow cargo opening: Unlike other types of bodies, the luggage compartment of the sedan is not closed with a glass door, but with a small lid. So even if the sedan is large, and the volume of the cargo compartment is decent, it is not a fact that a large-sized cargo will fit into its opening.

What is a Hatchback?

A hatchback is a type of two-volume passenger car body with a shortened rear overhang and a door at the rear of the car. In such a car, only the engine compartment is structurally separated, and the passenger compartment and luggage compartment are combined into a total volume.

The hatchback cabin can have one or two rows of seats, and the number of doors can vary from three to five, including the tailgate. In addition, among the varieties of the hatchback body, there are also liftback, fastback, and notchback.

Sedan vs. Hatchback

Advantages of a Hatchback

The hatchback is the choice of many singles and families. There are reasons for this:

1. Large trunk volume: Of course, the volume of the luggage compartment primarily depends on the dimensions of the car, but among cars of similar classes, hatchbacks always have an advantage over sedans. In addition, a high roof over the cargo compartment allows you to place large items in such a car.

2. Convenient dimensions: Short overhangs and the absence of a protruding rear end make it much easier to maneuver and park in tight spaces and on narrow city streets.

Disadvantages of a Hatchback

Despite all the advantages, the hatchback is not without its drawbacks, which the future driver should be aware of:

1. Low noise isolation: Since the luggage compartment of a hatchback is not separated from the passenger compartment, it is much more difficult to provide it with good sound insulation than a sedan, where the cabin and luggage compartment spaces are isolated from each other by a partition.

2. Long warm-up: In the cold season, the common space of the luggage compartment and the passenger compartment of a hatchback warms up more slowly and not as efficiently as in sedans, and cools worse in hot weather.

Sedan vs. Hatchback: Which is Better?

The sedan, as a body type, provides more comfort to passengers, but, alas, is not as practical. 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.

In the production of high-end cars, companies tend to use better parts and innovative solutions. This allows automakers to extend the life of vehicles. For this reason, many prefer SUVs, crossovers, and trucks.

Final Thoughts

If one were to ask which car is better, a sedan or hatchback, the answer depends on what you're looking for. Sedans look great, but with their four doors they cost more than a hatchback. Similarly, hatches are cheaper, but they aren't as comfortable as sedans because of their smaller size and seating. Of course, there is another way to view this issue: do you prefer door handles or not?

When you have to choose a car, carefully study all the advantages and disadvantages of the models, evaluate the external data of the bodies, and be sure to try a test drive. Thanks to this, you will take into account not only the external features of the car but also be able to evaluate how the car will behave in different operating situations. If you want to sell an old car or evaluate car life expectancy, JunkCarsUs will help you with this. The company provides services for the purchase of different types of cars in various conditions in all states of the United States.