Which is why, at the upcoming Paris Motor Show, GM will unveil a hatchback version of the Cruze. Only one problem: There are no plans to bring it to the U.S., and Rick Kranz over at Automotive News wants to know why.

Of course, the easy answer is that hatchbacks don't sell in the U.S. That's the common wisdom, though Kranz doesn't buy it (neither do I, for that matter). As Kranz notes, Chevy people are saying the major competitors for the Cruze will be the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla; neither offers a hatch version, true, but where's the mention of the popular Ford Focus -- the upcoming 2012 lineup for which will indeed offer a hatch? Isn't it in GM's best interest, with a car as important as the Cruze, to go head-to-head with the best new small offering from Ford?

I also agree with Kranz that the 5-door version of the Cruze is far better-looking than the sedan, and I'm pretty sick of hearing we can't have various small cars -- especially hatches -- because we won't buy them. I guess the VW Golf and GTI, Audi A3, Ford Fiesta and MINI Cooper are all getting it wrong somehow; they just don't know it yet.