Best hatchbacks 2024

While the updated ‘best hatchbacks’ for 2022 would ideally reflect the evolution of motoring, the thing is, there really aren’t many EVs in this C-segment. They are almost everywhere else.   

Many countries like their C-segment cars with three boxes and a boot. In Britain, though, we prefer the practicality of a hatchback. Last year, the top three of the top 10 sellers were the Volkswagen Golf, Ford Focus and Mercedes A-Class, in that descending order. Fiercely fought, it includes cars from every mainstream manufacturer.  

Today, some buyers have migrated to ever-larger superminis – witness how Fiesta has supplanted Focus atop the sales chart – while others have swapped into crossovers and small SUVs. Still, the humble hatchback continues to serve many needs. 

Read on for short summaries of our favourite hatchbacks or click the links below for our full reviews. If you fancy something spicier, check out CAR’s guide to the best hot hatches. 

If you want a hatchback that will also turn heads, the Mazda 3 will do so more than anything else here. The Mazda 3 is one of the prettiest cars on sale today, not just hatchbacks. Crisp and curvaceous, it’s more four-door coupe than MOR hatchback. Its cabin is also pleasingly pleasant: doors close with a Germanic thunk and the dashboard is driver-focused. Mazda has bucked the trend for touchscreens, preferring a rotary controller, physical buttons and a standard head-up display. It all feels refreshingly intuitive. 

It arguably edges the Focus as the best driver’s car in the class, too. Its lucid steering and snick-snick manual gearbox are just joyful, while the chassis strikes an artful balance between pliancy and poise. Engines are more of a mixed bag, though. The 120bhp Skyactiv-G petrol is no firecracker, while the compression-ignition 178bhp Skyactiv-X petrol impresses on paper but underwhelms on the road. The 3 could really do with more oomph enjoy a healthy marriage with the chassis. The 3 isn’t the most practical choice either, thanks to limited rear-seat space and a small boot. 

Ford says this fourth-generation Focus is the best car it’s ever launched. We beg to differ. The accolade surely belongs to the 1998 original, but that car’s incisive steering and deft dynamics survive more-or-less intact in the Mk4. There are some caveats, though. Only more powerful versions have ‘Control Blade’ multi-link rear suspension; most 1.0-litre petrols and 1.5 diesels make do with a torsion beam. And optional CCD adaptive damping is unnecessary and ruins the ride. Our pick would be the three-cylinder 1.0 hybrid petrol, offered in 123 and 153bhp outputs. It’s eager and efficient. 

Inside, the Focus follows the same template as the Fiesta, with common-sense ergonomics and an easy-to-use touchscreen. Perceived quality is slightly short of the Golf, but there’s ample safety and connectivity tech. Plenty of choice, too, including the roomy estate and feisty ST hot hatch. The Focus deserves to be on your shortlist – just tread carefully with the configurator. 

This is a car to review from the inside out. Get excited with options and its stylish, ambient-lit cabin feels like a shrunken S-Class. Mercedes’ super-sharp MBUX infotainment looks stunning (check out the augmented reality sat-nav) and its ‘Hey Mercedes’ voice control works well. Quality also feels best-in-class, although the A-Class isn’t so pleasurable for passengers: its rear seats are a tad cramped. 

From 114bhp A180d to 421bhp AMG A45 S, not to mention saloon, GLA crossover, CLA coupe and CLA Shooting Brake. The list of derivatives is longer than a Heston Blumenthal taster menu. We enjoyed the meat-and-potatoes 134bhp A180 SE petrol, which has a snappy manual shift, well-weighted steering and rides comfortably on 16-inch alloys. For its smooth and plentiful hybrid power, we also highly recommend the plug-in hybrid A250e. For now, the A-Class is our pick of the premium players, although the Golf arguably treads on its toes. The new Audi A3 was unable to claim this crown. 

There was a time when the motoring world considered the Corolla ‘white goods on wheels’. Now it boasts standout styling and a winningly ‘woke’ hybrid drivetrain. Hell, if they make a GR version, it could even become cool. Let’s not get carried away, though: this is still a steadfastly sensible choice, not least thanks to Toyota’s peerless reputation for reliability. The hybrid versions are also credible alternatives to diesel, especially for city-dwellers: expect between 55 and 65mpg from the mid-range 1.8. 

The 184bhp 2.0 hybrid, meanwhile, is the leftfield answer to a Golf GTD. Despite low-down electric torque, it needs revving and the CVT gearbox mutes its enthusiasm. But the Corolla is swift enough with a refined ride and a more-than-passing interest in corners. Inside, you’ll find a plusher cabin than the now-departed Auris, featuring soft surfaces and an array of safety tech. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity are new too. 

7. VW ID.3

It’s impossible to please everyone and the fact that the electric ID.3 has made it to our shortlist will undoubtedly crease brows and roll eyes. Like it or not, the ID.3 represents contemporary motoring. We like the ID.3 because of its slinky and silent speed; its range; its adept ability to handle B-roads; its sub-£30k starting price; and its minimalist airy interior that is like a space-age version of a car interior from the ‘60s.  

It is still blatantly obvious the ID.3 is a new type of car. The whole uber-connectivity thing is still in its infancy and with teething issues: the lag from touchscreen functions and buttons in ID.3 are slow to respond. This new type of futurist minimalist interior needs time to evolve too because the ergonomics are strange and materials not the best quality either. Thus, curiously for an EV, the ID.3 is best in terms of the driving experience rather than the software.  

Read our Volkswagen ID.3 review

View Volkswagen ID.3 leasing deals

The most affordable option here (starting at under £20K) does not wow immediately. Instead, it grows on you over time like abstract artwork. Partly, that’s because this third-generation Ceed – now minus its nonsensical apostrophe – is roomy, well-equipped and easy to live with. And partly it’s the peace of mind offered by its belt-and-braces warranty. Among new cars, Kia’s seven-year deal is matched only by MG and SsangYong (don’t even go there). 

Buyers can choose a traditional five-door hatchback, XCeed crossover, Sportswagon estate or Proceed shooting brake. There’s also a stylish 201hp GT warm hatch, although the brilliant Hyundai i30N is worth saving a bit longer for. The regular Ceed handles tidily, with accurate steering and good body control. The pay-off is a rather unsettled ride, although it’s not a deal-breaker. Avoid the dozy DCT auto and go for the 118bhp 1.0 turbocharged triple and manual ’box instead.