Honda Accord (2011) vs. Volkswagen Golf / GTI (2017) Specs

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2011 Honda Accord and 2017 Volkswagen Golf / GTI Specifications

Model Year	2011	2017
Model	Honda Accord	Volkswagen Golf / GTI
Engine	3.5L V6 OHC-4v 271 hp@6200 254 lb-ft@5000	turbocharged 2.0L I4 DOHC-4v 292 hp@5400 280 lb-ft@1800
Transmission	5-speed automatic	6-speed automated manual
Drivetrain	FWD	AWD
Body	4dr Sedan	4dr Hatch
			Difference
Wheelbase	110.2 in	103.8 in	6.4 in
Length	194.1 in	167.5 in	26.6 in
Width	72.7 in	70.8 in	1.9 in
Height	58.1 in	57.2 in	0.9 in
Curb Weight	3553 lb.	3340 lb.	213 lb.
Fuel Capacity	18.5 gal.	13.2 gal.	5.3 gal.
Headroom, Row 1	41.4 in	38.4 in	3 in
Shoulder Room, Row 1	58.2 in	55.9 in	2.3 in
Hip Room, Row 1	56.6 in	0.0 in	56.6 in
Legroom, Row 1	42.5 in	41.2 in	1.3 in
Headroom, Row 2	38.5 in	38.1 in	0.4 in
Shoulder Room, Row 2	56.4 in	53.9 in	2.5 in
Hip Room, Row 2	54.3 in	0.0 in	54.3 in
Legroom, Row 2	37.2 in	35.6 in	1.6 in
Total Legroom	79.7 in (over 2 rows)	76.8 in (over 2 rows)	2.9 in
Cargo Volume, Minimum	14.0 ft³	22.8 ft³	-8.8 ft³
Cargo Volume, Maximum	14.0 ft³	52.7 ft³	-38.7 ft³

2011 Honda Accord Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2011	4dr Sedan 190-horsepower 2.4L I4 5-speed manual FWD	Another reason I'm glad I got the EX model. The power lumbar on the drivers seat is my backs best friend. Even after 16 hour days and 1100 miles, my back is fine. Excellent seats! see full Honda Accord review
2011	4dr Sedan 177-horsepower 2.4L I4 5-speed automatic FWD	6'4" and plenty of head and leg room. Leather seats and lumbar support fit me well. see full Honda Accord review
2010	4dr Sedan 177-horsepower 2.4L I4 5-speed automatic FWD	Spacing is good, material use is comfortable. see full Honda Accord review

2011 Honda Accord Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2010	4dr Sedan 177-horsepower 2.4L I4 5-speed manual FWD	Lumbar support is too aggressive, and it is non-adjustable in the LX model. I have gotten used to them, but they are nowhere near the same league as my previously owned Saabs and BMWs. see full Honda Accord review

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

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