Model Year | 2015 | 2012 | |
Model | BMW 3-Series Gran Turismo | Mercedes-Benz GL | |
Engine | turbocharged 3.0L I6 DOHC-4v 300 hp@5800 300 lb-ft@1300 |
5.5L V8 DOHC-4v 382 hp@6000 391 lb-ft@2800 |
|
Transmission | 8-speed shiftable automatic | 7-speed shiftable automatic | |
Drivetrain | AWD | AWD | |
Body | 4dr Hatch | 4dr SUV | |
Difference | |||
Wheelbase | 2,921 mm | 3,076 mm | -1 mm |
Length | 4,826 mm | 5,095 mm | -1 mm |
Width | 1,829 mm | 1,930 mm | 0 mm |
Height | 1,509 mm | 1,839 mm | 0 mm |
Curb Weight | 1,819 kg | 2,515 kg | -1 kg |
Fuel Capacity | 60 L | 98 L | -38 L |
Headroom, Row 1 | 1,049 mm | 1,019 mm | 0 mm |
Shoulder Room, Row 1 | 1,402 mm | 1,481 mm | 0 mm |
Legroom, Row 1 | 1,067 mm | 1,024 mm | 0 mm |
Headroom, Row 2 | 973 mm | 1,031 mm | 972 mm |
Shoulder Room, Row 2 | 1,374 mm | 1,496 mm | 0 mm |
Legroom, Row 2 | 996 mm | 1,003 mm | 995 mm |
Headroom, Row 3 | 0 mm | 970 mm | -970 mm |
Shoulder Room, Row 3 | 0 mm | 1,283 mm | -1 mm |
Legroom, Row 3 | 0 mm | 869 mm | -869 mm |
Total Legroom | 2,062 mm (over 2 rows) | 2,896 mm (over 3 rows) | 0 mm |
Cargo Volume, Minimum | 518 L | 405 L | 113 L |
Cargo Volume, Behind R2 | 521 L | 1,240 L | 520 L |
Cargo Volume, Maximum | 1,600 L | 2,359 L | -1 L |
2015 BMW 3-Series Gran Turismo Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Comment | |
2014 | Though the latest 3-Series has a much roomier back seat than its predecessors, many people still find it insufficient for their needs, and step up to a midsize sedan or wagon such as the 5-Series or E-Class. Well, most of the 3-Series Gran Turismo's wheelbase stretch was put towards rear seat legroom, bumping it from 35.0 to 37.9 inches. Though a larger car, the E-Class has nearly four inches less total legroom--barely more than the 3 wagon, in fact. (But with a more comfortably positioned rear seat than the 3 wagon.) What the specs don't tell you is that the 3 GT's rear seat cushion, since it is positioned much higher than that in the wagons, provides better thigh support and a much more open view forward. To top it off, the 3 GT's rear seat back reclines. Here again, though, the E-Class wagon has a trick bonus: a rear-facing third-row seat. Though there's not enough headroom back there for anyone over 5-4, the seat is well-padded. If you want to seat seven in a pinch, the E-Class wagon is your only option with a sedan-like driving position (aside from the Tesla Model S). Update: this review originally stated that the 3GT has much more shoulder room than the regular 3-Series, and about as much as the E-Class. But it seems that the initial specs were inaccurate. The latest specs suggest shoulder room in the 3GT is about the same as that in the regular 3-Series. Its interior does feel significantly roomier, though, so the initial specs could yet provide the more accurate set. see full BMW 3-Series Gran Turismo review |
None of our members have yet commented on the seat room and comfort of the 2015 BMW 3-Series Gran Turismo.
2012 Mercedes-Benz GL Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Comment | |
2013 | The Mercedes-Benz GL-Class is just a little longer than the Audi Q7 (201.6 vs. 200.3 inches), and isn't as wide (76.4 vs. 78.1 inches). But the Mercedes is considerably taller (72.8 vs. 68.4 inches) and not nearly as curvy. Which might explain how it is far roomier than the much sleeker Audi. Combined legroom for all three rows is 107.6 inches in the Q7 vs. 113.8 inches in the GL-Class, a large difference. The Q7's space deficit grows the farther back you sit. For adults to even fit in the Audi's third row without extreme discomfort, those in the second row must slide their seats forward to the point that they are themselves short on knee room. While the new GL350's third row sits too low to provide thigh support, it's not nearly as cramped. Further evidence that Audi didn't intend the Q7's third row for frequent use: the second-row seat doesn't do a good job of getting out of the way, making the path in and out of the way-back perhaps the tightest I've experienced. The second-row seat in the GL-Class tips forward to open up a much wider path. If manually tipping the seat is too much of a chore (perhaps because you'e a five-year-old and haven't yet learned to read this), $400 buys a power assist. But even with this option the seat must be manually returned to its upright position, so the point eludes me. see full Mercedes-Benz GL review |
None of our members have yet commented on the seat room and comfort of the 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL.