Model Year | 2014 | 2016 | |
Model | BMW X3 | Subaru Outback | |
Engine | turbocharged 3.0L I6 DOHC-4v 300 hp@5800 300 lb-ft@1300 |
3.6L H6 DOHC-4v 256 hp@6000 247 lb-ft@4400 |
|
Transmission | 8-speed shiftable automatic | 6-speed shiftable CVT | |
Drivetrain | AWD | AWD | |
Body | 4dr SUV | 4dr Wagon | |
Difference | |||
Wheelbase | 110.6 in | 108.1 in | 2.5 in |
Length | 183.0 in | 189.6 in | -6.6 in |
Width | 74.1 in | 72.4 in | 1.7 in |
Height | 65.4 in | 66.1 in | -0.7 in |
Curb Weight | 4222 lb. | 3810 lb. | 412 lb. |
Fuel Capacity | 17.7 gal. | 18.5 gal. | -0.8 gal. |
Headroom, Row 1 | 40.7 in | 40.8 in | -0.1 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 1 | 57.3 in | 58.1 in | -0.8 in |
Hip Room, Row 1 | 0.0 in | 55.5 in | -55.5 in |
Legroom, Row 1 | 39.9 in | 42.9 in | -3 in |
Headroom, Row 2 | 39.1 in | 38.9 in | 0.2 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 2 | 56.0 in | 57.3 in | -1.3 in |
Hip Room, Row 2 | 0.0 in | 55.0 in | -55 in |
Legroom, Row 2 | 36.8 in | 38.1 in | -1.3 in |
Total Legroom | 76.7 in (over 2 rows) | 81 in (over 2 rows) | -4.3 in |
Cargo Volume, Minimum | 27.6 ft3 | 35.5 ft3 | -7.9 ft3 |
Cargo Volume, Maximum | 63.3 ft3 | 73.3 ft3 | -10 ft3 |
2014 BMW X3 Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Comment | |
2013 | Thanks partly to power-adjustable side bolsters, the X3's optional sport seats are both supportive and comfortable. They're firm where you want them to be firm, yet (unlike those in the Audi and Mercedes-Benz) cushy where you want them to be cushy. The Volvo XC60's seats are also very comfortable, but can't quite match the BMW's lateral support. You sit substantially higher than in a BMW sedan, both relative to the ground and to the instrument panel. The windshield is more distant than in the original X3, making the current one seem considerably larger, but it remains more upright than in most recently designed crossovers. The forward visibility many people buy a crossover to get can be gotten here. Rear seat legroom increased by an inch with the 2011 redesign, and is now competitive. A couple of adults will fit, so there's no compelling functional reason to step up to the X5 unless you require tall people to be comfortable back there. see full BMW X3 review |
None of our members have yet commented on the seat room and comfort of the 2014 BMW X3.
2016 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 |
2016 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 |
2016 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 |