Buying a Hatchback!! What should I get???

[XYZ]

Originally Posted by PaleMelanesian

I completely agree on that point. Fiat 500, Mini, Juke, etc. are people OR cargo vehicles. A Fit, or Matrix or Vibe or some other good hatches, are people AND cargo vehicles. A true wagon would be even better, but apparently "Americans don't want those".

How much cargo can you fit into a Fiat 500 or a Mini? Almost nothing.

There is a market for American station wagons, but it has little to do with Americans not wanting them, and much to do with auto manufacturers not wanting to produce them.

[jcp123]

They're not unpopular in Europe. It would be easy for those marques to sell them here. I agree though, wagons FTW!

[RedDevil]

Originally Posted by XYZ

How much cargo can you fit into a Fiat 500 or a Mini? Almost nothing.

Like PaleMelanesian pointed out: Leave out the passengers.
Fold the rear bench forward, then you can move stuff you cannot get in most sedan types like washing machines and drawer cabinets.

The 500 and Mini are niche products and aim at the no kids or second car market. Those who buy em simply don't want the extra space needed for both passengers and cargo.

If you do, there are larger hatchbacks. With the seats up you're pretty much limited in space, though usually the cover separating the trunk from the passenger area can be removed for higher items so you can load it to the rear window.

Now there is a type of car that has a longer trunk than a hatchback and on top of that, the lower part of the rear window is vertical allowing you to stack your stuff higher; almost wagon like.
That shape also helps to get better FE, and indeed they do quite well.
They are the 2nd(+) gen Insight and Prius.

[XYZ]

Originally Posted by RedDevil

The 500 and Mini are niche products and aim at the no kids or second car market. Those who buy em simply don't want the extra space needed for both passengers and cargo.

I agree. All car manufacturing is aimed at niche marketing. But that niche of mini-hatches is mostly what I described as being a "fashion statement" - because those models are lacking in practical purpose.

[ksa8907]

If you're looking for compact hatches, be aware of crash test ratings. If a car costs an extra $10 a month in gas but is safer, well I chalk that up to good insurance. While I agree, good driving techniques are a big deal (smith driving), sometimes **** hits the fan and its better to be prepared.

[RedDevil]

Big cars are not necessarily safer. some SUVs roll relatively easy, most hatches don't do that so easily.
You should always check safety ratings regardless of type.

[samwichse]

'15 Honda Fit earns Top Safety Pick rating | TechnologyTell

The small offset test is basically a worst case scenario (only 25% of the frontal area of the car taking the full impact causes most cars, even large ones -- especially SUVs for some reason -- to lose integrity).
Frontal crash tests

List of 2014 small cars (obviously doesn't apply to updated 2015 models, but still useful)
Safety ratings

[Hersbird]

Those crash tests are misleading. They assume crashing into a stationary object or and object of the same weight. If you are driving around in a smaller then average car, then math and physics take over and your dead in your 5 star hatchback while the other diver walks away from his 3 star full size.

[Hersbird]

This is just small vs medium imagine any of these against a full size SUV Crash tests show how vehicle size, weight affect safety

[jray3]

I love my Mitsubishi i-MiEV, and am putting over 18,000 miles per year on it, now at over 43k. The rear seats fold flat, enabling 50 cubic feet of cargo. For example, the i has carried: two 55 gallon barrels, twenty 20 liter beer kegs (empty), a 50" flat screen TV, a beach cruiser bicycle, a dozen nested 32 gallon trash cans (new), etc, etc.
It also tows 800 lb trailers quite comfortably.
Even with extensive use of public fee-based charging, my average energy cost is $0.024/mile.
It also has the torque to leave all ordinary traffic behind.
After the $7500 Federal tax credit, the car costs $15,500. Californica rebates bring it significantly lower.
Oh yeah, and the maintenance needs over nearly three years? Two cabin air filters, washer fluid, and a set of tires.