[angott]

Because the Corolla Hatch already sells very little. The few units they manage to sell go to a very specific crowd looking for a sporty but affordable hatch.

At the Corolla price point, the hybrid versions are also meant for a crowd looking for good fuel economy. The sporty hatchback and fuel economy crowds do not overlap, because fuel-sipping hybrid engines have poor acceleration. And more generally the fuel economy crowd would prefer the sedan model, because it provides more interior room while using less gas than the hatch version.

[miragecraft]

I thought the sedan and hatch gas version has the same fuel economy, and isn’t the hatch useful for hauling large items?

If not a hatch, which model/car do I get for a cheap, reliable, fuel efficient car that can haul largish items?

[angott]

I used to own a Kia Soul. It was very spacious to carry around items. It was also fairly reliable and didn’t require any repairs beyond standard maintenance. However fuel economy wasn’t as good as a sedan. The boxy shape really impacts that, it’s all about aerodynamics. It’s cheap enough that you might be willing to overlook that, though.

[seanmcdirmid]

A utility vehicle like a Nissan cube or a honda element?

[miragecraft]

Both discontinued, the Cube was not rated as very reliable while the Honda Element has atrocious fuel economy.