sportback

Sportback is a term used in the automotive industry to describe a five-door passenger car body style characterized by a rear roofline that slopes toward the tail and a liftgate-style trunk. The design combines the practicality of a hatchback with a more dynamic silhouette often associated with coupé-like styling.

Key features typically include five doors, a hatch-style rear opening, and a rear seating arrangement intended to offer comfortable passenger space and flexible cargo capacity. The roofline is usually more rakish than a conventional sedan, which can improve aerodynamics and styling but may reduce rear headroom and luggage volume compared with a traditional three-box sedan or a taller hatch.

Although the term is widely used in Europe, it denotes a class rather than a strict technical category. The best-known usage is Audi's A3 Sportback and A5 Sportback models, which popularized the name. Other manufacturers market similar configurations under different model names or also use the "sportback" designation to emphasize sportiness alongside practicality.

Sportback is often positioned between compact hatchbacks and premium fastbacks, appealing to buyers who want a more stylish profile without sacrificing everyday usability. It is distinct from a sedan, which typically has a separate trunk lid and less flexible cargo area, and from a two-door coupe, which lacks rear doors.