Kia Forte (2015) vs. Volkswagen Golf / GTI (2016) Specs
How powerful is the engine? How much room is in the back seat? Get the 2015 Kia Forte and 2016 Volkswagen Golf / GTI specs.
2015 Kia Forte and 2016 Volkswagen Golf / GTI Specifications
| Model Year |
2015 |
2016 |
|
| Model |
Kia Forte |
Volkswagen Golf / GTI |
|
| Engine |
|
|
|
| Transmission |
|
|
|
| Drivetrain |
|
|
|
| Body |
4dr Hatch |
4dr Hatch |
|
| |
|
|
Difference |
| Wheelbase |
106.3 in |
103.8 in |
2.5 in |
| Length |
171.3 in |
167.5 in |
3.8 in |
| Width |
70.1 in |
70.8 in |
-0.7 in |
| Height |
57.1 in |
57.2 in |
-0.1 in |
| Curb Weight |
3045 lb. |
2963 lb. |
82 lb. |
| Fuel Capacity |
13.2 gal. |
13.2 gal. |
0 gal. |
| Headroom, Row 1 |
39.4 in |
38.4 in |
1 in |
| Shoulder Room, Row 1 |
56.1 in |
55.9 in |
0.2 in |
| Hip Room, Row 1 |
53.0 in |
0.0 in |
53 in |
| Legroom, Row 1 |
42.2 in |
41.2 in |
1 in |
| Headroom, Row 2 |
38.7 in |
38.1 in |
0.6 in |
| Shoulder Room, Row 2 |
54.9 in |
53.9 in |
1 in |
| Hip Room, Row 2 |
53.1 in |
0.0 in |
53.1 in |
| Legroom, Row 2 |
35.9 in |
35.6 in |
0.3 in |
| Total Legroom |
78.1 in (over 2 rows) |
76.8 in (over 2 rows) |
1.3 in |
| Cargo Volume, Minimum |
23.2 ft3 |
22.8 ft3 |
0.4 ft3 |
| Cargo Volume, Maximum |
56.4 ft3 |
52.7 ft3 |
3.7 ft3 |
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TrueDelta Reviews the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2015 Kia Forte
| 2014 |
People who need a roomy rear seat don't often buy coupes. So with the Civic Si the coupe is an inch and a half shorter (in both height and length) than the sedan, which translates to nearly three inches less headroom and nearly five inches less legroom in back, making it a very tight fit for even modestly sized adults.
Those who do want a roomy rear seat in their coupe will be much happier with the Forte. Compared to the sedan, Kia shaved the Koup's roofline an inch but kept the wheelbase the same. Sitting behind my 5-9 self, I had about an inch of clearance over my head and a hand's-width ahead of my knees.
Switch to the four-door body styles, and both cars are about equally roomy in back. But only Forte rear seat passengers enjoy rear air vents--in every body style.
see full Kia Forte review |
What Our Members Are Saying about the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2015 Kia Forte
| 2014 |
4dr Sedan 148-horsepower 1.8L I4
6-speed shiftable automatic FWD |
One of the best of his kind. Almost unbeatable for a car of this price.
see full Kia Forte review |
TrueDelta Reviews the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2016 Volkswagen Golf / GTI
| 2015 |
The original Golf revolutionized the automotive world by demonstrating how practical a small car could be. Though the latest, seventh-generation Golf is much larger than the original, and every major auto maker now offers a Golf-like compact, the Volkswagen continues to impress with its practicality.
Let's start with the front seat. The seat itself is shaped and padded to provide nearly ideal comfort and support in daily driving. The performance buckets in the GTI and R have firmer bolsters that provide more lateral support, but the regular Golf's buckets are cushier and more comfortably contoured. The e-Golf uses the same exemplary seats. In comparison, the seats in the Soul EV are merely okay.
The view forward from the e-Golf's driver seat is also about as good as it gets in a current compact, with a reasonably-sized instrument panel and an expansive, comfortably raked windshield flanked by relatively thin pillars. This said, some people might prefer the higher driving position in the quasi-crossover Soul EV. For me, a conventional car's lower position continues to feel more natural, especially in turns.
Battery packs take up space. Even with the (roughly) 1.5-kWh battery packs used by hybrids cargo capacity usually takes a hit. In the Soul EV, rear seat legroom suffers a three-inch reduction due to the underfloor location of the car's 27-kWh battery pack. But VW engineers managed to design and package a 24-kWh battery pack so cleverly that the e-Golf's passenger and cargo room are identical to those of a regular Golf. Adults will comfortably fit in the car's back seat. The same can't be said about most other EVs--the Soul being a second exception. Even with the three-inch cut, the Kia's back seat is about as roomy as the Golf's. The i3's back seat is far tighter.
Which EV treats its passengers best depends on the season. The e-Golf includes rear air vents, while the Soul EV+ includes rear seat bun warmers.
Moving to the cargo area, the Soul EV's battery pack eats up a dozen cubic feet, leaving just under 50. The uncompromised e-Golf can contain a couple more. But these figures don't convey the differing proportions of the cars' cargo holds. The e-Golf's is a few inches longer, while the Soul EV's is a few inches taller. Which is the better cargo hauler depends on the shape of your cargo.
The much larger Tesla Model S can hold a few more cubic feet, the Mercedes-Benz B-Class about the same as the e-Golf. No other EV comes close, especially not the 12-cube BMW i3.
see full Volkswagen Golf / GTI review |
What Our Members Are Saying about the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2016 Volkswagen Golf / GTI
