10 best hatches, rated on practicality
10 best hatches, rated on practicality
By Lawrence Minnie
With so many different brands and models to choose from, we opted to narrow down our data pool and decided that the cars in question 1) would not exceed the R300k mark, 2) would not be entry-level budget offerings, 4) should have more or less the same exterior measurements, and 5) more or less the same power output / engine size.
The cars were pitted against each other by boot size, rear legroom, seat adjustment and how easy it is to lift a 40kg box, measuring 500mm x 750mm x 500m, into the boot.
Boot size across the competing models averaged between 280 and 360 litres, with almost all models having split rear seats, barring one. The biggest deciding factor was how easy it would be to load and unload. Some models required the seats to be dropped to accommodate the load, and others struggled to load through the tailgate. Rear legroom was also taken into consideration as many families make long commutes on a daily basis, and comfort is therefore an important factor.
The 5-door hatchback that was the easiest to load, with the most available space for passengers as well as the box, was the Toyota Yaris. But it must be said that the total difference between the number one-ranking and our 10th place finisher is pretty slim, which shows that most manufacturers are giving consumers the functionality they need.
Results are as follows:
10. Mazda 2
Model: 1.5 Dynamic
Price R 235 100.00
9. Ford Fiesta
Model: 1.0T Ambiente
Price R 233 500.00
8. Opel Corsa
Model: 1.0T Enjoy
Price R 256 489.00
7. Renault Clio
Model: 1.0 Dynamique 66kW
Price R 246 900.00
6. Hyundai i20
Model: 1.2 Fluid
Price R236 000.00
5. Kia Rio
Model: 1.2 LS
Price R 226 000.00
4. Peugeot 208
Model: 1.2 GT line
Price R 279 000.00
3. Honda Jazz
Model: 1.5 Elegance
Price R 279 000.00
2. Volkswagen Polo
Model: 1.0 TSi Trendline
Price 235 900.00
1. Toyota Yaris
Model: 1.5 Xi
Price R 233 100.00