Small hatchback cars have emerged as a popular choice for drivers seeking a blend of urban maneuverability, fuel efficiency, and surprising cargo capacity. These vehicles, often referred to as “city cars” or “subcompact hatchbacks,” defy the notion that small cars are impractical. In fact, their hatchback design offers a significant advantage over traditional sedans, providing more vertical space and easier access for loading and unloading cargo.
For those unfamiliar, the term “hatchback” refers to a car body style that features a rear door that swings upwards, providing access to the cargo area. This “fifth door” design, combined with foldable rear seats, unlocks a level of versatility that is often unexpected in smaller vehicles. Compared to a sedan with a fixed rear deck and trunk, a hatchback can typically accommodate larger and bulkier items, making them ideal for grocery runs, weekend trips, and even moving smaller furniture pieces.
When we talk about “small” in this context, we’re focusing on cars that fall into the subcompact or even smaller categories. These are vehicles designed to be nimble in congested city environments, easy to park in tight spots, and economical to operate. Despite their diminutive size, modern small hatchbacks are packed with features, technology, and safety advancements, making them compelling options for a wide range of drivers.
This article highlights some of the top small hatchback cars, showcasing their strengths and features that make them stand out in this competitive segment. Let’s explore some of the best options available, presented in reverse alphabetical order to offer a varied perspective on what the market offers.
Toyota Yaris (2015)
Toyota presents a strong contender in the small hatchback category with the 2015 Toyota Yaris, available in both three-door and five-door configurations. While both body styles share the same overall length, the five-door Yaris edges out the three-door slightly in terms of rear cargo space when the seats are up, offering 15.5 cubic feet compared to 15.3 cubic feet. While detailed cargo specs with the rear seats folded down can be harder to find for this model, the hatchback design inherently provides more flexibility than a traditional sedan.
The 2015 model year brought a refreshing redesign to the Yaris, giving it a more streamlined and aerodynamic exterior. The interior also received an upgrade, boasting a more premium feel with enhanced soft-touch materials. Standard features include Toyota’s Entune audio system, with options to upgrade to include navigation, ensuring connectivity and convenience for drivers.
Nissan Versa Note (2015)
The 2015 Nissan Versa Note is the hatchback counterpart to the value-oriented Versa sedan, and it truly emphasizes the “Versa-tility” that a hatchback design brings. The Versa Note boasts a generous 18.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats in use, significantly outperforming the Versa sedan’s maximum trunk capacity of 14.9 cubic feet. Folding down the rear seats in the Versa Note expands the cargo area to an impressive 38.3 cubic feet, making it remarkably spacious for a small car. Nissan further enhances practicality with the “Divide-N-Hide” adjustable floor in the Versa Note, allowing for better organization and secure storage of items in the cargo area.
For drivers seeking a sportier aesthetic, Nissan offered the SR edition of the Versa Note in 2015. This trim level added sporty styling cues, including unique front and rear fascias, a distinctive front grille, 16-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, and interior upgrades, providing a more dynamic look and feel to this practical hatchback.
MINI Hardtop 2 Door (2015)
For those who prioritize driving enjoyment in a small package, the 2015 MINI Hardtop 2 Door stands out. Even the base model MINI benefits from BMW’s TwinPower turbo technology, featuring a sophisticated three-cylinder engine that delivers 134 horsepower and 162 lb.-ft. of torque. This engine was recognized as one of WardsAuto’s “10 Best Engines,” highlighting its impressive blend of performance and efficiency.
Beyond its engaging driving dynamics, the MINI Hardtop 2 Door offers a premium experience with available infotainment and technology features. The MINI Wired Package, for instance, includes an 8.8-inch high-definition display, the MINI Connected XL system, navigation, and enhanced Bluetooth capabilities. Despite its focus on driving fun, the MINI still provides a usable 8.7 cubic feet of cargo space, which expands to 34 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, demonstrating that practicality isn’t entirely sacrificed for style and performance.
Mazda Mazda2 (2016)
While the 2016 Mazda Mazda2 was anticipated but not yet officially released in some markets at the time of the original article, it was already generating excitement as a strong contender in the small hatchback segment. The Mazda2 was expected to bring Mazda’s suite of advanced technologies to the subcompact class, including Skyactiv powertrain and chassis technology, the Mazda Connect infotainment system, and Activsense safety features.
Globally, the Mazda2 was slated to offer options like a diesel engine and all-wheel drive, although it was uncertain at the time whether these features would be available in all markets. The anticipation surrounding the Mazda2 underscored the growing demand for small hatchbacks that offer not only practicality but also advanced technology and engaging driving experiences.
Kia Rio 5-Door (2015)
The 2015 Kia Rio 5-Door is another compelling option in the small hatchback category, particularly notable for its value proposition. Kia uniquely priced both the Rio 5-Door hatchback and its sedan counterpart at the same starting MSRP, unlike some competitors who charge a premium for the hatchback version. This equal pricing highlights Kia’s commitment to offering the added practicality of a hatchback without an increased cost.
The Rio 5-Door delivers 15 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, expanding to 49.8 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. In comparison, the Rio sedan offers a maximum trunk space of 13.7 cubic feet. The Rio 5-Door achieves this impressive cargo versatility in a package that is approximately 12.6 inches shorter than the Rio sedan, further emphasizing the space efficiency of the hatchback design.
Hyundai Accent (2015)
The Hyundai Accent has become a significant player in the small hatchback market, consistently ranking among the top sellers in the segment. The Accent hatchback boasts a generous cargo capacity of 47.5 cubic feet with the rear seats folded down, within an overall vehicle length of 172 inches. Even with the rear seats in their upright position, it still provides a useful 24.1 cubic feet of rear cargo space. The Accent sedan, offered as an entry-level model, has a trunk capacity of 13.7 cubic feet, further highlighting the hatchback’s cargo advantage.
The 2015 model year saw mid-cycle updates for the Accent, including refreshed styling for the grille, headlights, and taillights, redesigned wheel covers, updated interior fabric patterns, and new exterior color options. These enhancements kept the Accent fresh and competitive in the small hatchback market.
Honda Fit (2015)
Often considered a benchmark in the small hatchback segment, the 2015 Honda Fit arrived with a new generation design, further solidifying its position as a leader. The 2015 Fit was not only more powerful and fuel-efficient than its predecessor but also optimized its hatchback design to enhance passenger volume by 4.9 cubic feet, despite a slightly shorter overall length.
The standout feature of the Honda Fit is its “Magic Seat” system, which provides exceptional versatility with multiple seating and cargo configurations. Depending on the configuration, owners can accommodate items up to 7 feet, 9 inches long or nearly 4 feet tall, with a maximum cargo volume of 52.7 cubic feet. The Honda Fit’s clever design and spacious interior make it incredibly practical for its size. The 2015 Honda Fit also earned recognition as an IIHS Top Safety Pick and a 5-star overall safety rating from NHTSA, adding to its appeal.
Ford Fiesta (2015)
The 2015 Ford Fiesta is available in both hatchback and sedan body styles, but the hatchback version offers a significant cargo advantage despite being shorter overall. The Fiesta five-door hatchback provides 14.9 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second-row seats and 25.4 cubic feet with the seats folded, compared to the Fiesta sedan’s 12.8 cubic feet of trunk space. This highlights the inherent space efficiency of the hatchback design.
For drivers seeking more performance, the Fiesta ST variant stands out in the small hatchback class. It’s powered by a 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine producing 197 horsepower and 202 lb.-ft. of torque, paired exclusively with a six-speed manual transmission. Despite its sporty performance, the Fiesta ST still achieves respectable EPA fuel economy ratings, making it a fun and relatively efficient small hatchback.
Fiat 500 (2015)
Bringing Italian style to the small hatchback segment, the 2015 FIAT 500 is known for its distinctive design and fashionable appeal. For the 2015 model year, the Fiat 500 introduced new exterior colors, including Giallo Moderna Pearl, Laser Blu, and Billet Argento, along with available premium features like Beats audio, BLUE&ME hands-free communication technology, a turbocharged engine option, and a redesigned instrument panel with a 7-inch high-definition color display.
The Fiat 500 is characterized by its compact three-door body style and agile dimensions, measuring just 139.6 inches in length. It offers a rear luggage compartment of 9.5 cubic feet and a total cargo capacity of 27.2 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. While primarily focused on style and city maneuverability, the Fiat 500 still provides practical hatchback functionality for its size. (Note: The Fiat 500C cabriolet version, while offering an open-air experience, features a retractable cloth top that results in more of a traditional trunk than a hatchback.)
Chevrolet Spark (2015)
The 2015 Chevrolet Spark exemplifies the hatchback advantage in a truly compact package. Measuring just 144.7 inches in length, the Spark manages to offer up to 31.2 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded. Even with all seats in use, it provides 11.4 cubic feet of cargo room, demonstrating impressive space efficiency for its size.
The Spark also stood out for its technology offerings in 2015, being among the Chevrolet models to feature OnStar 4G LTE with a mobile wi-fi hotspot. Safety was another strong point, as the Spark was the only car in its class to earn a Top Safety Pick from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Chevrolet also highlighted its five-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, adding to the Spark’s appeal as a practical and well-rounded small hatchback.
Conclusion
Small hatchback cars offer a compelling combination of practicality, fuel efficiency, and city-friendly dimensions. As this overview of 2015 models demonstrates, these vehicles provide surprising cargo versatility thanks to their hatchback designs and foldable rear seats. Whether you prioritize maximum cargo space like the Honda Fit, sporty driving dynamics like the Ford Fiesta ST or MINI Hardtop, or stylish design like the Fiat 500, the small hatchback segment offers a diverse range of options to suit various needs and preferences. For drivers seeking a smart and adaptable vehicle for urban environments and beyond, exploring the world of small hatchback cars is definitely worthwhile.
