How does a liftback differ from a hatchback? What is a liftback? Description, distinctive features of the body, pros and cons What is a liftback.
Defining signs
The main feature that helps to determine the liftback is the length of the rear overhang, which does not depend on the number of visual volumes. For example, this body is the same length as the sedan, while the hatchback is much shorter. The rear window of the liftback is less vertical and is an extension of the trunk lid to the very roof of the car.The term liftback was coined by automakers in order to highlight this body and show its tangible differences from the sedan (much more practical) and from. It does not have a specific classification, therefore it can also apply to such types as sedan or combi.
Most liftbacks are two-volume bodies. However, you can also find three-volume ones. Such names as liftback-notchback are also applicable to this type.
Liftback models
Today you can see cars in this body type, such as Toledo 1L, Superb, Mondeo and other models of well-known automakers. Currently, many giants of the automotive industry have announced the release of new cars in liftback bodies for 2013-2014. From all of the above, we found out what a liftback is, and learned its main differences from a hatchback brother. And we also saw that this body has a lot of external advantages.
In recent years, the automotive market has expanded significantly, introducing cars whose bodywork is difficult to attribute to a particular type. Of course, this will not be a problem for a specialist, but it is difficult for the uninformed to draw correct conclusions.
Hatchback in the city
Modern conditions force us to purchase cars that are distinguished by excellent maneuverability, but not deprived of comfort. In modern urban conditions, the sedans ruling in the past century have lost their practicality. Their length makes maneuverability and parking much more difficult.
By radically changing the body, manufacturers have found a solution to this problem:
- the trunk is connected to the salon;
- significantly shortened the car behind;
- the engine is located transversely;
- installed front-wheel drive.
Such a radical change influenced the emergence of a new body model - a hatchback, which in English means "back hatch". It was the access to the trunk through the open rear door in the passenger compartment that influenced the name. Both the 5-door and 3-door versions have gained quite rapid distribution and demand, since, due to the dimensions, the car can be clearly controlled.
Liftback is what
When translated from English the word liftback, literally sounds "raising the backside." This is what the body of a new car looks like, located in the middle between the hatchback and the sedan. Somewhat modified, the liftback differs from the usual hatchback. The main difference is the car's interior, which smoothly goes into the luggage compartment, which clearly protrudes from the back of the car. The new body of the car differs little from the sedan in its length.
Looking at the liftback from behind, you can see the rear window, which is the main component of the luggage compartment lid, which smoothly enters the roof. The flat and smooth slope of the glass significantly distinguishes the model from the sedan.
Since this type of body is difficult to attribute to a separate class, many manufacturers do not distinguish it in any way. Most view them as sedans. Compared to the European car market, the North American liftback is the most demanded. The Eurasian continent prefers sedans.
The main differences between bodies
Both modifications are characterized as passenger cars with driving performance and technical characteristics of a sedan of the corresponding model range. However, the liftback differs from the hatchback as follows:
- the rear overhang is shaped like a sedan;
- liftback has two ways to open doors;
- differing from the two-volume hatchback, the liftback is three-volume, more similar to the sedan.
Some manufacturers, not limited to this list of differences, are carrying out enhanced modernization of the series.
On the example of the Lada Granta liftback, you can see that along with new forms in the car, the chassis and braking system was modernized. Without tying such a change to the body, the domestic auto giant is going to apply innovations to the rest of the series. For Russian consumers, these body modifications are of considerable interest due to their design solutions and dimensions.
By the way, this type of body is not new to automakers. It belongs to the well-forgotten old developments, one of which was the favorite of Soviet motorists IZH-Kombi. Subsequently, automakers invented the indestructible and released the famous Slavuta, which won the hearts of many motorists. This suggests that the liftback is just a revival of previous developments, loved by the people.
Over the past decade, the domestic market has been filled with a huge number of cars that are not always amenable to confident classification. Understanding the products of the modern automotive industry can be difficult for a non-specialist. Therefore, we have prepared an article for our readers, an overview of two popular types of passenger car body: liftback and hatchback.
So, what is the difference between a liftback and a hatchback and what are their advantages over the usual sedans? For what purposes were these bodies designed? We answer the most frequently asked questions in this post.
In conditions of dense city traffic, increased requirements are imposed on the car - it must combine comfort and maneuverability.
Sedans, which in the 20th century almost completely ruled the roads of megacities, do not always meet the needs of modern drivers. In particular, because of their length, it can be inconvenient to park along the road and move in heavy traffic from lane to lane.
The solution was found due to a radical change in the configuration of the car:
- the luggage section has been combined with the passenger compartment;
- the rear overhang is significantly shortened;
- Front-wheel drive with a transverse engine became standard.
New cars acquired the name hatchback ( English hatch = hatch) thanks to an innovative design with a tailgate through which the luggage compartment was accessed. Today cars of this type are produced in both 5-door and 3-door configurations, and are popular among Russian motorists.
Separately, it is worth noting that such models are much better than a sedan for novice drivers, since it is easier to get used to the dimensions on them. If you choose your first car, then this is your choice.
Unfortunately, hatchbacks have some drawbacks that owners need to take into account - in the event of an accident, the contents of the trunk can "fly" into the passenger compartment and injure passengers sitting in the rear seats. A special net covering the cargo compartment will help prevent accidents. Also, keep in mind that unpleasant smells from luggage can also lead to serious discomfort during long journeys.
Liftback - "transformer" car
Liftback (literal translation from English - "rising back") is a passenger car that resembles a sedan in shape and is a cross between a hatchback and a sedan.
The rear overhang in this version is not vertical, but is a sloping slope that smoothly turns into a protruding trunk. In many liftbacks, two options for opening the rear door are implemented - in whole or only in the protruding part.
Such cars are most popular in the American market - it is for it that the giants of the automotive industry most often produce liftback variations of famous sedans, which, in case of commercial success, "migrate" to European and Russian retail centers.
The main differences between a liftback and a hatchback
Both classes described above are modifications of a passenger car, similar in characteristics and driving performance to sedans from the same model range.
The differences between a liftback and a hatchback are as follows:
- Rear overhang shape that makes the liftback look like a sedan;
- Door opening mechanism - liftbacks can have 2 alternative access methods;
- The liftback can be either two- or three-volume (which makes it even more similar to a sedan), while hatchbacks are only two-volume.
It is worth noting that individual manufacturers are not limited to this list, and regard the transition from a hatchback to a liftback as an opportunity for a comprehensive modernization of the series.
As an example, consider the Lada Granta liftback - along with the new body shape, the car received an upgraded brake system and chassis. These changes are not strictly tied to the body, and over time, the domestic giant promises to transfer innovations to the rest of the series.
For the domestic consumer, both hatchbacks and liftbacks are of interest as cars for urban conditions, which are much more convenient than a sedan due to their dimensions and design solutions.
The main thing that catches your eye when looking at the car from the front is a new front bumper, moreover, painted in body color. Actually, nothing has changed in the "muzzle" of the car, however, other air intake and areas for foglights have literally transformed the good old Granta. And exclusively for the better. And, by the way, there will be no black bumpers on the new liftback at all, even in the cheapest Standard configuration.
And in profile, the liftback looks much more harmonious than the sedan. First of all, due to the sloping roofline and the original rear doors: the designers raised the window sill line, and slightly lowered the upper one. As a result, the silhouette of the sedan against the background of the liftback began to look so ugly that the owners of 4-door Grants, keenly interested in the novelty, shook their heads dejectedly. Like, they would have known that the five-door would be so interesting, they would have postponed the purchase of a sedan.
And this, we note, despite the fact that sedans have historically enjoyed greater respect among Russians than all other bodies. In addition, the liftback received original exterior mirrors. Turn signal repeaters are now built into them, and the mirror lenses (as well as the side windows) are less dirty.
At the rear, the novelty is decorated with more compact lamps and a fog lamp built into the bumper. It is curious that in the basic configuration the car is devoid of a wiper. And that's why.
No dirt
The angle of inclination of the rear of the body has been carefully worked out from the point of view of aerodynamics. At the same time, the VAZ designers assure that the sloping rear window in rainy weather is perfectly cleaned by air currents. That is why there is no rear wiper in the basic configuration "Standard". However, it is installed on machines in the "Norm" and "Lux" versions. Perhaps just to justify their higher cost?
However, this is nothing more than an "engineering-marketing" incident. Much more important is how the issue of body stiffness is resolved. Since cars in 5-door modifications, unlike sedans, do not have a reinforcing "bulkhead" in the rear, designers have to pay special attention to the rigidity of the liftback body. As the site manager of the Lada Granta project Sergey Medinets told the site, the roof, the floor in the middle of the cabin (in the area of the rear passengers' legs and under the rear seat cushion), the middle spar (in the area where the rear suspension arms are attached) are reinforced in the five-door, the design of the amplifiers of the middle spar has been changed.
Why is the manufacturer positioning Grant with the fifth door as a liftback? It's very simple - the "niche" of hatchbacks is already occupied, very similar to the Granta in design.
Suspension: which one do you like?
But the most interesting changes took place in the chassis of the five-door Grants. So, cars in the "Standard" and "Norm" versions, although they received an improved suspension, but the changes in it were mainly reduced to other settings. But in the "Lux" version, the liftback suspension is significantly different from the sedan one: the anti-roll bars both in front and in the rear are much more powerful, gas-filled shock absorbers and stiffer springs are installed.
The purpose of all these innovations, according to S. Medinets, was to increase the stability of the car in turns, reduce roll and swing. The suspension of a luxury liftback is denser and more assembled than on a sedan, although the smoothness of the ride, according to our interlocutor, had to sacrifice a little. And he himself considers the suspension in the Standard and Norm versions to be an ideal option for our roads with conventional liquid shock absorbers and the same springs as on the sedan: "Typically Russian road defects".
And, finally, a new vacuum brake booster, which Lada Granta received a liftback. As a result, the pedal travel, according to our feelings, has become less, and the effort on it increases with braking not as sharply as before. In general, it has become more informative and more accurate.
Closer effect
It's nice that VAZ engineers, while working on the new product, tried to correct mistakes that annoy the owners of the "traditional" Granta body (the main complaints were formulated by members of the Lada Granta owners' clubs). So, noise insulation is significantly improved here: Grant in a five-door body is perceived as a much quieter car than a sedan. Especially in the version with an automatic transmission. The improved mechanical box (it is exclusively cabled on the liftback) has not gotten rid of the characteristic noise.
In addition, the liftback received new front door stoppers, thanks to which creaks disappeared when opening, and even a "closer effect" appeared when closing. New seals have appeared on the rear doors - half-lowered windows no longer rattle, like on a sedan. Since July, the car will begin to put modified - not so tight - rear door locks.
... And, as we have already said, a significant number of solutions applied in the liftback will also be taken over by the sedan. It is possible that the latter will receive a front bumper from the five-door at the end of the year. And the only thing that the "four-door" will never expect is a more rigid version of the suspension: it is made for a relatively young audience, who prioritizes handling, not comfort. And for 2016, the restyling of the entire Granta family is planned. But that's a completely different story ...
How much does a Lada Granta liftback cost? Kolesa .ru studied market novelties.
In recent years, cars began to actively appear on the domestic market, which can not always be confidently classified. Beginners can rarely analyze the current technology, so they often have a question, what is the difference between a liftback and a hatchback and which of the options is better to choose.
Liftback features
The most popular liftbacks are in the American market.
An elevatorback is a passenger car that is almost identical in design to a sedan and combines elements of both a hatchback and a sedan. In this model, the rear overhang is not made in a vertical shape, but neatly goes into the protruding trunk. In liftbacks, several methods are often implemented that allow you to open the back door - completely or exclusively with a protruding element.
The word liftback is derived from the English. lift - to lift, back - the back part and means "lifting the back part".
Distinctive features of the hatchback
In the event of an accident, the contents of the trunk can "fly" into the passenger compartment and injure passengers sitting in the rear seats
The hatchback has the following features:
- the luggage section is combined with the salon;
- the rear overhang is significantly shortened;
- the basic standard is a drive system with a transverse motor.
The new cars began to be called the hatchback, since they are equipped with a rather unusual design with a rear door through which access to the luggage compartment appears. Today, hatchbacks are produced in three- and five-door trim levels.
The word hatchback is derived from the English. hatch - hatch and back - at the back, which literally means "rear hatch".
What is better to choose
For the domestic consumer, both hatchbacks and liftbacks are of interest as cars for urban conditions, which are much more convenient than a sedan due to their dimensions and design solutions.
The two above-described body types can be safely attributed to passenger cars. If you compare them with each other, then the following differences will become noticeable:
- The liftback is almost identical to the sedan as it also has an extremely long rear overhang.
- The hatchback is equipped with a single-volume body - the trunk and interior are, as it were, an ode to a whole component.
- The liftback is produced in different versions of the rear door opening.
- Liftbacks can be either two-volume or three-volume.
Hatchbacks are much better suited to novice drivers than a sedan, because they are easier to get used to the dimensions.
When visually comparing the above models, it will become clear that the rear element of the hatchback is without protrusions and is almost perpendicular to the ground. But not everyone likes the appearance of the hatchback and its solid dimensions, and therefore liftbacks are in particular demand.
Thus, these versions are characterized by many differences, so they are selected by users depending on their preferences. Those who are burdened with family and need a small car for the city pay attention to the hatchback. If you want to buy a big car, but the sedan does not fit because of the size of the luggage compartment, then people cast their eyes in the direction of liftbacks.
