Model Year | 2011 | 2017 | |
Model | Nissan LEAF | Volkswagen Golf / GTI | |
Engine | Electric 107 hp 207 lb-ft |
Electric 134 hp 214 lb-ft |
|
Transmission | 1-speed automatic | 1-speed automatic | |
Drivetrain | FWD | FWD | |
Body | 4dr Hatch | 4dr Hatch | |
Difference | |||
Wheelbase | 106.3 in | 103.8 in | 2.5 in |
Length | 175.0 in | 167.5 in | 7.5 in |
Width | 69.7 in | 70.8 in | -1.1 in |
Height | 61.0 in | 57.2 in | 3.8 in |
Curb Weight | 3366 lb. | 3455 lb. | -89 lb. |
Fuel Capacity | 0.0 gal. | 13.2 gal. | -13.2 gal. |
Headroom, Row 1 | 41.2 in | 38.4 in | 2.8 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 1 | 54.4 in | 55.9 in | -1.5 in |
Hip Room, Row 1 | 51.5 in | 0.0 in | 51.5 in |
Legroom, Row 1 | 42.1 in | 41.2 in | 0.9 in |
Headroom, Row 2 | 37.3 in | 38.1 in | -0.8 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 2 | 52.5 in | 53.9 in | -1.4 in |
Hip Room, Row 2 | 50.0 in | 0.0 in | 50 in |
Legroom, Row 2 | 31.1 in | 35.6 in | -4.5 in |
Total Legroom | 73.2 in (over 2 rows) | 76.8 in (over 2 rows) | -3.6 in |
Cargo Volume, Minimum | 14.5 ft3 | 22.8 ft3 | -8.3 ft3 |
Cargo Volume, Maximum | 0.0 | 52.7 ft3 | -52.7 |
2011 Nissan LEAF Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2012 | 4dr Hatch 107-horsepower Electric 1-speed automatic FWD |
The front and rear seats are very comfortable. The back can be cramped with three passengers. The SL has heated front and rear seats which works great and are needed as the car heater is very slow to initially get warm. The heated steering wheel is also a nice touch. The seat fabric is soft but the light color might not wear well. see full Nissan LEAF review |
2017 Volkswagen Golf / GTI Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Comment | |
2016 | As I've noted before (when reviewing the e-Golf), the seventh-generation Golf's front seats are shaped and padded to provide nearly ideal comfort and support in daily driving. The CX-5's driver seat also fit me well, but not quite as well as the Volkswagen's. Compared to other compact hatchbacks and its ancestors, the current Golf has a roomy rear seat. I can sit behind my 5-9 self with about five inches of air ahead of my knees. Unless unusually tall people populate both rows, the amount of space should be beyond adequate. Compare the Golf SportWagen's rear seat to that in the CX-5, and a funny thing happens. On paper, the Mazda provides about 3.5 more inches of legroom. When sitting behind myself in both vehicles, though, I had about half as much space ahead of my knees in the CX-5. I've noticed in the past that VW measures rear legroom very conservatively, and apparently they continue to do so. The Golf's interior is roomier than the official specs suggest. Plus its rear seat passengers get air vents. The Mazda's do not. This said, I'm not entirely comfortable in the Golf SportWagen's rear seat. To me it feels overly reclined. In neither the GSW nor the CX-5 is the degree of recline adjustable. It is in some compact crossovers. see full Volkswagen Golf / GTI review |
2017 Volkswagen Golf / GTI Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2016 | 2dr Hatch turbocharged 210hp 2.0L I4 6-speed manual FWD |
Difficult ingress and egress see full Volkswagen Golf / GTI review |