Our top hatchbacks of 2017
Hatchbacks are one of the most popular groups of cars on our roads. This is likely down to the majority of affordable cars being hatchbacks. But it is also down to the fact, that some of the most efficient, more practical and more maintainable cars are also hatchbacks. Whilst SUVs have the size and saloons have the luxury, hatchbacks have the rest.
We have a massive collection of hatchbacks available to consider when it comes to leasing your car. However, we want to help you further by highlighting some of the best possible options. Here is our list of some of the top hatchbacks.
Skoda Octavia
The Skoda Octavia is a medium sized hatchback that is close to the top of the market, with maybe only the Volkswagen Golf being better. It is one of the more spacious hatchbacks available with generous space inside and as of 2017 has received a new facelift.
This car is an affordable alternative to the Volkswagen Golf, you get close to the quality for a vast difference in price. In terms of engines, the Skoda has a new one to offer. The new engine is a 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine producing 113 bhp. Isn’t slow either with an acceleration time from 0-60 in less than 10 seconds. It also has excellent fuel economy for an engine that size, boasting 59 mpg.
There are also other engines on offer that can achieve whatever you need from your car. You have cheap engines, delivering the bare minimum. You have green engines that deliver great fuel efficiency, ensuring low running costs. And you have fast options that throw you back in your seat when you push that pedal down.
Inside the car, as well as the generous space, you get an infotainment system with a touchscreen. There are three options for the touchscreen, which are either 6.5-inch, 8.0-inch or 9.2-inch. This controls all the infotainment systems and supports Apple Car Play and Android Auto.
There is also a generous amount of space inside the Skoda Octavia. Six-foot tall adults will be pleased with the amount of headroom and legroom provided.
Skoda offers you 590-litres of boot capacity with the rear seats up, but from those seats and it increases up to 1,580-litres, giving you plenty to work with.
Volkswagen Golf
Time to discuss the famous do-it-all hatchback that has graced our roads for decades. The Volkswagen Golf is the staple car on UK roads and this year, it received a facelift. There is no car, apart from the more expensive, premium models that can out do this car.
The Golf offers a variety of engines as is expected. These include two 1.5-litre petrol engines: one producing 148 bhp and the BlueMotion engine producing 128 bhp. The BlueMotion model returns 61 mpg, making it a great efficient car. In terms of high miles per gallon, Volkswagen offers 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre diesel models for you to consider, with many different varieties for those size of engines. There are also greener hybrid and electric Golfs available to lease on the market currently.
Inside, you get a well-built, minimalist design that sets everything out simply for you to use. In the centre dashboard, you get a 9.2-inch touchscreen that controls the infotainment system. Behind the steering wheel, you also get a 12.3-inch display that can be altered to show your speedometer and rev counter or it can be used as your sat nav.
In terms of space, the Golf is plentiful. Six-foot adults again will be sitting comfortably in the front and back thanks to the spacious headroom and legroom. In the boot, Volkswagen has created 380-litres of boot capacity available with the rear seats up. That being said, there is also a multitude of storage areas scattered throughout the cabin to ensure you can store a variety of other items.
Vauxhall Astra
Time to talk about another staple of British roads. The Vauxhall Astra always seems at home driving on British streets and it should. It has now entered its seventh generation and doesn’t appear to be running out to pasture anytime soon. In fact, over almost four decades three million Astra cars have been sold in the UK since 1979 and it is estimated that 1 in 4 Brits has owned or driven an Astra.
When you climb inside a Vauxhall Astra, you know immediately you are where you belong. The centre console is well defined with tall air vents surrounding the infotainment touchscreen in the centre. The touchscreen can come in either 7-inches or 8-inches and thanks to it being touchscreen, you no longer have to deal with the myriad of buttons that used to plague the dashboard.
With this seventh generation, Vauxhall chose to deliver on the interior space. Here are a few numbers for you. The knee room has increased by 35mm and a 6’2” adult can sit comfortably behind some of the same sizes without concern. This car also has a bigger boot than the Golf, delivering a capacity of 370-litres with those rear seats up. When you drop those rear seats, you get an increased capacity of 1,210-litres.
In terms of the engines available, the Vauxhall offers six. There is a 1.6-litre diesel engine, producing 134 bhp, nicknamed the Whisper thanks to it being incredibly quiet. There is also a 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine producing 148 bhp. Vauxhall introduced a brand new 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine that it shares with its smaller sibling, the Vauxhall Corsa. Then we have the Astra VXR 1.6-litres turbocharged petrol engine, producing 197 bhp and sprints from 0-60 mph in 6.6 seconds. Vauxhall has given you much to consider in terms of engines.
Mazda 3
The Mazda has some big rivals, but it holds its own against the likes of the Golf and the Astra. This is a family-friendly Hatchback for an affordable price. It may not have the pedigree of the long established name, like its rivals, but given the right chance, it can shine.
Mazda decided to entice drivers by going for an overtly sporty theme to ensure its own unique look, that is rare in the family hatchback class. When sitting in the driver’s seat, you notice that the rev counter is centred in the instrument binnacle and you get a stubby manual gear stick with the centre console angled towards you, in a similar fashion to a BMW interior.
In the centre of the dashboard, sits a 7-inch colour display tablet-style screen, controlled by a fixed rotary control, making it easy to use on the move instead of a touchscreen that requires you to take your eyes off the road to use.
Concerning the space inside the Mazda 3, it hammers the nail home with plenty of space for the driver, thanks to the fully adjustable seat and steering wheel. This means you have no excuse not to drive in your perfected driving position. Passengers also get plenty of legroom and a decent amount of headroom available to them too.
In terms of what comes under the bonnet, you have a decent range to choose from as you do with the other cars on this list, With petrol and diesel engines on offer. The basic petrol engine is a 1.5-litre engine producing 98 bhp, accelerating from 0-60 mph in 10.8 seconds. There is also a 2.0-litre petrol engine increasing the available power to 118 bhp or 163 bhp depending on how much power you desire.
In terms of diesel engines, you get a 2.2-litre twin-turbocharged model, which is by far the most powerful and fastest model of the range. But, if that isn’t your thing, you can choose a basic 1.5-litre diesel engine to choose from.
Honda Civic
The Honda Civic is back again with a new generation. It has had a redesign, with the former space age design tempered and yet still unique. It has centrally mounted exhausts, big wheels and a body kit as standard that many of its rivals do not. Honda wants this car to stand alone and it has produced a unique looking car as a result.
Despite only slightly toning down the exterior design, Honda has focused on upgrading the Civic in terms of tech. It now has normal rear seats, independent rear suspension similar to the Ford Focus. It is also bigger than some of its rivals too. It is 30mm longer than the Astra, with a 2.7m wheelbase. Thanks to this long wheelbase, there is plenty of space inside for tall adults. Six-foot adults, in particular, will have plenty of headroom available to them as well as legroom. The boot also offers 478-litres of capacity, which is larger than the Astra and the Golf.
Like, its rivals, the Honda Civic has a range of engines across its many derivatives. In fact, it has seven different options with a variety of available engines for each. The entry level engines under the S trim are 1.0-litre VTEC petrol engines producing 129 bhp and accelerates from 0-60 mph in 10.4 seconds. In the Prestige trim, you get a choice of 1.5 VTEC Turbocharged petrol engines producing 182 bhp, which sprints from 0-60 mph in 8.4 seconds.
Hatchback of choice
These are some of the best hatchbacks currently available. You can get them on a car leasing deal that suits your needs, whether that be a Contract hire agreement or a Personal Contract Purchase. If you like any of these amazing cars, enquire with us and our team will find you the right deal.
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