Information AboutHatchback |
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A hatchback is an Automobile design, consisting of a passenger cabin which includes an integrated cargo space, accessed from behind by a hatch or flip-up window. Hatchbacks are also often called three-doors (two entry doors and the hatch) or five-doors (four entry doors and the hatch) cars. In Europe, City Car s, Superminis , and Small Family Car s are usually hatchbacks. Small cars often incorporate a hatchback to make the best use of available space. Especially in smaller models, hatchbacks are often truncated, with the hatch nearly vertical, to reduce the car's footprint. This is an important consideration in countries where small streets and traffic congestion are factors. Hatchbacks frequently include fold-down rear seats, which enable a substantial portion of the interior space to be used as a cargo area to accommodate with the current transportation needs. Usually, the rear seat can be folded partially (for instance 1/2, 1/3 or 2/3) or completely to expand the cargo space. Hatchbacks typically have a parcel shelf: a rigid shelf covering the cargo space that is hinged behind the rear seats and lifts with the hatch. An alternative is a flexible roll-up Tonneau Cover . High performance variants of hatchbacks are now common, known as " Hot Hatches ". HISTORY The credit for the first hatchback is claimed by several manufacturers. Holden of Australia fitted what could be described as hatchbacks onto its cars in the late 1940s. The 1953 Aston Martin DB2/4 featured a top-hinged rear hatch. Its successor, the 1958 DB Mark III , even offered a folding rear seat. However, since less than 700 DB2/4 and Mark III hatches were built, the Aston Martin is not universally considered the first mass-produced hatchback car. The 1954 AC Aceca and later Aceca-Bristol from AC Cars had a similar hatch at the back, though just 320 were built. The first car which could genuinely be called a hatchback and produced in masses was the Renault 4 of 1961. This is controversial however, and some argue that the Austin A40 which predated the Renault 4 by three years was the first. However, that car had a split tailgate quite unlike what is generally accepted to be a hatchback. The Renault 4 also came with a folding rear seat. Another car often credited with being the first hatchback is the Renault 16 , which was voted European Car of the Year on its launch in the autumn of 1965 . The first Italian hatchback was the Fiat 127 , which went into production during 1971 . The first German hatchback was the Volkswagen Passat (Dasher in North America) of 1973 . By the early and Lancia Delta . More similar cars followed over the decade, including the updated Opel Kadett (Vauxhall Astra), Renault 19, Fiat Tipo and second generation Rover 200. Alfa Romeo's venture into this market, the Nissan-based Arna, was one of the few unsuccessful European small family hatchbacks of the 1980's. The 1990's saw small family hatchbacks firmly pitch themselves as the most popular sector of car in Europe. The third generation Volkswagen Golf was launched in 1991 and elected European Car of the Year, shortly after Citroen finally broke into the market with its ZX. The ZX's chassis spawned the Peugeot 306 in 1993. Fiat replaced the successful Tipo with the distinctive Bravo (three-door) and Brava (five-door) in 1995. Ford replaced the long-running Escort with the dramatically-styled and all-new Focus in 1998. Hatchbacks quickly became regular winners of the European Car Of The Year award. However in some countries, especially with larger cars where a Sedan and (usually liftback-type) hatchback is available for the same model, the sedans are often preferred. Same is true also in certain regions like Southern and Eastern Europe, where some manufacturers have been forced to offer a local sedan version of smaller cars that are sold only as hatchbacks elsewhere to comply with the preferences of local clients. US backlash Despite, or perhaps because of, the hatchback design's space efficiency, relatively few cars with this layout are available in the United States . Some Americans view the hatchback design elements as an "econobox" and consider this negatively in purchase decisions. Others view hatchbacks as representing support for "green" movements which some consider " Un-American ", although the recent commercial success of Hybrid models belies this. Interestingly enough, many of the Minivans and SUV s which are quite popular in the United States have hatchback design elements and car companies frequently market hatchback cars with euphemisms such as "Liftback", "Sportback", or "Sportwagon". SIMILAR BODY STYLES Technically speaking, SUV s, Station Wagon s and Minivan s can also be classified as hatchbacks. However, the term hatchback, especially in the U.S., is typically used in reference to small cars, with a smaller trunk than other vehicles. Many Sports and Mid-sized Cars are also designed using a variation of hatchback design, sometimes called a '' Liftback ''. Here, the hatchback is angled down over the rear seats, and smoothly integrated into the tail of the car, resembling a Fastback or Sedan overall. This often improves Aerodynamic performance, resulting in a reduced Drag Coefficient . Some of these cars are the Opel Vectra , the Ford Mondeo and the Renault Laguna . Saab often used the term Combi Coupé (or 'Waggonback' in the US) for their take on the concept. Even some typical-looking Sedans (saloons) have hatchbacks, such as the Mazda6 , Hyundai Elantra , Kia Spectra and the Saab 9000 . SEE ALSO SEE ALSO
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