Model Year | 2006 | 2015 | |
Model | Audi A4 / S4 | Subaru Outback | |
Engine | |||
Transmission | |||
Drivetrain | |||
Body | 4dr Wagon | 4dr Wagon | |
Difference | |||
Wheelbase | 104.3 in | 108.1 in | -3.8 in |
Length | 180.6 in | 189.6 in | -9 in |
Width | 69.8 in | 72.4 in | -2.6 in |
Height | 56.2 in | 66.1 in | -9.9 in |
Curb Weight | 3671 lb. | 3593 lb. | 78 lb. |
Fuel Capacity | 16.6 gal. | 18.5 gal. | -1.9 gal. |
Headroom, Row 1 | 38.4 in | 40.8 in | -2.4 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 1 | 55.1 in | 58.1 in | -3 in |
Hip Room, Row 1 | 0.0 in | 55.5 in | -55.5 in |
Legroom, Row 1 | 41.3 in | 42.9 in | -1.6 in |
Headroom, Row 2 | 37.6 in | 38.9 in | -1.3 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 2 | 53.4 in | 57.3 in | -3.9 in |
Hip Room, Row 2 | 0.0 in | 55.0 in | -55 in |
Legroom, Row 2 | 34.3 in | 38.1 in | -3.8 in |
Total Legroom | 75.6 in (over 2 rows) | 81 in (over 2 rows) | -5.4 in |
Cargo Volume, Minimum | 27.8 ft3 | 35.5 ft3 | -7.7 ft3 |
Cargo Volume, Maximum | 59.0 ft3 | 73.3 ft3 | -14.3 ft3 |
2006 Audi A4 / S4 Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2007 | 4dr Wagon turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4 6-speed manual AWD |
Great when I can take my husband and teenagers up to the mountains for a ski trip without any major complaints. see full Audi A4 / S4 review |
2007 | 4dr Sedan 255-horsepower 3.1L V6 6-speed shiftable automatic AWD |
Excellent for cruising but lateral support is sorely lacking for cornering. Needs power & memory for the tilt/telescope steering wheel. Good view out of and around vehicle. see full Audi A4 / S4 review |
2006 | 4dr Sedan turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic AWD |
Lots of room. see full Audi A4 / S4 review |
2005 | 4dr Sedan 340-horsepower 4.2L V8 6-speed manual AWD |
These are the most comfortable and supportive seats I have ever sat in and this includes luxury cars like the Lincoln Town Car. The extendable thigh support is a bonus. see full Audi A4 / S4 review |
2006 Audi A4 / S4 Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2007 | 4dr Wagon turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic AWD |
OK for kids, not really on for adults for a long journey. see full Audi A4 / S4 review |
2007 | 4dr Sedan turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4 7-speed shiftable CVT FWD |
What room? What comfort? Tight and cramped and incredibly firm. Zero leg room for average height adults. see full Audi A4 / S4 review |
2007 | 2dr Convertible turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic AWD |
Center console protrudes into the leg area while gas pedal is far over to the right. see full Audi A4 / S4 review |
2007 | 2dr Convertible turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic AWD |
Rear seats are really only good for children and pets. A grown person could never sit back there. This is expected for a convertible though. see full Audi A4 / S4 review |
2007 | 4dr Sedan 255-horsepower 3.1L V6 6-speed shiftable automatic AWD |
Limited leg room, especially during ingress and egress. Hump bisects leg room. Seat cushion needs to be 1-2 inches higher. see full Audi A4 / S4 review |
2007 | 4dr Sedan turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic AWD |
small rear seat like the 3 series see full Audi A4 / S4 review |
2006 | 4dr Sedan turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic AWD |
Back seat leg room and head room is pretty small. see full Audi A4 / S4 review |
2006 | 4dr Sedan turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4 6-speed manual AWD |
Sport seats were not provided to the US due to DOT crash testing regulations. This means the only seats available are the very flat and uncomfortable standard seats. Only the S4 has the Recaro option for the US. see full Audi A4 / S4 review |
2006 | 4dr Sedan turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4 6-speed manual AWD |
For tall passengers, the front seats will need to be pushed back in order to provide front leg room. Width of the cockpit side-to-side is not substantial. see full Audi A4 / S4 review |
2006 | 4dr Sedan 255-horsepower 3.1L V6 6-speed manual AWD |
not a lot of rear seat leg room, esp if tall person in front seats see full Audi A4 / S4 review |
2015 Subaru Outback Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Comment | |
2015 | Through the 2009 model year, the Outback (and the related Legacy sedan) had a tight back seat. Though marketed as a midsize car, it was actually a compact. The 2010 redesign dramatically expanded the Outback's interior, especially in the back seat. The 2015 redesign added another inch of shoulder room, such that the Outback (and Legacy) are now not only truly midsize, but rank among the roomiest midsize cars. Rear air vents are offered--in Outbacks with leather. So the tested car lacked them. Some compact crossovers, including the Cherokee, are about as roomy, but they achieve their specs through a more upright seating position. People in the back seat are closer to the front seats, so they don't feel like they have as much room even though they have just as much space for their legs. But they get rear air vents even in the lower trim levels. see full Subaru Outback review |
2015 Subaru Outback Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Comment | |
The front seats have an unusually high bulge just below my shoulder blades. This feels more odd than uncomfortable, at least to me. The driver's lumbar adjusts, but this affects the area below said bulge. Partly depending on your height your experience might vary. These seats also provide very little lateral support, which admittedly isn't much of an issue given the non-sporting character (and non-sporting tires) of the Outback. I had no such qualms with the armrest on the door. It's wide and cushy. In the front seats' favor, for 2015 Subaru has added fore-aft adjustability to the headrests, a rarity in recent moderately priced cars. The Jeep's cloth seats are too squishy, but they're more form-fittting than the Subaru's, and I find them more comfortable. see full Subaru Outback review |
2015 Subaru Outback Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2016 | 4dr Wagon 175-horsepower 2.5L H4 6-speed shiftable CVT AWD |
see full Subaru Outback review |
2016 | 4dr Wagon 175-horsepower 2.5L H4 6-speed shiftable CVT AWD |
see full Subaru Outback review |
2014 | 4dr Wagon 173-horsepower 2.5L H4 6-speed manual AWD |
The front seats are very comfy, and the seat heaters are powerful and warm up quickly. We compared the car to a 2014 Forrester, and we think the OB seats are more comfy-- they have more thigh support. see full Subaru Outback review |
2014 | 4dr Wagon 173-horsepower 2.5L H4 6-speed manual AWD |
The rear seats are much more comfy than in the old Outback. They took a couple of inches out of the cargo area to give the rear seat more room. The reclining seatback for the rear seats is a nice comfort as well. see full Subaru Outback review |
2015 Subaru Outback Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2014 | 4dr Wagon 173-horsepower 2.5L H4 6-speed manual AWD |
Minor complaint-- like every other Japanese car I've ever owned, this one also doesn't seem to understand that feet get cold. The heater is great- it provides lots of heat, and quickly. But when you you set it to floor, the hot air hits you in the lower calf, and then rises. The heat never makes it to your feet! see full Subaru Outback review |