[Shanti]

They should be proud it's one of the best hatchbacks of all times! I got told by two people who work for Mercedes Benz it is NOT a hatchback! One of them explained that it has not got the characteristics of a hatchback.
How come? Still beats me up to now. They clearly do not want to call it a hatchback.

Shanti

 

[wpv2000]

hatchback, at least in the states, has a history of being associated with the cheapest entry level model in the lineup.
coupe on the hand is synonymous to a sports car.

 

[hlea34]

i think wpv2000 sums it up well.........it is not that mercedes may be ashamed of the word hatchback but they do look at people's response to the word hatchback and try to use words that may seem more appealing for the majority of people they are trying to sell their product to........it's advertising. ........which of course doesn't mean that the word hatchback is a demeaning word, they just try to use words that more people would think would be more appealing. since the word hatchback to "some" people is more associated with more entry level cars, they want something different. it differs per person. maybe i don't prefer the word hatchback because when i think of hatchback, i start thinking of like the old, old honda civic hatchbacks which i don't like and have bad memories of....i don't think of the newer models that came out or whatever............... which can be cool looking like the VW golf, so it is just a preference of wording to different people.

 

[Shanti]

As long as we realize each brand has its own entry level. Thus Mercedes has a hatchback as well, VW has a hatchback, Kia has a hatchback - they do not exclude each other. Even literally hatchback IS a three door car. - like the kompressor. Coupe is a 2 dor car. So the kompressor IS NOT and CANNOT be a coupe unless they change the design and make a 2 door C class that will take over the same denomination. So they do not have a pertinent explanation.

The hatchback is not necessarily associated with Kia or cheap brands, but rather, entry level models - and not brands.
VW came for the first time with the notion of hatchback. To be classified as a hatchback they do not need to keep it below a certain horsepower limit.

AND THE C CLASS KOMPRESSOR IS NOT THE MOST POWERFUL HATCHBACK BTW. The Golf VR6 is more powerful that the kompressor, and the Golf R32 in spring will be WAY more powerful, maybe as these two summed up together. So given the design, it is a little abusive to call it otherwise just because our name is mercedes. The Mercedes hatchback! Affordable, and still MB quality! The Mercedes hatchback C230 Kompressor. Sounds great, and if they are afraid to call it this way, this is a sign of weakness.

Shanti

 

[Shanti]

Hatchbacks ... small ... compact ... midsize ... luxury ...

>(cuz doesn't it have more power than most hatchbacks?) -

most of the hatchbacks are not luxury hatchbacks.

So VW should have caled theirs otherwise, long before! Or they should call the Golf R32 with 350hp a formula1 because it has lots of power ... things like the power it has, the type of brand it is, all these do not influence the style or category of the car.


>I also think that some people think of hatchbacks with more of the entry->level vehicles like the Kia Spectra, honda civic hatchback, or the Ford >Focus, and Hyundai Accent ......

they make small and compact hatchbacks.



>which aren't really associated with more of the luxury categories like the >lexus, bmws, mercedes or whatever......

which will have their own hatchbacks ... luxury hatchbacks of course ... but if they decide to make them hatchbacks ... then ... hatchbacks they will be.

It is like we would stop calling the Eclass "sedans", since Mercury also makes sedans, and Ford and Kia and Hyundai or GM or Honda or Lada or Daewo uses the same denomination and it would be too shameful ... Mercedes ... in line with all these ...

And truth is, there are luxury sedans out there as well as there are small sedans or compatc sedans etc. Should we perhaps take out the word sedan from cars like mercedes ... or maybe Kia and their competitors should feel compelled to give up the word .... it is not a question of using it or not using it. However they call it they will create their own image through the car itself - they will be known to make poor hatchbacks or good and reliable hatchbacks ... that's all.

So now that I said the long story - the terms sedan, hatchback, SUV etc etc etc are neutral. We know in what differs a Kia hatchback from a Golf VR6 hatchback. So if they do not like to call the kompressor a hatchback, which it is until now, they would have to redesign the back and replace the hatch with a boot. I believe they will leave it a hatchback though. And I think it will be one of the best hatchbacks of all times.

 

[Shanti]

> advertising. ........which of course doesn't mean that the word >hatchback is a demeaning word, they just try to use words that more >people would think would be more appealing.

Again: it is as if they wrote on the back of C240 sedan, "CLK coupe"- because it is more appealing, and who cares what type of car it is after all. These things cannot be used as hyperboles for advertizing, they must be exact.

Given the three-door format, the C class kompressor is a HATCHBACK!

 

[hlea34]

you try to analyze most of what i say, it's just my opinion, not a fact. i just tell you what i think and i'm okay with criticism, but that doesn't necessarily mean that i am trying to make you think what i think.
why do you care so much about the word they want to use? if they want to call it a coupe, then they can call it a coupe. it's also a hatchback, then it's a hatchback. that doesn't necessarily mean they want to put that name in the car. geez. If you want to call it a hatchback, then by all means do so,it's just a name. that's like calling a zit a pimple or a zit a blemish, whatever you prefer, it's just kinda all the same or similar thing......it just semantics.
A hatchback can/may be a coupe, and a coupe can/may also be a hatchback, but notice how i use the word "can/may". the C230K is a two door car so they can call it a coupe.
I love my car no matter what the name is.
if you got the car, enjoy it.

 

[monymony]

I'm just happy to drive anything that has the word "Mercedes" in it

 

[hlea34]

I know! isn't it great!

 

[Shanti]

No, I love this car ... and I also feel you are right in a way.

And I have no doubts about the built quality. Maybe there is a different marketing team there, who knows what made them take this decision.

For me there still is a gap between a 230 Coupe and a 1.8L hatchback. Although it is my favorite car.

 

[clkdreamer]

it is a hatchback

i think it does look somewhat like a hatchback. it is modeled after the hatchback and the only reason they call it a coupe is because it has two doors. otherwise, it is a hatchback. the back pops up like one and if it looks like a hatchback then it must be one.