Model Year | 2013 | 2017 | |
Model | BMW X3 | Volkswagen Golf / GTI | |
Engine | turbocharged 3.0L I6 DOHC-4v 300 hp@5800 300 lb-ft@1300 |
turbocharged 2.0L I4 DOHC-4v 292 hp@5400 280 lb-ft@1800 |
|
Transmission | 8-speed shiftable automatic | 6-speed automated manual | |
Drivetrain | AWD | AWD | |
Body | 4dr SUV | 4dr Wagon | |
Difference | |||
Wheelbase | 110.6 in | 103.5 in | 7.1 in |
Length | 183.0 in | 179.6 in | 3.4 in |
Width | 74.1 in | 70.8 in | 3.3 in |
Height | 65.4 in | 58.3 in | 7.1 in |
Curb Weight | 4222 lb. | 3440 lb. | 782 lb. |
Fuel Capacity | 17.7 gal. | 13.2 gal. | 4.5 gal. |
Headroom, Row 1 | 40.7 in | 38.6 in | 2.1 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 1 | 57.3 in | 55.9 in | 1.4 in |
Legroom, Row 1 | 39.9 in | 41.2 in | -1.3 in |
Headroom, Row 2 | 39.1 in | 38.6 in | 0.5 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 2 | 56.0 in | 53.9 in | 2.1 in |
Legroom, Row 2 | 36.8 in | 35.6 in | 1.2 in |
Total Legroom | 76.7 in (over 2 rows) | 76.8 in (over 2 rows) | -0.1 in |
Cargo Volume, Minimum | 27.6 ft3 | 30.4 ft3 | -2.8 ft3 |
Cargo Volume, Maximum | 63.3 ft3 | 66.5 ft3 | -3.2 ft3 |
2013 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 2013 BMW X3.
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 |