The main thing that catches your eye when looking at the car from the front is the new front bumper, which is also painted in body color. Actually, nothing else has changed in the “muzzle” of the car, however, other air intakes and areas for fog lights literally transformed the good old Grant. And only 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 roof line and the original rear doors: the designers raised the window sill line, and slightly lowered the top one. As a result, the silhouette of the sedan against the background of the liftback began to look so unsightly that the owners of the 4-door Grant, keenly interested in the novelty, shook their heads dejectedly. Like, they would have known that the five-door would come out so interesting, they would have waited with 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 mirror lenses (as, indeed, side windows) are less polluted.
At the rear, the novelty is decorated with more compact lights and a fog lamp built into the bumper. It is curious that in the basic configuration the car is devoid of a janitor. And that's why.
No need for dirt
The angle of inclination of the rear part of the body was carefully studied in terms of aerodynamics. At the same time, VAZ designers assure that the sloping rear glass in rainy weather it is perfectly cleared by air currents. That is why in the basic configuration "Standard" there is no rear wiper. On machines in the "Norma" and "Lux" versions, however, it is installed. Perhaps just to justify their higher cost?
However, this is nothing more than an "engineering and marketing" incident. Much more important is how the issue with body rigidity 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 project manager said Lada Granta Sergei Medinets, in the five-door the roof was reinforced, the floor in the middle of the cabin (near the legs rear passengers and under the rear seat cushion), the middle side member (in the area of \u200b\u200bfastening the levers rear suspension), the design of the middle spar amplifiers has been changed.
Why does the manufacturer position Grant with a fifth door as a liftback? Yes, it’s very simple - the “niche” of hatchbacks is already occupied, very similar to the Granta in design.
Pendant: which one would you like?
But the most interesting changes have occurred in the chassis of the five-door Grants. So, although the cars in the "Standard" and "Norma" versions received an improved suspension, the changes in it were reduced mainly to other settings. But in the performance of "Lux", the suspension of the liftback is significantly different from the sedan one: stabilizers roll stability both front and 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 corners, reduce rolls and buildup. The suspension of a luxury liftback is denser and more assembled than on a sedan, although, according to our interlocutor, the smoothness of the ride had to be sacrificed a little. And he himself ideal option for our roads, he considers the suspension in the “Standard” and “Norma” versions with conventional liquid shock absorbers and the same springs as on a sedan: “Such a car is not as accurate in reactions as a luxury car, but it “swallows” typical Russian road defects better ".
And finally new vacuum booster brakes, which received Lada Granta liftback. As a result, the pedal travel, according to our feelings, became less, and the force on it increases as braking is not as sharp as before. And in general, it has become more informative and accurate.
"Closer Effect"
It's nice that the VAZ engineers, working on the novelty, tried to fix the mistakes that annoy the owners of the "traditional" Grant body (the main claims were formulated by members of the clubs Lada owners Granta). So, noise isolation 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 automatic transmission. The improved manual transmission (it is exclusively cable-operated on the liftback) did not get rid of the characteristic noise.
In addition, the liftback received new front door stops, thanks to which the squeaks disappeared when opened, and even a “closer effect” appeared when closing. New seals appeared on the rear doors - half-open windows no longer rattle like on a sedan. From July, modified rear door locks will begin to be installed on the car - not so tight.
... And, as we have already said, a significant number of solutions applied in the liftback will also be adopted 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 wait for is a stiffer version of the suspension: it is made for a relatively young audience that prioritizes handling, not comfort. And for 2016, a 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 the novelties of the market.
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 for our readers an article-review of two popular types of car bodies: 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 developed? We answer the most frequently asked questions in this post.
In conditions of dense urban traffic, increased requirements are placed on the car - it must combine comfort and maneuverability.
Sedans, which in the 20th century almost reigned supreme on 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 was merged with the cabin;
- the rear overhang is significantly shortened;
- system has become the standard front wheel drive with a transverse engine.
New cars acquired the name hatchback ( English hatch = hatch) thanks to an innovative design with a rear door through which the luggage compartment was accessed. Today, cars of this type are produced both in 5-door and 3-door configurations, and are popular among Russian motorists.
Separately, it should be noted that such models are significantly better than a sedan suitable for novice drivers, because 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 an accident, the contents of the trunk can “fly” into the passenger compartment and injure passengers sitting in the rear seats. A special mesh covering the cargo compartment will help prevent an accident. Also, keep in mind that unpleasant odors from luggage can also lead to serious discomfort during a long ride.
Liftback - car-"transformer"
Liftback (literal translation from English - “rising ass”) 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, smoothly turning into a protruding trunk. Many liftbacks have two opening options tailgate- in whole or only the protruding part.
Such cars are most popular in the American market - it is for him that the giants of the automotive industry most often produce liftback variations. 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 passenger car, similar in characteristics and driving performance sedans from the same model range.
The differences between a liftback and a hatchback are as follows:
- The shape of the rear overhang, which makes the liftback look like a sedan;
- Door opening mechanism - liftbacks can be provided with 2 alternative ways access;
- 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 some 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 a new body shape, the passenger car received a modernized brake system and undercarriage. These changes are not strictly tied to the body, and over time, the domestic giant promises to transfer innovations to other representatives of the series.
For the domestic consumer, both hatchbacks and liftbacks are of interest as vehicles for urban conditions, which are much more convenient than a sedan due to their dimensions and design solutions.
Unlike Europe, where compact hatchbacks are traditionally the leaders in sales, such cars are not in great demand in our country. According to the results of the first quarter of 2016, the Russians bought more than 31 thousand B-class hatchbacks and liftbacks - a quarter less than in the same period last year. As a result, the share of this segment in the Russian car market was 10.4% against 11.5% a year earlier, according to the data of the Avtostat agency.
In Russia, one of the initial criteria in choosing a car is often the price and, of course, the options for operating the car in the future, says Dmitry Konstantinov, Sales Director of AvtoSpetsTsentr Group of Companies. According to him, because of its compactness, the hatchback loses to the sedan, although it has a trunk with better transformation. And given that the cost of a hatchback is usually higher than a sedan, then you can safely make a choice not in favor of a five-door.
Top 10 best-selling B-class hatchbacks and liftbacks (AUTOSTAT, Q1 2016)
| Model | Sales, pcs. | Change, % | |
| 1. | Lada Granta | 6365 | -60,2% |
| 2. | Renault Sandero | 5921 | -9,0% |
| 3. | 5556 | -10,3% | |
| 4. | Kia Rio | 3452 | -8,9% |
| 5. | Hyundai Solaris | 2988 | -20,7% |
| 6. | Lada XRAY | 2455 | |
| 7. | 1485 | -39,2% | |
| 8. | Datsun mi-DO | 1179 | -7,7% |
| 9. | Ford Fiesta | 953 | 50,8% |
| 10. | Lada Priora | 273 | -70,5% |
“In Europe, hatchbacks prevail because of their compactness (the convenience of parking on the streets of old European cities) and practicality. In Russia, people are more eager to demonstrate their social status when choosing a car, and the sedan body is perceived as more status. In addition, it should be noted that the share of all niche segments, including compact hatchbacks and liftbacks, is decreasing in the context of the economic crisis,” Kia Motors Rus states.
As you know, the main buyers of compact hatchbacks in our country are women. For example, Kia Rio with this type of body is most in demand among ladies (in the proportion of 60 to 40%), while the sedan of this model is mainly preferred by men (70 to 30%). Ford Sollers also notes a trend that women prefer Ford Fiesta hatchbacks, while men are more likely to purchase sedans. However, the target audience of such machines is quite diverse: these are young families with children, and summer residents. “In the trunk of a hatchback fits more things and bulky cargo than in a sedan. This property is useful for people who have a dacha. For families with children, a hatchback is more convenient in terms of transporting strollers and children's accessories,” says Yulia Tikhonravova, PR manager at Hyundai Motor CIS.
Granta for youth
In January-March 2016, the bestseller in the segment of hatchbacks and B-class liftbacks on Russian market became Lada Granta, although Hyundai Solaris was the leader in the model standings in terms of total sales. In the first quarter, Russians bought 6.3 thousand Lada Granta liftbacks (-60.2%), which accounted for a third of the sales volume of this model.
Popularity Lada sedans Granta is explained by the peculiarity of the target audience of this model, which is positioned by AVTOVAZ as people's car. According to Alena Bobrova, brand manager for Lada at Terra Auto Group of Companies, these are mostly middle-aged, family, low-income customers who buy a car instead of the “classic”, which is produced mainly in the sedan body. The liftback Lada Granta is aimed at a younger audience - often without a family, usually without driving experience (the first car). It is also worth considering that the sedan has a much wider choice of trim levels, for example, it is possible to buy a car not only with robotic box gears, but also with a Jatco hydromechanical automatic transmission.
In turn, the Granta liftback turned out to be more popular than the Kalina hatchback, whose sales in the first three months of 2016 amounted to about 1.5 thousand copies (-39.2%). As noted in the press center of AVTOVAZ, the liftback is a fairly rare body type in the automotive market, combining the advantages of both a sedan and a hatchback. In particular, it has a more spacious luggage compartment compared to a hatchback. BUT Lada Kalina hatchback is a classic compact hatchback aimed at connoisseurs of this particular body type.
With a claim to crossover
In the total sales of the "berry" family, the lion's share is occupied by the station wagon - it accounts for over 75% of the model's sales. According to Alena Bobrova, given the minimal difference in price compared to the Kalina hatchback and the tangible gain in the performance of the car, the choice of practical drivers becomes obvious. “Lada Kalina is the most affordable station wagon on the Russian market, which, in terms of its geometric proportions, is more like a roomy hatchback than a traditional station wagon. In addition, the station wagon has a Cross version, which accounts for most of the sales of this model, ”the AvtoVAZ press center commented.
Meanwhile, the new high hatchback Lada XRAY is rapidly gaining popularity, which launched on the Russian market in mid-February, and already in the first quarter of 2016 took sixth place in its segment with 2.4 thousand cars sold. Taking into account the fact that the model received an SUV-style design and increased ground clearance, AvtoVAZ positions the novelty as a compact urban crossover. Its main competitors are Renault Sandero and Sandero Stepway, hatchbacks Kia Rio and Hyundai Solaris, as well as the Lifan X50 crossover, says Alena Bobrova. At the same time, in her opinion, XRAY has every opportunity to push out its competitors due to the best price / equipment ratio.
By the way, the top ten best-selling B-class hatchbacks still include Lada Priora, whose production in this body type was discontinued at the end of last year. Meanwhile, dealers are selling the remnants of Priora hatchbacks, and in the first three months of 2016, 270 such cars found their buyers. It should be noted that in the family Lada Vesta, which replaced the Priore, the hatchback body is not planned. As explained in the press center of AVTOVAZ, at present the model range of two-volume Lada cars represented by hatchbacks Lada Kalina and XRAY, as well as liftback Lada Granta, which cover the needs of all consumer groups.
Most motorists are accustomed to the fact that there are sedans and station wagons. Later, a hatchback becomes a common body option - the first domestic hatchbacks were the Nines and Eights of the VAZ. The body of the Moskvich Izh Kombi car would be more correctly called a liftback, and the VAZ in the body of this type has recently begun to produce Lada Grants. Maybe the "Granta Liftback" got its name due to the fact that hatchbacks in model range enterprises are already represented in other families (Kalina, Priora). We will look at exactly how a liftback differs from a hatchback, as well as from a fastback, which is actually a sedan.
What is a liftback
The most interesting thing is that the liftback is a kind of hatchback: the trunk lid is combined with the rear window and is called the “fifth door”. But if you look at the liftback from the side, the car can be confused with a sedan - the rear ledge resembles a luggage compartment covered with a narrow metal strip (VAZ-21099). Actually, Skoda Fabia is a hatchback, while Skoda Rapid offered to the buyer in the back of a liftback. From the image in the photo you can understand what exactly is the main difference. And until recently, the domestic auto industry did not use the term "liftback", although cars in such a body were previously produced (Izh-2125 Kombi).
There are three body types that are two-volume: hatchback, liftback and station wagon. All of them differ only subjectively. The protrusion on the back door can be reduced, and we will get a hatchback from a liftback. And to get a station wagon, you need to lengthen the rear overhang. In station wagons off-road a semi-frame body structure can be used, but this does not change the essence - there are always two isolated volumes, as well as a rear “odd” door. Other two-volume bodies, except for the three listed, cannot exist (a curious exception is the Start minibus).
Sedan Variations
Four doors, one luggage and one engine compartment- it would seem that this scheme is the most rational. This is how you can characterize the body of cars, which was called "sedan". In fact, sedans are both four-door and two-door. The last of these options differs from the coupe body in this way: in a sedan, the rear seats are separated from the front ones at a considerable distance, not like inside a coupe. The coupe roof is usually sloping at the rear, and the sofa has to be placed very close to the front seats. Typical examples of a two-door sedan: BMW 3-series, "Zaporozhets" ZAZ-968.
By itself, the body class "sedan" in any case is three-volume. Let's say the side silhouette of such a body resembles a hatchback, as shown in the figure. Then, we see in front of us nothing but a fastback. In total, it turns out that a fastback is a sedan in which the rear window and trunk lid do not form an angle (they are on the same plane). A typical fastback sedan is the GAZ M-20 Pobeda.
In the 70s, two-door fastback sedans became classics of the American automobile industry. Such a body can be made stronger than a similar four-door sedan, so the so-called muscle cars are mostly assembled in a two-door body. Such cars are often referred to as the word "coupe", which is completely wrong from a formal point of view. Erroneous names (for example, "Ford Granada Coupe") have taken root perfectly in reality.
Mercedes, unlike the American auto industry, has never produced two-door sedans or fastbacks. Here the gradation of models looks like this: four-door sedans, then coupes and roadsters. Actually, even the B-class appeared in the arsenal of Mercedes not so long ago, and in terms of driving performance, these cars are inferior to A-class cars. Probably, a two-door fastback sedan, released under the Mercedes or BMW brand, would look interesting. But a sports car in the view of a European is a coupe car, and a family car, in turn, should be endowed with four doors.
Two-door sedan originally from the USSR
There are technologies using which it is not easy to make B-pillars. In such cases, preference is given to the following options: coupe, two-door sedan, three-door hatchback or liftback. In order for the structure to be strong, the body must be three-volume (sedan, coupe). If we are talking about a mass car, a sedan with two doors remains a suitable option.
The project of the Zarya car, which appeared in 1966, was developed by specialists from the Severodonetsk auto repair base. The body of this machine, made of fiberglass, was mounted on a metal frame. Unfortunately, it was not possible to implement the project to the end, that is, to reach significant output volumes. The production technology of fiberglass parts turned out to be too time-consuming. But the car shown in the photo, and other "plastic cars" developed in the USSR at different times, were just two-door sedans. Which is 100% consistent with the ideology discussed above.
Questionable types car bodies, for example: what is the difference between a liftback and a hatchback, what is the difference? Over the past two decades, domestic automotive market has expanded significantly, and many cars have appeared that are difficult to attribute to any type of body.
Specialists, of course, can easily attribute the body to a certain type, however, it is very difficult for a person who does not work in the automotive industry to do this. Therefore, this article will focus on considering the topic of differences between a hatchback and a liftback.
We will also try to determine for what conditions and purposes such bodies are made, why sedans, unusual for everyone, fill the roads so quickly. These body models are very common today, especially in cities. An unenlightened person will almost immediately attribute these models to the same class.
Hatchback in the city
What is the difference between a liftback and a hatchback, what is the difference? We begin to answer the question by considering the first type of body, namely the hatchback. Today, in a large city, you need to have a car that would provide maximum comfort and at the same time have excellent maneuverability. It can be noted that the last century is 100% rule of sedans on the roads, but with today's boom in cars, they are no longer so welcome in urban settings.
For example, you can often hear that, due to the length of the sedan, it is not always convenient to maneuver from lane to lane, and parking is not worth explaining.
How to get out of the problem related to the length of the machine? Automakers found a solution by radically changing the body of the car, namely:
- the trunk compartment was connected to the passenger compartment;
- at the rear, the car was greatly shortened;
- placed the engine transversely and made front-wheel drive.
Combination of trunk and interior bad only in one case: when the car has an accident, the contents of the luggage compartment flies into the passenger compartment.
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What is a liftback?
If you translate from English liftback, you get "lifting ass." This type of body is golden mean between the sedan and the hatchback discussed above. In contrast, the rear of the car is a smooth transition from the passenger compartment to the trunk section. The luggage compartment clearly protrudes from the rear of the car, unlike the hatchback.
The opening of the tailgate in liftbacks is organized in two ways: the entire door opens or only the part that is in the overhang. It is very difficult to distinguish a liftback from a sedan along the length of the car body.
Looking at the car from behind, we can already conclude that in a liftback, the rear glass smoothly enters the roof and is the main part of the trunk lid, and also, unlike the sedan, the slope of the glass is more gentle. It is very difficult to attribute the liftback to its own separate body class. Therefore, most automakers do not distinguish it as a separate representative of the body class.
So the manufacturers that started producing liftbacks wanted to announce the benefits of the new model over the sedan (more practical) and hatchback (more aerodynamic). The main assignment of the liftback title to the car takes place at the factory and mostly made in the USA, the rest of the majority classifies them as sedans. Compared to the domestic and European liftback market, the North American one is the most sought after. It is there that most of all liftbacks are concentrated.
Body difference
Undoubtedly, two body types belong to the class cars. In terms of their properties and characteristics, they are equivalent to sedans. Now let's compare them with each other:
- the liftback is very similar to the sedan due to its relatively long rear overhang;
- the hatchback has a one-volume body, i.e. the luggage compartment and the salon are combined into one whole space;
- the liftback has a couple of tailgate opening options;
- almost all liftbacks are two-volume, but there are also three-volume ones.
* in addition, read the article "".
These are the main differences that can be distinguished between these types of bodies. The differences, as it turned out, are very serious and now you definitely can’t confuse them with each other. In this article, we found out how a liftback differs from a hatchback, what is the difference between these bodies. If a hatchback can be immediately identified, then with a liftback this situation is less simple relative to a sedan.
Yet, as a separate type of liftback body, it is very difficult to distinguish, most people will attribute it to one or another more common type of body.