BMW 5-Series BMW 5-Series 2008 Volkswagen Golf / GTI Volkswagen Golf / GTI 2016

We are 103,000+ car owners sharing real-world car information.

Join Us

BMW 5-Series (2008) vs. Volkswagen Golf / GTI (2016) Specs

How powerful is the engine? How much room is in the back seat? Get the 2008 BMW 5-Series and 2016 Volkswagen Golf / GTI specs.

2008 BMW 5-Series and 2016 Volkswagen Golf / GTI Specifications

Model Year 2008 2016  
Model BMW 5-Series Volkswagen Golf / GTI  
Engine  
Transmission  
Drivetrain  
Body 4dr Wagon 4dr Wagon  
      Difference
Wheelbase 113.6 in 103.5 in 10.1 in
Length 191.2 in 179.6 in 11.6 in
Width 72.7 in 70.8 in 1.9 in
Height 58.7 in 58.3 in 0.4 in
Curb Weight 3659 lb. 3063 lb. 596 lb.
Fuel Capacity 18.5 gal. 13.2 gal. 5.3 gal.
Headroom, Row 1 37.6 in 38.6 in -1 in
Shoulder Room, Row 1 57.3 in 55.9 in 1.4 in
Legroom, Row 1 41.5 in 41.2 in 0.3 in
Headroom, Row 2 37.6 in 38.6 in -1 in
Shoulder Room, Row 2 57.2 in 53.9 in 3.3 in
Legroom, Row 2 36.0 in 35.6 in 0.4 in
Total Legroom 77.5 in (over 2 rows) 76.8 in (over 2 rows) 0.7 in
Cargo Volume, Minimum 17.6 ft3 30.4 ft3 -12.8 ft3
Cargo Volume, Maximum 58.3 ft3 66.5 ft3 -8.2 ft3

Return to top

What Our Members Are Saying about the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2008 BMW 5-Series

2008 BMW 5-Series Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
YearBody/PowertrainComment
2008 4dr Sedan 230-horsepower 3.0L I6
6-speed shiftable automatic RWD
The sport seats offer exceptional levels of adjustment. I especially like the extendable leg support and the tilt of the upper back. The lumbar in the sport seats adjusts in up and down as well. see full BMW 5-Series review
2008 4dr Sedan turbocharged 300hp 3.0L I6
6-speed shiftable automatic AWD
The comfort seat option is to die for. There is NO production automobile mfg that produces a seat that comfortable. see full BMW 5-Series review
2008 4dr Sedan turbocharged 300hp 3.0L I6
6-speed shiftable automatic RWD
Twenty-way adjustable seat. see full BMW 5-Series review
2008 4dr Sedan turbocharged 300hp 3.0L I6
6-speed shiftable automatic AWD
At 6-foot-6, I have enough legroom. see full BMW 5-Series review
2007 4dr Wagon 255-horsepower 3.0L I6
6-speed shiftable automatic AWD
best seats on the market today see full BMW 5-Series review
2008 BMW 5-Series Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
YearBody/PowertrainComment
2008 4dr Sedan 360-horsepower 4.8L V8
6-speed shiftable automatic RWD
A little tight in the rear, but it is a mid-size sedan. see full BMW 5-Series review
2007 4dr Sedan 360-horsepower 4.8L V8
6-speed shiftable automatic RWD
I cannot sit behind me. see full BMW 5-Series review
 

TrueDelta Reviews the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2016 Volkswagen Golf / GTI

2016 Volkswagen Golf / GTI Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
YearComment
2015 The original Golf revolutionized the automotive world by demonstrating how practical a small car could be. Though the latest, seventh-generation Golf is much larger than the original, and every major auto maker now offers a Golf-like compact, the Volkswagen continues to impress with its practicality. Let's start with the front seat. The seat itself is shaped and padded to provide nearly ideal comfort and support in daily driving. The performance buckets in the GTI and R have firmer bolsters that provide more lateral support, but the regular Golf's buckets are cushier and more comfortably contoured. The e-Golf uses the same exemplary seats. In comparison, the seats in the Soul EV are merely okay. The view forward from the e-Golf's driver seat is also about as good as it gets in a current compact, with a reasonably-sized instrument panel and an expansive, comfortably raked windshield flanked by relatively thin pillars. This said, some people might prefer the higher driving position in the quasi-crossover Soul EV. For me, a conventional car's lower position continues to feel more natural, especially in turns. Battery packs take up space. Even with the (roughly) 1.5-kWh battery packs used by hybrids cargo capacity usually takes a hit. In the Soul EV, rear seat legroom suffers a three-inch reduction due to the underfloor location of the car's 27-kWh battery pack. But VW engineers managed to design and package a 24-kWh battery pack so cleverly that the e-Golf's passenger and cargo room are identical to those of a regular Golf. Adults will comfortably fit in the car's back seat. The same can't be said about most other EVs--the Soul being a second exception. Even with the three-inch cut, the Kia's back seat is about as roomy as the Golf's. The i3's back seat is far tighter. Which EV treats its passengers best depends on the season. The e-Golf includes rear air vents, while the Soul EV+ includes rear seat bun warmers. Moving to the cargo area, the Soul EV's battery pack eats up a dozen cubic feet, leaving just under 50. The uncompromised e-Golf can contain a couple more. But these figures don't convey the differing proportions of the cars' cargo holds. The e-Golf's is a few inches longer, while the Soul EV's is a few inches taller. Which is the better cargo hauler depends on the shape of your cargo. The much larger Tesla Model S can hold a few more cubic feet, the Mercedes-Benz B-Class about the same as the e-Golf. No other EV comes close, especially not the 12-cube BMW i3. see full Volkswagen Golf / GTI review
 

What Our Members Are Saying about the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2016 Volkswagen Golf / GTI

2016 Volkswagen Golf / GTI Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
YearBody/PowertrainComment
2016 2dr Hatch turbocharged 210hp 2.0L I4
6-speed manual FWD
Difficult ingress and egress see full Volkswagen Golf / GTI review
 
See TrueDelta's information for all Sedans and Wagons.
See TrueDelta's information for all BMW models.