FNG here. I have always wanted an EK Hatch. Wellll, this past week presented me with an opportunity to finally get one. I've got a 98 LX 5spd car that I have owned for quite a few years now. It is a great car, rust free, a tank through the snow with its winter tires, and great fun... Otherwise stock it's only got a long tube header, stock B-Pipe, and a factory style muffler, an air silencer delete, and some poly motor mounts...

Anyways, I love the car, it serves me very well.. But I met a guy who wants a Civic that not everyone else has - and he'd love a 5spd Sedan instead of his EK Hatch (CX) that has a Y8 swap and GSR brakes all around...

I'm very much so contemplating the trade, but I am wondering... The biggest selling point of the hatches is the rear cargo space, as I have two dogs (rescues....a german shepherd and a pitbull) that would love a bit of extra room to stretch out with flat surface VS the back seat of the sedan... How much room is actually back there? Is it as much as it looks? I know the cars themselves are ~10-11" shorter, but it still seems like there would be more room from what I have seen.....


But really, how much can you really bit back there with the seats flat?

Back seat doesn't really get used for anything other than that. It's just my wife and I and most of the time it's just me in it going too and from work, and I know how these cars drive sooo that doesn't concern me at all.. Just looking for a bit more usable space (that and it'd be fun to have a hatch to do up right....) Thanks in advance.

 

The biggest two beefs i have with the hatchback are...

- they tend to rust in the rear quarters more than coups and sedans
- the are all base models, no power options or sunroof

 

True. This one has been swapped for power windows which I forgot to mention.

The rust thing is also true. My sedan is totally rust free. But I do manage a body shop so if/when the rust begins on the 1/4s of a hatch I can take care of it pretty quickly.

 

Well you seem to have the cons covered espesically when it comes to the body shop if thats the car you really want then get it. Good luck

 

I really think it is what I want, I am just trying to get opinions on how large the back seat/cargo area really truly is. I know on EG's it never seemed very big....but IIRC EK's are larger than their EG hatch counter part.

 

While the trunk in your sedan will be bigger than the 'cargo area' in the hatch, there will be more room for the dogs in the hatch with the seat folded down. I loved my 96 hatch when I had it...

And I disagree with Deetz's comments. I don't think hatches rusted any quicker than coupes or sedans. We're also talking about the EK chassis platform, not the EG which are wayyyyyy more notorious for rusting out.

My .02, do it!