I also found its 5-doors to be quite handy; a 3-door hatch comes standard. Life is easier when a door can be opened instead of folding forward a front seat and squeezing friends into the rear. In addition, the version at my disposal featured power door locks, letting me access all doors with two turns of the key to the right.
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| The interior of the Hatchback is definitely not lacking in room, and the 5-doors make utilizing it a dream. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press) |
The Hatchback's interior is roomy, yes roomy. Headroom? There's a lot. My 6'4" boyfriend - yes he's a good one so I'm keeping him around - had no comfort issues. Also, visual range is excellent. The windshield is large and on angled for an excellent forward view. When checking my blind spots, nothing obstructed my vision. However, the C-pillars in the back are a little thick, making it hard to see some objects while backing up. But the feeling of having a sturdy roof over my head overcompensated for any real problems.
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| Similar to the Echo sedan and coupe, the hatchback version has a center-mounted gauge cluster. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press) |
On the topic of vision, the gauge cluster is center-mounted. This is the same setup as the Echo sedan/coupe and new Saturn Ion. I still can't say that I'm a whole-hearted fan of the setup yet, but it definitely does open up the field of vision directly in front of the driver. Hey, maybe I'm warming up to it.
Comfort is another strong point. It's a great car to just sit back and relax in, while paying attention to the road! The 3-Spoke steering wheel was a treat for my fingers and hands. The grooves located at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions were exceptionally well positioned, and it looks good too. The front seats are bucket style and oh-so-cozy. They have good lumbar support and are chiropractic and comfortable at the same time. The upholstered cloth, while nice looking, is also very cushy for the tushy.
