I was going to say you’re wrong, but apparently in the US you’re right! Very strange.

I think that is a US-specific thing.

For some reason US customers prefer sedans (maybe some of the reasons given by other commenters) and that has probably skewed the market a bit (e.g. hatchbacks are only sold at higher trim levels since they’re marketed as a niche product).

Edit to add: and maybe there’s a feedback effect too? Hatchbacks are more expensive because they’re less popular, so then they’re less popular because they’re more expensive.

I think you're right about the feedback effect. Imagine the tooling needed to make all the parts, and then spreading that tooling cost across either 10x vehicles or 30x vehicles. Lower-volume vehicles are more expensive, all things equal.

> I was going to say you’re wrong, but apparently in the US you’re right! Very strange.

Depends on brand. Kia charges the same either way.