Model Year | 2011 | 2016 | |
Model | Kia Soul | Subaru Outback | |
Engine | |||
Transmission | |||
Drivetrain | |||
Body | 4dr Hatch | 4dr Wagon | |
Difference | |||
Wheelbase | 100.4 in | 108.1 in | -7.7 in |
Length | 161.6 in | 189.6 in | -28 in |
Width | 70.3 in | 72.4 in | -2.1 in |
Height | 63.4 in | 66.1 in | -2.7 in |
Curb Weight | 2560 lb. | 3593 lb. | -1033 lb. |
Fuel Capacity | 12.7 gal. | 18.5 gal. | -5.8 gal. |
Headroom, Row 1 | 40.2 in | 40.8 in | -0.6 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 1 | 55.2 in | 58.1 in | -2.9 in |
Hip Room, Row 1 | 53.3 in | 55.5 in | -2.2 in |
Legroom, Row 1 | 42.1 in | 42.9 in | -0.8 in |
Headroom, Row 2 | 39.6 in | 38.9 in | 0.7 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 2 | 55.1 in | 57.3 in | -2.2 in |
Hip Room, Row 2 | 52.7 in | 55.0 in | -2.3 in |
Legroom, Row 2 | 39.0 in | 38.1 in | 0.9 in |
Total Legroom | 81.1 in (over 2 rows) | 81 in (over 2 rows) | 0.1 in |
Cargo Volume, Minimum | 19.3 ft3 | 35.5 ft3 | -16.2 ft3 |
Cargo Volume, Maximum | 53.4 ft3 | 73.3 ft3 | -19.9 ft3 |
2011 Kia Soul Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Comment | |
The seats are similarly sufficient for casual around-town driving but subpar for even moderate distances. Less than half way through our four-hour drive the hard, flat cushions grew uncomfortable. see full Kia Soul review |
2011 Kia Soul Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2010 | 4dr Hatch 142-horsepower 2.0L I4 4-speed automatic FWD |
Lots of head, hip, knee, and foot room. The cushions seem to get less comfortable after a solid 2-3 hours driving. But, at least around town, this is one car in which you can ask friends to sit in the back without being ashamed. see full Kia Soul review |
2010 | 4dr Hatch 142-horsepower 2.0L I4 4-speed automatic FWD |
Lots of headroom and legroom. Seat and wheel adjustments easy to make. Feels larger than it actually is. see full Kia Soul review |
2010 | 4dr Hatch 142-horsepower 2.0L I4 4-speed automatic FWD |
Tons of headroom. My daughter has lots of visibility in the back while in her car seat. Full size adults can sit back there in comfort. see full Kia Soul review |
2010 | 4dr Hatch 122-horsepower 1.6L I4 5-speed manual FWD |
Comfort of an intermediate-size car, with everything in easy reach. Able to maintain comfortable safety belt adjustment. see full Kia Soul review |
2010 | 4dr Hatch 122-horsepower 1.6L I4 5-speed manual FWD |
Large enought for two adults see full Kia Soul review |
2010 | 4dr Hatch 142-horsepower 2.0L I4 5-speed manual FWD |
I am over 6 feet tall and even with the moon roof, I have a ton of headroom and leg room. see full Kia Soul review |
2010 | 4dr Hatch 142-horsepower 2.0L I4 5-speed manual FWD |
My kids are tall too and with my seat adjusted to my liking, there is a ton of head room and leg room in the back. Love the folding rear seats. see full Kia Soul review |
2010 | 4dr Hatch 142-horsepower 2.0L I4 5-speed manual FWD |
You can fit another two big people behind you even when you are a 6 footer. Headrests for all passangers. Safety side curtains for all passengers. see full Kia Soul review |
2011 Kia Soul Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2010 | 4dr Hatch 142-horsepower 2.0L I4 5-speed manual FWD |
It felt smaller than the measurements suggested, relative to its competitors. see full Kia Soul review |
2016 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 |
2016 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 |
2016 Subaru Outback Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2016 | 4dr Wagon 175-horsepower 2.5L H4 6-speed shiftable CVT AWD |
see full Subaru Outback review |
2016 | 4dr Wagon 175-horsepower 2.5L H4 6-speed shiftable CVT AWD |
see full Subaru Outback review |