Ford Taurus (2008) vs. Volkswagen Jetta (2012) Specs

vs.

◆

2008 Ford Taurus and 2012 Volkswagen Jetta Specifications

Model Year	2008	2012
Model	Ford Taurus	Volkswagen Jetta
Engine	3.5L V6 DOHC-4v 263 hp@6250 249 lb-ft@4500	turbocharged 2.0L I4 DOHC-4v 200 hp@5100 207 lb-ft@1700
Transmission	6-speed automatic	6-speed automated manual
Drivetrain	FWD	FWD
Body	4dr Sedan	4dr Sedan
			Difference
Wheelbase	112.9 in	104.4 in	8.5 in
Length	200.4 in	182.2 in	18.2 in
Width	74.5 in	70.0 in	4.5 in
Height	61.5 in	57.2 in	4.3 in
Curb Weight	3643 lb.	3157 lb.	486 lb.
Fuel Capacity	20.0 gal.	14.5 gal.	5.5 gal.
Headroom, Row 1	39.4 in	38.2 in	1.2 in
Shoulder Room, Row 1	57.8 in	55.2 in	2.6 in
Hip Room, Row 1	53.7 in	0.0 in	53.7 in
Legroom, Row 1	41.3 in	41.2 in	0.1 in
Headroom, Row 2	38.7 in	37.1 in	1.6 in
Shoulder Room, Row 2	57.5 in	53.6 in	3.9 in
Hip Room, Row 2	53.7 in	0.0 in	53.7 in
Legroom, Row 2	41.3 in	38.1 in	3.2 in
Total Legroom	82.6 in (over 2 rows)	79.3 in (over 2 rows)	3.3 in
Cargo Volume	21.2 ft³	15.5 ft³	5.7 ft³

2008 Ford Taurus Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2009	4dr Sedan 263-horsepower 3.5L V6 6-speed automatic FWD	Large enough, easy entry/exit see full Ford Taurus review
2008	4dr Sedan 263-horsepower 3.5L V6 6-speed automatic FWD	Outstanding interior space. I'm 6'4" with about a 34" inseam and I can sit comfortably in the rear when I have my front seat adjusted just so. With the driver seat all the way back, it's a stretch to reach the controls. see full Ford Taurus review
2008	4dr Sedan 263-horsepower 3.5L V6 6-speed automatic FWD	Three adults can sit in the back and there knees will not touch the front seats nor will there heads touch the ceiling. The seats are very comfortable. Noise is very low and the car has two vents blowing air or heat. see full Ford Taurus review
2008	4dr Sedan 263-horsepower 3.5L V6 6-speed automatic FWD	Very roomy and confortable see full Ford Taurus review
2008	4dr Sedan 263-horsepower 3.5L V6 6-speed automatic AWD	Good driving position, steering wheel design and arm rests. see full Ford Taurus review
2008	4dr Sedan 263-horsepower 3.5L V6 6-speed automatic FWD	Taller people ride in comfort, with ample room for long legs, even when the front seats are back. The fact that they also fold down adds tremendous versatility to this car. see full Ford Taurus review
2008	4dr Sedan 263-horsepower 3.5L V6 6-speed automatic FWD	Tons of room, with an open feel. see full Ford Taurus review

2012 Volkswagen Jetta Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year	Comment
2013	The Jetta is a little longer than the ILX (182 vs. 179 inches), and all of the additional inches appear to have gone into the rear seat. While the average adult will barely fit into the back seat of the Acura (those over 5-9 will be on close terms with the headliner), the Jetta has significantly more rear headroom and more rear legroom than the average midsize sedan, much less the average compact. If you like a roomy rear seat, you'll love the Jetta. Room is one thing, comfort another. The rear seat feels overly hard, and neither the cushion nor the backrest was set at a comfortable angle for me. Clearly some German engineer found these angles optimal, though. So maybe it's just me. see full Volkswagen Jetta review

2012 Volkswagen Jetta Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2011	4dr Sedan 115-horsepower 2.0L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	While the Jetta is extremely roomy and comfortable, the center console is slightly too close and can interfere with the driver's right knee and calf. see full Volkswagen Jetta review

See TrueDelta's information for all Sedans

See TrueDelta's information for all Ford models.