10 Reasons Why Subcompact SUVs Are The New Hatchbacks

Before that, it was the Toyota Camry, Toyota Prius, Ford Taurus, and the Oldsmobile Cutlass. During the time when sedans reigned supreme (and before SUVs were all the rage), there was a subsect of sedans that blended the capability of an SUV with the sporty driving nature of a sedan: the hatchback .

Hatchbacks are sedans with a fifth door. Hatchbacks are sportier versions of their sedan counterparts, or oftentimes, are their own model of awesome. Unfortunately, with the SUV craze of the 2010s, they are rendering hatchbacks obsolete. In their place are subcompact crossover SUVs, and we’re going to tell you why we think they’re their replacements.

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More Powerful Powertrains

More Bang, Less Buck

Noah Washington

Being that these are bigger cars that we are talking about, they almost certainly have to have larger powertrains. For example, B MW just came out with the X1 M35i which has a high-output turbocharged 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder that outputs 312 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque.

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Makes and Models With Higher Output Engines

BMW X1 M35i
Mercedes-AMG GLA45
Mazda CX-30 2.5 Turbo
Hyundai Kona N-Line

The VW GTI only has a horsepower output of just 241. Again, power-to-weight ratios are different, but the BMW can get 0 to 60 mph in just 4.8 seconds. Meanwhile, it takes the GTI six seconds flat. Not to mention, brands like Hyundai are coming out with turbocharged versions of the Kona giving it close to 200 horsepower.

They’re Shaped Like Hatchbacks

Imitation Is The Sincerest Form Of Flattery

Fiat

Vehicles like the Fiat 500x pictured above look like oversized hatchbacks. The difference is that they have enough ground clearance to be considered a âlight truckâ but with a hatchback appearance. Another example of this is the oversized Mini Countryman that sits up high like an SUV.

Models That Look Most Like Hatchbacks

Fiat 500x
Mini Countryman
Honda HR-V
Subaru Crosstrek
Chevrolet Trax
Buick Envista

There are other makes and models like the badge-engineered Chevrolet Trax and Buick Envista that look like they are fastback versions of a sedan or SUV that’s already in existence. The Honda HR-V, on the other hand, may be short and compact enough to actually look the most like a hatchback.

Hatchback Sedans Are Dying

Long Live The Hatchback

VW© Provided by TopSpeed

This is an âit is and it isn’tâ topic. Hatchbacks like the Toyota Prius, Mazda 3 Hatchback, and Honda Civic hatchback, are actually much better in sales than regular sedans. According to Good Car Bad Car, the Mazda 3 in 2023 alone sold over 30,000 units in the US.

Hatchback Sales Numbers

Fiat 500: 235 units
Mini Cooper: 2,803 units
Volkswagen Golf: 4,442 units

There are other hatchbacks that are solely designed, such as the Volkswagen Golf and the Mini Cooper, that aren’t doing as well. The Fiat 500 also isn’t doing well with only 235 units sold recently and only Mini Cooper’s selling 2,803. Volkswagen is doing a bit better, but not by much.

Similar Fuel Economy

Gas Sippers

Honda

The majority of these subcompact crossover SUVs come with a four-cylinder engine. There are a scant few that come with a three-cylinder. Then there are others that are hybrids that blow the four and three-cylinder engines out of the water in terms of gas mileage.

Current Subcompact EPA Ratings

Lexus UX: 42 mpg
Toyota Corolla Cross: 42 mpg
Kia Seltos: 31 mpg
Nissan Kicks: 31 mpg
Volkswagen Taos: 31 mpg

That’s not to say that hatchbacks don’t get good gas mileage. The Toyota Corolla hatchback gets 41 mpg on the highway, and so does the Kia Rio hatchback. Compact cars, whether they are SUVs or, in this case, hatchbacks, tend to have smaller frames and smaller engines, giving them the fuel economy advantage.

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Standard All-Wheel Drive

Power To All Four Wheels

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Models With Standard AWD

Mazda CX-30
Honda HR-V
Mitsubishi Outlander Sport
Subaru Crosstrek

Most Mazda SUVs as of 2024 come standard with all-wheel drive. Other obvious choices, like the Subaru Crosstrek, come with their patented symmetrical all-wheel drive to help with off-roading prowess. Most of these cars still end up being front-wheel-drive biased, but it helps.

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Electric vehicles with internal combustion-powered range extenders aren’t out of the question either.

Stylish Like a Hatchback

What’s Cooking Good Looking?

Buick

The Buick Envista is a great example of high-end styling for a standard car’s price range. The back end’s design is debatable as the brake lights are where the reverse lights look like they should be, but that’s subjective. Hatchbacks, on the other hand, are attractive in styling because they elongate the styling.

Most Stylish Subcompact SUVs

Buick Envista
Volvo XC40
BMW X1
Mini Countrymen
Range Rover Evoque

Of course, styling is subjective, but we choose five of what we believe to be the most attractive subcompacts out of the bunch, especially the Range Rover Evoque. When it comes to hatchbacks, we believe the Honda Civic, Volkswagen GTi and the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe .

Compact Size, SUV Sensibilities

An SUV By Any Sense Of The Word

BMW

This section proves our point that consumers want a do-it-all kind of car, and the subcompact SUVs can deliver. If you can believe it, we found five subcompact SUVs that can tow and tow well. There aren’t many, or any for that matter, hatchbacks that can tow.

Makes and Models That Can Tow

Range Rover Evoque: 3,968 lbs
Volvo XC40: 3,500 lbs
Dodge Hornet: 2,000 lbs
Jeep Renegade: 2,000 lbs
Fiat 500x: 2,000 lbs

We could have guessed that the Range Rover Evoque, Volvo XC40 and Dodge Hornet could tow. We would not have guessed, however, that the Fiat 500x could tow 2,000 pounds total. It just goes to show that these vehicles are able to blend all things utilitarian.

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SUV Ground Clearance

The Higher The Car…

Half of the reason people want more SUVs is their ease of getting in and out, thanks to their âtruck-likeâ stance. The other reason is that some of these taller, more compact vehicles can actually go off the beaten path. Some, even, are designed specifically, not a hatchback.

Subcompact Models That Can Off-Road

Jeep Renegade
Subaru Crosstrek
Ford Bronco Sport
Range Rover Evoque
Jeep Compass

For example, the Subaru Crosstrek’s latest generation comes with their patented âWildernessâ badge. It comes with a higher ground clearance, more off-road goodies, and off-road capable tires. Other SUVs like the Ford Bronco Sport have similar offerings in off-road trims.

Hatchback Handling

Articulating Around Corners

Mini

Subcompact SUVs have gained so much popularity and traction that automakers are starting to come out with more sporty versions of their already sporty cars. Hatchbacks are known for their handling prowess with multi-link rear suspensions and the like, but subcompacts are starting to catch up.

Subcompact SUVs With Sporty Suspensions

BMW X1 M35i
Range Rover Evoque
Buick Envista Avenir
Mini Countryman
Mercedes-AMG GLA45

For example, the Buick Envista comes with a standard suspension, but if you upgrade to the Avenir, then you will receive a multi-link rear suspension which is better for dynamic driving. Similarly, BMW M and Mercedes-AMG offer their X1 and GLA’s with dampening suspensions that offer different styles of suspension.

Cargo Space Like A Hatchback

A Big Boot

Hyundai

The biggest draw for SUV owners is cargo capacity. In this regard, hatchbacks and subcompact SUVs actually share a similar capacity. For example, the Nissan Rogue Sport offers around 22 cubic feet and 57 cubic feet in total, while the Honda Civic Hatchback offers 24 cubic feet.

Subcompact SUVs With Largest Cargo Space

Hyundai Kona: 63.7 cubic feet
Kia Seltos: 62.8 cubic feet
Nissan Rogue Sport: 61.1 cubic feet
Jeep Compass: 59.8 cubic feet
Honda HR-V: 55.1 cubic feet

The vehicle with the largest cargo capacity on the market in the subcompact segment right now is the Hyundai Kona. The Kona’s newly redesigned body offers more headroom and is subsequently taller in general than the outgoing model. Hatchbacks offer open-ended trunk space, but not nearly the capacity SUVs can.