Hatchbacks vs SUVs: Australia’s National Height Complex

Another year, another record number of SUVs clogging Australian roads like a Woolies carpark at 5:29pm. It seems our great nation has collectively decided that sitting higher makes us better drivers, or at least look like better drivers.

Because let’s be honest: half of Australia didn’t suddenly need off-road capability to conquer the Coles Express speed bump.

SUVs now make up roughly 60% of all new cars sold in Australia. Sixty. Per. Cent. You can’t throw a quinoa salad without hitting a small SUV named after a windy coastal town or an extinct animal. Kona, HR-V, CX-30, Taigo, T-Roc, T-Cross. It’s like a Pokémon roster for people who shop at Freedom Furniture.

The Numbers Don’t Lie (But They Do Make You Wonder)

According to VFACTS and FCAI data, SUVs are dominating so hard they’ve basically eaten the hatchback for breakfast. The Hyundai Kona sold over 15,000 units last year, which is wild considering most people couldn’t pick one out of a lineup of washing machines.

Meanwhile, the once-mighty Hyundai i30, the sensible Aussie hatchback hero, is bowing out after years of loyal service. You can still get an i30 N or sedan, but the classic hatch? Gone. Discontinued. Over-microwaved like last night’s leftovers.

So…are Aussies actually in love with SUVs? Or are we just too lazy to drop our bums six inches lower into a hatchback?

The Great Seat-Height Delusion

Apparently, we’ve all decided that a “commanding view of the road” is more important than handling, economy, or the ability to park in under four attempts. The higher seating position makes people feel safer, never mind that physics says otherwise when you’re cornering like a giraffe on rollerblades.

And here’s the kicker: most small SUVs (I’m looking at you, Kona, HR-V, CX-30) aren’t actually that much bigger inside than a hatchback. You’re paying a few grand more for the privilege of pretending you’re above it all (literally).

Want the same feeling for less money? Buy a booster cushion. $69 from Kmart. Ya frick’n welcome.

The Psychology of the Small/Medium SUV Buyer

Let’s call a spade a spade, there are two tribes here:

The Practical Operator (a.k.a. The Uber Driver)

• They want reliability, cheap running costs, and enough room for an Uber Eats bag and a disinterested passenger. For them, the SUV is fine. It’s an appliance on wheels.

The Perception Chaser (a.k.a. “The SUV Is My Personality”)

• They see the SUV as a statement piece. Slightly higher. Slightly shinier. Slightly more expensive than their neighbour’s Corolla. Usually paired with a designer coffee tumbler, a half-used Pilates membership, and sunglasses that cost more than a timing belt.

SUVs: Safe for You, Terrifying for Everyone Else

Let’s drop the sarcasm for a moment, SUVs do create a few real problems. Their size and height mean the potential for more damage in pedestrian crashes, more tyre wear, and more fuel consumption. Basically, every new SUV is one step closer to turning our cities into moving car parks.

Sure, you feel safer. But for the cyclist you didn’t see over your bonnet? Not so much (bad example, no one likes cyclists, carry on).

Depreciation: The Great Equaliser

Here’s where the humble hatchback still laughs last.

Because when it comes to resale value, hatchbacks tend to age better. They’re cheaper to fix, cheaper to run, and less likely to drop 40% of their value the moment someone sneezes on the new-car lot.

SUVs, meanwhile, are multiplying faster than Aldi’s middle aisle specials and with oversupply comes depreciation.

They’re the avocado toasts of the car world: great at the time, overdone by everyone, and somehow, more expensive than they should be.

The i30 vs Kona Conundrum - I think I $ee what’s happening here!

The Hyundai comparison, let’s talk turkey.

• Hyundai i30: The clever, humble, hard-working hatch. Easy to live with, sharp to drive, and usually great value. It’s the Toyota Corolla’s cool cousin who still remembers your birthday.

• Hyundai Kona: The small SUV that’s convinced it’s the centre of the universe. Slightly more space, slightly higher seat, significantly more marketing. You’re paying for posture, not practicality.

It’s like buying platform shoes when you could’ve just worn sneakers.

Maybe It’s Not an SUV Thing…Maybe It’s an Ego Thing

There’s something undeniably psychological about our SUV obsession. Maybe it’s the illusion of success, that buying something bigger makes us look like we’ve “made it.” Maybe it’s the false comfort of thinking higher or bigger = safer.

Either way, it’s worked. Australia’s roads now look like an episode of Tallest Wins.

The Final Verdict

SUVs aren’t evil, they’re just everywhere. But let’s not pretend they’re the sensible choice for everyone. Most Aussies don’t need off-road clearance to tackle a school-zone speed bump…unless you really, really don’t like kids.

If you love your SUV, great. Just don’t look down (literally) on the hatchback drivers, they’re saving money, using less fuel, cornering better, and parking without tears.

And to the rest of you sitting up high in your small SUVs, sipping an oat latte and feeling smug about your “commanding view of the road”… remember: you’re just one design cycle away from the next trend.

When that day comes, the hatchback drivers will be waving, from below, in smug, aerodynamic bliss.