I guess I’m dense, but we special-order cars all the time. I’ll configure and special-order my Clubman: so why can’t I order that 1-series hatch?? http://www.bmw.co.uk/bmwuk/index/0,,1156___bs-MQ%3D%3D%40bb-S08%3D%40sit-bmwuk,00.html

It seems to me brands like Ford and Honda simply don’t get the increased demand for hatches in the US. Ford killed the Focus hatchback and replaced it with a fugly looking Focus coupe that probably was slapped together by a group of drunken Russians…

And Honda killed the Civic Si hatchback in this market as well, leaving us with a Saturnish looking coupe. (In Europe and elsewhere Honda sells the 5 door Civic Si hatchback).

Speaking of Saturn, the new Astra 3 and 5 door hatches (Which are Belgium built rebadged Opels) look really nice. It is amazing the turn around of product Saturn has had in the last couple of years. Really nice looking rides.

But I think the word “hatchback” really is a dirty word in the US; memories of oil embargoes and gas-pump line-ups? (as in the solution to:)

My 1st hatch: 79 Ford Fiesta! Best Ford ever….

Wings 03 MCS 08 C30 Version One

1) Poorly marketed IMHO 2) Pricey

Other issues with the car is that the C30 is nothing more than a S40 sedan with a hatchback body. Also the car’s chassis is yet another limiting factor based on reviews in different rags.

I personally like the looks of it, but will never buy one. I find the S40 based sportwagon a lot better looking and more practical than the C30.

The C30 is Volvo’s answer to the MINI. But it is a band-aid attempt, at best.

Face it, the hatchback has never been embraced by the American auto industry. How many hatchbacks from US manufacturers were made in the 1950s?

To me, the MINI has successfully reversed much of the perceived cheapness from the mindset of the American car buyer. Now days I see a lot more small hatchbacks in the streets than at any other point in history.

I also think that domestic manufacturers bastardized the hatchback with such “memorable” attempts from the 1970′s such as the AMC Gremlin and Ford Pinto. Honda stopped selling the Accord hatchback in 1989 and the Civic hatchback no longer sold after ’04 or ’05.

A few years ago a family member was checking out the now discontinued Malibu Maxx which was the hatchback version of the Malibu sedan. The Maxx had wonderful trunk space and rear seat legroom was limo-like. A wonderful family car. Sadly most Malibu buyers overlooked the better Maxx for the cheaper, mundane and less comfortable versatile 3 box sedan model. Unfortunately, the Maxx was discontinued with the new Malibu model, which is only sold as a sedan.

In my opinion, the Malibu Maxx was the best and most decent domestic attempt at a versatile hatchback family car.

Funny… I always thought of it this way:

Coupe = 2 door Hatch = 3 door Sedan = 4 door Stationwagon = 5 door

So basically, in my view, a 5 door vehicle is not a hatchback, it’s a stationwagon… even though there are some very scrunched up 5 door vehicles out there that certainly don’t LOOK like a typical stationwagon! :)

NOTE: The existence of an extra, smaller reverse door for easier entry does not change the category, IMO (such as the Club Door on the Clubman, or the extra door on the Mazda RX-8).

It’s ironic that longer-lower-wider has lead to the abondonment of the hatchback segment by these companies, unless they can get an Asian company to badge-engineer for them, and as fuel prices climb, this segment will be much more attractive to buyers in the future – these marques will have Darwin-ed themselves out of existence if they keep it up. They are desperately pushing large or medium cross-over vehicles, ’cause they can make more money on these types, which are really just mis-shapen and hunchbacked station wagons, IMNSHO, and they seem to assume that there’s no one really interested in quality domestic hatchbacks at areasonable cost.

All I can say is, it’s gonna hurt some unless they change, maybe not too much now, but it’ll only hurt worse if they wait around watching other people’s hatchbacks drive by.

Certainly here in Aus & much of Europe, the hatchback rules and is seen as a much sportier, more versatile & better looking car than any saloon. Sedan versions of most cars here are seen as very boring, ugly & sensible boxes on wheels, driven by people who see a car as a means of getting from A to B. They are usually only ever in a couple of very bland colours like silver & gold. Think Nanna’s slippers! There is very often an old man’s hat on the back parcel shelf with a box of tissues…

If I was looking for a new car at the moment, I would definitely consider the Volvo C30 – what a beautiful little car! I love the reminiscent look taken from the Volvo P1800 of the 60’s. I never thought I would ever buy a Volvo… In Aus, Volvo has a reputation for being soooo boring (read “sedan”) & driven by the absolute worst drivers on the road (a reputation now definitely owned by BMW drivers).

Long live the hatch!

The BMW 1-series hatches I’ve seen here in Africa look great and appear to me to be an almost perfect evolution for a MINI owner who would like to retain the versatility of a hatchback while upgrading a bit in power and finish.

The C30 looks a bit odd to me (with Volvo’s styling of the tail-lights and the all-glass hatch), and the price is much too high. I’d rather pick up a Mazda3 for a LOT less and two extra doors. But if it were one of the 5-door BMW 1 series cars, I’d consider spending the extra cash for it. Next step up would be a 3-series wagon, which just seems a bit too big for me.

I guess what I’m getting at is that I think there’s probably a market for the small, high performance 5-door hatchbacks in the US. MINI and the VW GTI rule the market for 3-door, high performance hatchbacks. There’s a difference (to me) between a compact, high performance 5-door hatchback and a high-performance, 5-door wagon. I think there’s a gap in the US market there and I think there’s some potential, if BMW wants to, to fill that gap. Not asking for a 3 series 3-door hatchback. Rather, a 1 series 3-door or 5-door hatchback. Lower price range than the 3-series, aimed squarely at that market potential with a price range starting about where the Mazda6 5-door tops out. I think it could work. The cars are being built and sold all over the rest of the planet. Just ship a few to the U.S., spend some marketing $$ targeting small urban well-to-do young professionals just starting a family (like myself soon and some other folks we might know of… ;) and see what happens…

The C30′s problem is that it is ONLY small. At $40,000 you can buy much better either by going with with Mini or VW or by going larger and get a premium compact SUV.

Why would anyone buy a small car? Seems to me the top reasons would be save money / reduce consumption, which are closely related anyway. And $40,000 does not fit that bill. There is a tiny market for small cars that are expensive and high-consumption, but they are sports cars, and the C30 is not that either.