Hyundai Santa Fe (2012) vs. Subaru Forester (2013) Specs

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2012 Hyundai Santa Fe and 2013 Subaru Forester Specifications

Model Year	2012	2013
Model	Hyundai Santa Fe	Subaru Forester
Engine	3.5L V6 DOHC-4v 276 hp@6300 248 lb-ft@5000	turbocharged 2.5L H4 DOHC-4v 224 hp@5600 226 lb-ft@3600
Transmission	6-speed shiftable automatic	4-speed shiftable automatic
Drivetrain	AWD	AWD
Body	4dr SUV	4dr SUV
			Difference
Wheelbase	106.3 in	103.0 in	3.3 in
Length	184.1 in	169.5 in	14.6 in
Width	74.4 in	70.1 in	4.3 in
Height	67.9 in	65.9 in	2 in
Curb Weight	4054 lb.	3440 lb.	614 lb.
Fuel Capacity	18.0 gal.	16.9 gal.	1.1 gal.
Headroom, Row 1	40.2 in	41.6 in	-1.4 in
Shoulder Room, Row 1	59.5 in	56.1 in	3.4 in
Hip Room, Row 1	55.8 in	0.0 in	55.8 in
Legroom, Row 1	42.6 in	43.1 in	-0.5 in
Headroom, Row 2	39.6 in	40.0 in	-0.4 in
Shoulder Room, Row 2	58.6 in	55.6 in	3 in
Hip Room, Row 2	55.0 in	0.0 in	55 in
Legroom, Row 2	36.8 in	38.0 in	-1.2 in
Total Legroom	79.4 in (over 2 rows)	81.1 in (over 2 rows)	-1.7 in
Cargo Volume, Minimum	34.2 ft³	33.5 ft³	0.7 ft³
Cargo Volume, Maximum	78.2 ft³	68.3 ft³	9.9 ft³

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TrueDelta Reviews the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe

2012 Hyundai Santa Fe Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year	Comment
2013	Nothing impressed me more about the new Santa Fe than the amount of combined legroom. With a length of 193 inches (2.5 more than the Veracruz), the new crossover is four inches shorter than a Nissan Pathfinder and over seven inches shorter than a GMC Acadia, yet you'll find more legroom in its second and third rows. On top of this, unlike in the Nissan and GMC (but like in the Veracruz, this hasn't changed) the second-row seat is comfortably high off the floor. Alas, all is not good in this area--check out the cons below--so I haven't rated it against the Pathfinder. see full Hyundai Santa Fe review

2012 Hyundai Santa Fe Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year	Comment
	As noted among the pros, you'll find abundant legroom in the Santa Fe. But shoulder room is a different story. The new Santa Fe's 74.2-inch width exceeds that of the typical compact crossover or midsize sedan, but is narrower than that of the Highlander, Veracruz, Pathfinder, Pilot, and Acadia by 1.0, 2.4, 3.0, 4.3, and 4.7 inches, respectively. For anyone seeking to sit three across in the second row (or who simply prefers the spacious ambiance of a wide vehicle in any row), the Santa Fe's consequently narrower interior could be the #1 downside of sharing as much as possible with the new two-row Santa Fe Sport. Then again, maximum shoulder room for three passengers is only an issue with the Santa Fe GLS. As mentioned in the preceding section, the Santa Fe Limited has standard captains chairs, and so can only seat six. Anyone seeking a full zoot crossover with seating for more people will have to shop elsewhere. see full Hyundai Santa Fe review

What Our Members Are Saying about the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe

2012 Hyundai Santa Fe Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2012	4dr SUV turbocharged 194hp 2.2L I4 Diesel 6-speed manual AWD	Seats are comfortable for my wife and myself, with more than adequate room, 3 people fit easily in the back. They have good foot room too. see full Hyundai Santa Fe review

2012 Hyundai Santa Fe Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2011	4dr SUV 276-horsepower 3.5L V6 6-speed shiftable automatic AWD	Short seats, not very supportive at the sides. Strangely lumpy backrest. see full Hyundai Santa Fe review

TrueDelta Reviews the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2013 Subaru Forester

2013 Subaru Forester Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year	Comment
2014	Beyond visibility, people buy crossovers to get more space for people and cargo. As in previous Subaru Foresters, the 2014's ceiling is cathedral-high. I could have worn a top hat inside. If you're very tall, and have been seeking a compact vehicle in which you'll easily fit, you've found one. If, on the other hand, you've been seeking expansive elbow room, the Honda CR-V has more of it. And legroom? A combined (first and second row) figure of 81 inches tops every other compact SUV, including the otherwise segment-leading Honda (79.6 inches) and Toyota RAV-4 (79.8 inches). The Chevrolet Equinox offers another tenth of an inch, but with a 188-inch length (vs. the Forester's 181) and 4,083-pound curb weight (vs. the Forester 2.5i's 3,366) it's not truly compact. Subaru has worked no such miracles with shoulder room. At 56.5 inches, the Forester's is typical of the compact crossover class. Add in a small driveline hump (absent in the Honda) and three adults won't happily share the rear seat for long. But how many car owners put three adult-sized people in the second row for long, anyway? Measurements don't tell the entire story. The Honda's rear seat cushion is too low to the floor to provide adults with thigh support, and its rear seatback can be reclined to only two nearly identical positions. In constrast, the Forester's passengers enjoy a comfortably high rear seat that reclines through a broader range. One negative for rear seat comfort: unlike the Ford Escape (but like nearly all other compact crossovers, including the CR-V), the Forester has no rear air vents. Thanks to the tall, square rear body, cargo space is also the best in the segment, though not by as large a margin as the rear seat. Up front, there are plenty of bins in which to stash your stuff. see full Subaru Forester review

What Our Members Are Saying about the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2013 Subaru Forester

2013 Subaru Forester Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2014	4dr SUV 170-horsepower 2.5L H4 CVT AWD	Huge rear seat for the car's size see full Subaru Forester review
2014	4dr SUV 170-horsepower 2.5L H4 CVT AWD	Excellent rear seat comfort and rear seats are 60/ 40 and easy to fold flat. rear seats also have recline function which is nice ... excellent leg room see full Subaru Forester review

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