Quote:
Originally Posted by AtlasM
Americans love hatchback shaped vehicles as long as they are also taller/higher off the ground so they can think of them as SUVs.
Hatchbacks are reasonably popular in the compact car segment with the Ford Focus, VW Golf and Subaru Impreza selling in pretty decent numbers.
Hatchbacks are also popular when they're liftback sedans like the Audi A7.
But for a long time there was a stigma associated with hatchbacks, same as there is a stigma with minivans. People just irrationally hate them.
Station wagons died off because minivans did their jobs better, and then the majority of people decided both minivans and station wagons were too mommy-mobile looking so switched to SUVs. |
Agreed with all the above.
The only areas of the U.S. I know to be popular areas for wagons ... the North East and Mountain West.
The only thing I can think of that's the closest thing to a "wagon of yore" is the Ford Flex. About 20k sold in the US each year ... only ~ 2k in Canada. Although I doubt I'll ever own one ... I dig the look. They just scream for faux-wood paneling, and a surfboard on top.
I've owned a few hatchbacks over the years (mustang, Saab 9-3, focus, Audi A3).
Regarding the stigma of mini-vans ... Our most recent purchase in the category is a Toyota Sienna mini-van (no kids ... my wife wanted one to schlep our Great Danes). Although I can fit a full sheet of plywood flat in the back and can it get out of it's own way with 230 hp ...
It is a soul sucking machine. Everytime I drive our mini-van, I feel any joy of driving being strangled by it. Other than my 3-Series, I drive a 7.3l Ford diesel with a camper-top/cap; and although its not a performance vehicle in the least ... it's a lot more enjoyable to drive.