Hatchbacks on the Rise in North America

[bneale]

Hello Everyone,

I just read this interesting article and I thought you all might also find it interesting. Seems like Ford didn't quite expect the Fiesta to take off and do so well. Especially in hatchback form.

Autos Insider | Hatchback models opening new door with U.S. buyers | The Detroit News

After reading the article, I can't think of why Ford didn't really expect the hatch to do better then 40%. I mean, I might be a little biased here, but I believe the hatch to be slightly more accessable because of the trunk opening. For me the hatch is just easier to live with day in and day out.

Anyway, I thought I would post this and generate some discussion. What do you guys think? Were you as surprised as Ford was? Or have you been waiting for a "european like" car for a while?

bneale

[Flagstang]

I remember in high school when the ford focus came out. I was living in WA at the time and 75% of what you seen on the road was large SUV's and trucks. Then about one in ten cars was a focus. Thats when I started liking little ford hatches.

[danpass]

I've always wondered who were the fools who kept insisting Euro stuff WOULDN'T sell well over here.

*cough* Mondeo Mk4 *cough*

[Captainmorbid]

I'm not surprised. Though I do think Canada is a bit different than the US. At least in Edmonton there seems to be a bit of a lean in sub compacts towards the hatch. Even the hatch foci (not the new one, I've only laid eyes on a few of em) seem to be split 50/50! Which surprises me a bit, considering they stopped selling them in 07(?)! If the aftermarket goes limp on the fiesta, I may get me a zx3 to soup..

[bneale]

Originally Posted by Captainmorbid

I'm not surprised. Though I do think Canada is a bit different than the US. At least in Edmonton there seems to be a bit of a lean in sub compacts towards the hatch. Even the hatch foci (not the new one, I've only laid eyes on a few of em) seem to be split 50/50! Which surprises me a bit, considering they stopped selling them in 07(?)! If the aftermarket goes limp on the fiesta, I may get me a zx3 to soup..

Thats funny you say that. In Vancouver I would say its more so towards the hatch then the older Sedan/Wagon variation they used to make from the older style focus. Although there is a lot of wagons out here, I would say the city drivers are mostly hatchback owners.

But the new Focus is mainly been Sedans so far. The hatchbacks have been few and far in between right now. I've seen a few but there's not as many on the roads as compared to the Sedans.

Now when the Fiesta changed from 2011 to 2012, I noticed a huge influx of new Fiestas hatchbacks driving around the streets of Vancouver. I saw an increase in just about every colour. It's as if the final truck got here carrying the 2011 models and they all hit the streets as soon as they were unloaded.

bneale

[Captainmorbid]

The fiestas are swarming in Edmonton too! Mostly hatches, mostly squeeze SESs! I haven't seen 1 ingot silver or Oxford white! My other two favorites...

[billnchristy]

I never understood why people liked SUVs (hatchback) but not hatchbacks.

[Captainmorbid]

Originally Posted by billnchristy

I never understood why people liked SUVs (hatchback) but not hatchbacks.

Up here it's definitely tall station wagon country! I think it's the perceived 'safety' factor, plus the 4x4 for winter. The city spends it's snow removal budget by November!

[Darkbrew]

I see Fiesta hatches and sedans everywhere...

A sedan with a small trunk opening has never been practical for me... and I've owned a few.
I hope the high gas prices have stopped people from thinking that bigger is always better.

The perceived safety of SUVs is an illusion. One maneuver and it's roll roll roll... There was another man killed that way in Toronto this month.

Hatch backs FTW!!

[wmussatto]

I think someone in Ford doesn't really believe in Hatchback/Small Station Wagons. When we were shopping for the prior car, we had to pass on Ford because they had discontinued the Focus Hatch.
We had already learned that there are just somethings that you can't put into a small sedan, no matter how large the trunk, it still has to get in through the mouth.

Its good that we have a choice.

I think Detroit keeps getting surprised. Think back to the VW Rabbit, the first popular small hatchback. It was derided as an Econobox but it had good ride, fit and finish.

SUVs became popular because we had cheep gas, because the rest of the world was in a recession.