Hatch Heaven

The 1978 Datsun 510 hatchback was sporty and compact and had rare features like side-window defoggers. It was equipped with MacPherson strut front suspension for a nimble ride, a 5-speed stick for agile performance and achieved 35mpg on the highway and 25mpg in the city.

This 1973 Datsun Cherry 120A Coupe (hatchback) has got to have the best “car ass” ever. The rear vent (which I have to assume is fake) looks like the ones people now buy at the K-Mart auto parts section and stick them on their cars, often in triplicate. (image source: John Lloyd)

For as attractive as I find this 1973 Datsun Cherry Estate, there is nothing “estate” about it. It’s just a very cool hatch that looks very much like the original Honda Civics. (image source: John Lloyd)

Offcially, this 1976 Datsun Cherry F-II was called a coupe, but as you can clearly see, the rear opens like a hatch, which makes it a hatchback in my book. The 1977 Datsun Cherry FII Hatchback looked very different, but I like them both. (image source: John Lloyd)

The 1976 Datsun B210 Hatchback got 41 mpg highway and 29 city. It had a 1400cc high cam engine, matched to a durable 4-speed manual transmission, with an optional 3-speed automatic also available. It had standard fully reclining bucket seats and power assist front disc brakes.