Cars are one of humankind’s greatest inventions. They essentially revolutionised modern life by providing an efficient, fast mode of transport where previously we had relied on animal or steam-powered transport. And these days, most people can afford a car. In this article, we’re going to discuss the humble hatchback, and share with you the hatchback helper – or the history and benefits of hatchbacks. 

The First-Ever Hatchbacks

It’s worth noting that the term hatchback wasn’t coined until the 1970s. However, the style of car does date back to the 1930s. 

Citroen, a French automobile company, produced the first hatchback cars. These were the first cars to have a tailgate, the defining feature of a hatchback car that persists to the current day. 

Now, there is a slight variation between those hatchbacks and the ones that got developed at the end of the 1950s. Most older models were quite long – as long as sedans even.

Manufacturers these days try to keep hatchbacks more compact, and smaller than sedans. 

The Most Famous Hatchback

The most famous hatchback from history is probably the Renault 4 – Renault was another French automobile manufacturer. It’s interesting to note that Citroen and Renault are still developing cars to this day.

Now in the early 1960s, Renault focused most of its attention and budget on developing hatchbacks. The Renault 4 sold over seven million units in Europe alone.

Next to follow was the Renault 5, which fastly became just as popular. However, it couldn’t unseat the humble Renault 4, which was produced and sold in both Europe and South America until 1992. Now, how’s that for popular?

Other major European brands produced their hatchbacks, piggybacking on Citroen and Renault’s successful rollouts. In the 70s, Volkswagen released their hatchback, the Passat/Dasher. Later came the Golf/Rabbit, which is still popular today. Other European hatchbacks followed, including the Fiat Uno, the A-Class from Mercedes and the 3 Series from BMW. 

Now that we’ve focused on the history of the humble hatchback, let’s discuss some of the benefits of this brilliant type of vehicle. 

The Benefits of Hatchbacks

Due to their small size, hatchback cars are incredibly fuel-efficient. This is because there’s less mass for the engine to propel forward, meaning that less fuel is consumed when compared to a larger vehicle. This means that hatchback owners consistently save money at the pump. As fuel is a huge expense for most car owners, this is a proven benefit. 

Modern hatchbacks are also extremely safe cars, with high safety ratings. This means that in the unlikely event of an accident, the passengers and driver are likely to walk away unscathed.

Their smaller size also means that they handle like a dream, and are perfect for navigating tight city streets and sharp turns. The hatchback is almost the quintessential city automobile, perfect for inner-city living and the suburbs alike.

One final benefit of a hatchback is that they are cheaper to buy and tend to be cheaper to insure when compared to larger cars. This means that they are affordable and often well-suited as a first vehicle for younger drivers. You don’t need a massive car loan to buy one, and insurers will cover them for less than an SUV or a four-wheel drive. 

The Honda Civic is a great low maintenance vehicle that comes in a hatchback option.

A Hatchback Car Conclusion

In this helpful article, we’ve explained a brief history of the humble hatchback, from its origins in Europe and through to its expanding popularity in that continent and throughout the wider world. 

We’ve then explained the benefits of owning such a car, including their fuel economy, safety ratings and overall affordability – to both purchase and to insure.