Model Year | 2012 | 2014 | |
Model | Hyundai Sonata | Subaru Outback | |
Engine | turbocharged 2.0L I4 DOHC-4v 274 hp@6000 269 lb-ft@1750 |
3.6L H6 DOHC-4v 256 hp@6000 247 lb-ft@4400 |
|
Transmission | 6-speed shiftable automatic | 5-speed shiftable automatic | |
Drivetrain | FWD | AWD | |
Body | 4dr Sedan | 4dr Wagon | |
Difference | |||
Wheelbase | 110.0 in | 107.9 in | 2.1 in |
Length | 189.8 in | 189.0 in | 0.8 in |
Width | 72.2 in | 71.7 in | 0.5 in |
Height | 57.9 in | 65.7 in | -7.8 in |
Curb Weight | 3338 lb. | 3613 lb. | -275 lb. |
Fuel Capacity | 18.5 gal. | 18.5 gal. | 0 gal. |
Headroom, Row 1 | 40.0 in | 40.8 in | -0.8 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 1 | 57.9 in | 56.3 in | 1.6 in |
Hip Room, Row 1 | 55.2 in | 0.0 in | 55.2 in |
Legroom, Row 1 | 45.5 in | 43.0 in | 2.5 in |
Headroom, Row 2 | 37.8 in | 39.3 in | -1.5 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 2 | 56.7 in | 56.1 in | 0.6 in |
Hip Room, Row 2 | 54.9 in | 0.0 in | 54.9 in |
Legroom, Row 2 | 34.6 in | 37.8 in | -3.2 in |
Total Legroom | 80.1 in (over 2 rows) | 80.8 in (over 2 rows) | -0.7 in |
Cargo Volume, Minimum | 16.4 ft3 | 34.3 ft3 | -17.9 ft3 |
Cargo Volume, Maximum | 16.4 ft3 | 71.3 ft3 | -54.9 ft3 |
2012 Hyundai Sonata Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Comment | |
2013 | According to the EPA's classification system, the Hyundai Sonata is actually a large car. You wouldn't guess this while sitting in the front seat. A steeply raked windshield and cockpit-like instrument panel design cut into actual roominess, and perceived roominess even more. The Sonata's firm front buckets could use more form-fitting contouring. Though not uncomfortable, they are the least comfortable buckets in this threesome. In the back seat, six-foot passengers' scalps might graze the headliner, but knee room is generous. There's a bit more room and a more comfortably padded and positioned rear seat cushion inside the Altima. But the Mazda6's rear seat is at least as low to the floor as the Sonata's and includes a couple inches less knee room. So the Hyundai has a slight edge over the Mazda. see full Hyundai Sonata review |
2012 Hyundai Sonata Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2013 | 4dr Sedan 200-horsepower 2.4L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD |
The front driver seat is supportive yet firm and the power adjustments guarantee you'll get the right driving position for you. The heated seat feature is great on a cold morning too. see full Hyundai Sonata review |
2011 | 4dr Sedan 198-horsepower 2.4L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD |
Big enough for 6 feet 2 inch man. see full Hyundai Sonata review |
2012 Hyundai Sonata Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2013 | 4dr Sedan 198-horsepower 2.4L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD |
Ride is comfortable but after about 2 or 3 hours, the leather seats get a bit hard on the butt. see full Hyundai Sonata review |
2012 | 4dr Sedan 198-horsepower 2.4L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD |
Have the Limited with leather heated seats. They are not as comfortable as expected. The seat bolsters are a little tight for my back side. see full Hyundai Sonata review |
2011 | 4dr Sedan turbocharged 274hp 2.0L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD |
Although adequate, long drives with more than two people in the car would be cramped. see full Hyundai Sonata review |
2011 | 4dr Sedan 198-horsepower 2.4L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD |
uncomfortable - back pain see full Hyundai Sonata review |
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 |