Best Luxury Hatchbacks for 2018: Style and Function Get Together

Looking cool and being functional aren’t exclusive. At least, we don’t think they should be. What’s wrong with showing up in a car that looks awesome, is amazing to drive, and still has room in the back? That’s exactly what the best luxury hatchback models can offer.

In the past, that was only a thing overseas, or from brands like Volvo or Audi. But for 2018, there are plenty of contenders for the best luxury hatchback. Some of these models probably wouldn’t want to be called hatchbacks, given their inexpensive, millennial connotation. But we think all of these models fit the criteria.

Whether you’re making space for your Bugaboo stroller in the back or your study material for Harvard, choose one of these luxury hatchbacks.

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2018 Audi A3 Sportback e-tron

Here’s a traditional hatchback, but it’s almost leaning more toward a station wagon. Whatever. As long as it isn’t wood-paneled, it qualifies.

The Audi A3 Sportback has the squarish backside with a fifth door that you’ve come to expect from a hatchback. With the rear seat up, there’s 13.6 cubic feet of cargo space, but that’s expanded when the rear seats are dropped.

But it’s a luxury hatchback. So, when you’re headed to the country club, you want to be bathed in comfort. The Audi A3 Sportback e-tron is less lavish than some others but does have a panoramic sunroof, available Audi virtual cockpit, Bang & Olufsen sound, and a torquey plug-in hybrid powertrain with 204 combined horsepower. Best of all, you’ll get up to 82 mpg-e with the A3 Sportback e-tron.

2018 BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo

There’s a 3 Series Sport Wagon too, but the Gran Turismo embodies a hatchback more. It really is the best of both worlds: a luxury interior with BMW power and the versatility of a hatchback. Everyone who sees the BMW kidney-shaped grille knows it’s a luxury car.

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It has available active driving assist, a fantastic head-up display, navigation, and when the rear seats are folded down up to 56.8 cubic feet of cargo-carrying capacity.

You have two powertrain options for the 2018 BMW 3 Series: a 330i with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder or a 3.0-liter, 320-horsepower turbo inline-six. Both come standard with xDrive for the Gran Turismo model and can get up to 60 mph in as little as 4.7 seconds.

2018 Audi A5 Sportback

It’s not your typical hatchback with a bubbly back end. It’s the sleek, sexy look with a faux trunk that pops open wide. The Audi A5 Sportback has up to 35 cubic feet of cargo space altogether when the rear seats are folded, but it’s not like you’re going to be carrying bags of cement mix.

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The interior is gorgeous and spacious, and it has an incredible Virtual Cockpit 12.3-inch in-cluster display. It’s powered by a 252-horsepower 2.0-liter with standard-equipment Quattro AWD and it sprints from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.7 seconds.

2018 BMW i3

Perhaps the economic aspect of a hatchback is what you’re interested in. If that’s the case, the 2018 BMW i3 may be the best luxury hatchback for you. Its funky looks have the structure of a luxury hatchback, from the BMW kidney-shaped grille to the two-toned high-quality paint and nuanced body lines. It’s different inside than any other Bimmer you’ve seen, with thin front seats for weight reduction and a very non-traditional layout.

But since it’s about being a hatchback, we must touch on its cargo area. As a subcompact car, it has limited cargo space behind the rear seat – just 15.1 cubic feet. But fold the rear seats down and it expands to 36.9 cubic feet and that’s not too bad. The 170-horespower all-electric motor will have no problem being sufficient for a car this size either.

2018 Buick Regal Sportback

There’s the Regal TourX wagon also, but we’re talking about hatchbacks, remember? The Buick Regal Sportback is another model you’d expect would have a trunk, not a hatch, but we kinda like the way it is. Its cargo volume is 31.5 cubic feet with the rear seats up. With rear seats folded, it increases to 60.7 cubic feet of cargo space.

Perhaps the turbocharged 2.0-liter engine with 250 horsepower is a little underpowered, but with AWD, it gets the job done.

2018 Porsche Panamera

By the letter of the law, the Porsche Panamera is a luxury hatchback, is it not? There’s plenty of debate regarding what category this car belongs in. It’s a hatchback-style trunk on a luxury car.

The base Panamera might not be your desired style of Porsche, but it’s hard to argue with 330 horsepower, 5.4 seconds from 0 to 60 mph, and a top speed of 164 mph.

Of course, you get the typical Porsche load of equipment: leather, power everything, and stiff-yet-comfortable seats and suspension that do extremely well in performance driving. The luggage compartment holds 17.6 cubic feet on its own, and up to 47.3 cubic feet when the rear seats are folded.

2018 Ferrari GTC4Lusso

At more than $300,000, the Ferrari GTC4Lusso is by far the most expensive luxury hatchback we’ve come across.

In the front, it’s a typical Ferrari in terms of looks. In the back, it’s a totally different story, with a stumpy hatchback end that conflicts with the chest-vibrating V12 exhaust tone.

The 680-horsepower engine will get your mini-me to soccer practice in record time, too, with 0-to-60 mph acceleration in just 3.4 seconds and a top speed of 208 mph.

Its boot space is just 15.9 cubic feet, but when you fold the rear seats down, it nearly doubles. And let’s be honest: with this sort of performance, the only thing going in the hatch area is a fresh change of underpants.

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