Hatchbacks

Global demand for the Fiat 500 has been so high that its sales have been backlogged for months, and now the company is reportedly adding a hybrid powertrain to the modern classic to make it even more attractive. Based around an upcoming efficient two-cylinder petrol engine and a bespoke battery...

Update: The first vehicle of Ford’s future global lineup has entered produciton today at the company’s Cologne assembly plant in Germany. The car is the new-generation Fiesta hatchback, which is set to go on sale in Europe in the coming months. The compact hatch is also the blueprint...

Update: The much-anticipated Opel Insignia will debut a new station wagon variant at this October’s Paris Motor Show, where it will join the previous sedan and hatchback versions of the upcoming car. Dubbed the 'Opel Insignia Sports Tourer,' the new station wagon carries the stylish design of...

Suzuki is set to revamp its lineup following its decision to drop GM Daewoo as its partner and forge a new partnership with Nissan. Two models from its current lineup that bear GM-Daewoo DNA, the Suzuki Forenza and the Suzuki Reno, will be dropped from Suzuki's range, and replaced with two new...

While the American auto market shifts towards smaller vehicles, manufacturers are struggling to make large profit margins on their compact cars, which traditionally have been supplementary to truck and large car business. Ford has a plan to increase profit margins on small cars, however, by...

German tuner Hamann may be better known for their work with Porsche, Ferrari and BMW, but they have also been known to turn their attentions to small hatches from time to time. The Fiat 500 recently received the Hamann treatment, and now the Mini Cooper gets a set of performance upgrades as well...

Suzuki has released the first image of its all-new Alto minicar, which the carmaker plans to debut at November’s Paris Motor Show before a global launched pegged for early next year. As expected, the production Alto shares much in common with last year’s A-Star concept that was...

The climbing price of steel and other materials could be the undoing of Tata Motors' ultra-cheap Nano. The company is being forced into a difficult position by the rising costs, having to choose between reduced demand due to a higher retail price or reduced profits due to a smaller margin. With so...

Volkswagen’s sixth-generation Golf, the latest iteration of the carmaker’s most successful model to date (with more than 26 million sold), has been revealed ahead of its world debut planned for October’s Paris Motor Show. The European market launch will begin that same month, and...

Well known Audi-tuner MTM has given the Audi S3 a power upgrade for a little more oomph. Taking the latest 2.0L TFSI engine, MTM has boosted output to 380hp (283kW) and 340lb-ft (460Nm) of torque. Not only is there excellent top-end power, the engine has also been tuned to deliver great pulling...

General Motors has confirmed that the Chevrolet Aveo will be replaced in the U.S. by 2011 with a new compact car based on either the Groove or Trax concepts from last year’s New York Auto Show. The production version of the third concept, the Beat, will be sold solely as a global model and is...

It’s been a busy week for the Nice (No Internal Combustion Engine) car company at this week’s London Motor Show, with a handful of electric vehicles in every shape, size and form making their debut at the event. Already we’ve seen a scissor-door electric sports car concept, the...

Updated: Ford's focus on fuel efficiency hops into the front seat with the debut of the new Fiesta EcoNetic at this week's London Motor Show. The little hatch has an optimized diesel engine that turns out a fuel efficiency rating that places it at the very top of the UK's list of five-seaters...

Subaru will display three new special edition Impreza WRX vehicles at this week’s London Motor Show, including a brand new concept version dubbed the WRX STI 380S. The car’s name refers to its 380 metric horsepower rating, which translates to a final output of 375hp (280kW), and...

The latest addition to the Renault Sport performance family is the Megane R26.R, which was displayed today for the first time at the London Motor Show. The new car is based on the existing Megane F1 Team R26 and uses the same engine, gearbox and limited slip differential, but has been lightened by...

The C30 has been a hit with hatch fans since its introduction thanks to strong proportions and unique design cues, but something that has always been missing is a super-high performance variant. Like the Focus RS, the new C30 R could offer huge power in a small and sporty hatch. The C30 R shouldn't...

Updated with new images. We first heard about the latest edition Spec C back in April when reports emerged claiming Subaru was working on building a lighter and more hardcore version of the new Impreza WRX STI. Prototypes of the new car have since been spotted testing at the Nurburgring, identified...

The Nice (No Internal Combustion Engine) electric car company is a British manufacturer of full electric zero-emission vans, hatchbacks and scooters, and is set to unveil a new sports car concept at next week’s London Motor Show. The company has also announced that it will also showcase a new...

Starting in October, smart's fortwo will get an update that includes a new micro hybrid drive (MHD) system to aid a pair of petrol engine variants. The micro hybrid system consists of start-stop technology, which the company says is good for an 8% reduction in emissions. Around the same time, the...

Volkswagen may end up converting the New Beetle into a family of cars with a new report claiming a second, smaller Beetle based on last year’s up! concept car could be developed for the U.S. market. The second-generation New Beetle is expected to arrive in 2011 and will take over from the...