Model Year | 2014 | 2014 | |
Model | BMW X5 | Subaru Outback | |
Engine | turbocharged 4.4L V8 DOHC-4v 445 hp@5500 480 lb-ft@2000 |
3.6L H6 DOHC-4v 256 hp@6000 247 lb-ft@4400 |
|
Transmission | 8-speed shiftable automatic | 5-speed shiftable automatic | |
Drivetrain | AWD | AWD | |
Body | 4dr SUV | 4dr Wagon | |
Difference | |||
Wheelbase | 115.5 in | 107.9 in | 7.6 in |
Length | 193.2 in | 189.0 in | 4.2 in |
Width | 76.3 in | 71.7 in | 4.6 in |
Height | 69.4 in | 65.7 in | 3.7 in |
Curb Weight | 5150 lb. | 3613 lb. | 1537 lb. |
Fuel Capacity | 22.4 gal. | 18.5 gal. | 3.9 gal. |
Headroom, Row 1 | 40.5 in | 40.8 in | -0.3 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 1 | 60.5 in | 56.3 in | 4.2 in |
Legroom, Row 1 | 40.4 in | 43.0 in | -2.6 in |
Headroom, Row 2 | 38.8 in | 39.3 in | -0.5 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 2 | 58.3 in | 56.1 in | 2.2 in |
Legroom, Row 2 | 36.6 in | 37.8 in | -1.2 in |
Total Legroom | 77 in (over 2 rows) | 80.8 in (over 2 rows) | -3.8 in |
Cargo Volume, Minimum | 22.9 ft3 | 34.3 ft3 | -11.4 ft3 |
Cargo Volume, Maximum | 66.0 ft3 | 71.3 ft3 | -5.3 ft3 |
2014 BMW X5 Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Comment | |
2014 | BMW's multicontour seats, a $1,300 option on six-cylinder X5s and standard with the V8, deliver a rarely matched combination of support in turns and comfort on long drives. In a reversal of traditional tendencies, the buckets in the Range Rover Sport feel firmer and less comfortable. Though you'll find a commanding view forward in either driver seat, the Range Rover Sport maintains an edge in this area. Unusually large windows are one thing that makes a Land Rover a Land Rover. see full BMW X5 review |
2014 BMW X5 Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Comment | |
Audi and Mercedes both offer much longer SUVs. At least until BMW fields an X7, the X5 is available with an optional third-row seat. Especially considering the size and price of the X5, said third row is absurdly tight, thinly upholstered, and difficult to access. The door openings are small, and the entire second row seat pivots forward and upward off the floor in an only partially successful attempt to compensate. To provide even minimal legroom for those using it, the second row must slide forward a few inches, to the point that its occupants find their own legroom severely compromised. Both rows are too low to the floor for adult comfort. The third-row seat optional in the Range Rover Sport probably isn't much better, and deletes the spare tire (not available on the BMW regardless). This might explain why it wasn't on the tested vehicle. If you want a usable third row, Land Rover offers the less stylish, but also much less expensive and roomier LR4. Shift focus to the second-row seat, and I found that in the smaller X3 at least as comfortable, and easier to get into and out of thanks to the more compact vehicle's lower ride height. That in the Range Rover Sport, though also not the roomiest or the most comfortable, is better than the X5's. see full BMW X5 review |
None of our members have yet commented on the seat room and comfort of the 2014 BMW X5.
2014 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 |
2014 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 |
2014 Subaru Outback Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
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 |
2014 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 |