New 2022 Hatchbacks Under $30,000

Added cargo-hauling utility at a reasonable price can make hatchbacks under $30,000 appealing to a wide range of shoppers.

Andrew Ganz | 

Feb 7, 2022 | 3 min read

Volkswagen 

Added cargo-hauling utility at a reasonable price can make hatchbacks under $30,000 especially appealing.

Hatchback models generally combine compact-car dimensions, handling, and equipment with significantly larger trunks that can accommodate both larger and more numerous items than comparable four-door vehicles. In most cases, a hatchback version of a compact sedan only costs slightly more.

Here's a look at three hatchback models that are new, recently redesigned, or freshly updated for the 2022 model year—and priced below $30,000.

A note on our methodology: The prices listed are for base models that do not include additional options but do include the mandatory destination charges that cover the cost of shipping a vehicle from an assembly plant to a dealership. Though they often can change over the course of a year, the approximate pricing usually stays accurate for longer.

Honda

2022 Honda Civic Hatchback

In redesigning its Civic hatchback for 2022, Honda has positioned the more practical version of this compact car as a sporty choice. It's the only mainstream version of the Civic available with a 6-speed manual transmission and a zippy 180-hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which is optional.

The base Civic LX hatchback comes only with a 158-hp four-cylinder, which is linked to a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) aimed at delivering good maximum fuel economy and is the price leader at about $24,000. The roughly $25,000 Civic Sport hatchback adds racier styling and is available with a manual transmission or a CVT. Adding leather seats, blind-spot monitors, and a moonroof, the Civic EX-L hatchback at about $28,500 offers a dose of luxury for a reasonable price.

No matter the trim level, the Civic has a spacious interior with good cargo utility. With the rear seat upright, the Civic hatchback offers nearly 25 cu.-ft. of cargo space, about 10 cu.-ft. more than you'll find in the Civic sedan.

BMW

2022 MINI Cooper

A modern icon full of retro touches, the MINI Cooper delivers sporty handling with the added appeal of a turbocharged punch. For 2022, MINI refreshed its smallest model with new front and rear bumpers designed to improve aerodynamics plus revised wheel designs, additional paint colors, and a tweaked lineup with a new, low-cost model.

Priced just a smidgen over $20,000 to start, the MINI Cooper Oxford Edition is a new, entry-level version that is absolutely loaded with features: automatic transmission, glass moonroof, and an 8.8-inch touchscreen. A four-door version doesn't change the car's character, but it adds passenger utility for an extra $1,000.

Other models in the MINI Cooper lineup begin at just under $23,000, though the sky is nearly the limit since this brand prides itself on offering a massive array of trim levels and extra-cost options. Budget accordingly!

Volkswagen

2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI

The sporty Volkswagen Golf GTI was just redesigned for the 2022 model year, and it now serves as the entry to the Golf lineup. This four-door hatchback is a high-tech model with an added dose of practicality for about $30,000. Under the hood, you'll find a 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder rated at an impressive 241 hp, which spins the front wheels via a 6-speed manual transmission (though an automatic is optional).

The Golf GTI is no slacker when it comes to features, with a digital instrument cluster, an infotainment screen with standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, and both front and rear parking sensors. Its plaid cloth interior is both expressive and an homage to GTI models of yore.

Each of these three new hatchbacks under $30,000 offers a high-personality, high-practicality driving experience.

Andrew Ganz

Andrew has been hooked on cars since his mother coaxed him into naps by driving him around in her rattly old diesel Mercedes-Benz. Perhaps it was the diesel fumes that lulled him to sleep. Either way, he has since parlayed his automotive enthusiasm into a decades-long career as a journalist writing for such well-known sites as Auto Express, Autoblog, Car and Driver, Leftlane News, Motor1, Motor Authority, and The Car Connection, not to mention numerous classic-car publications. When he's not researching cars, he's probably working on one — though he has yet to own a diesel Mercedes. Off to the classifieds he goes.