Mazda Mazda3 (2013) vs. Mercedes-Benz GL (2014) Specs

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2013 Mazda Mazda3 and 2014 Mercedes-Benz GL Specifications

Model Year	2013	2014
Model	Mazda Mazda3	Mercedes-Benz GL
Engine	turbocharged 2.3L I4 DOHC-4v 263 hp@5500 280 lb-ft@3000	turbocharged 5.5L V8 DOHC-4v 550 hp@5750 560 lb-ft@2000
Transmission	6-speed manual	7-speed shiftable automatic
Drivetrain	FWD	AWD
Body	4dr Hatch	4dr SUV
			Difference
Wheelbase	103.9 in	121.0 in	-17.1 in
Length	177.4 in	201.6 in	-24.2 in
Width	69.1 in	76.4 in	-7.3 in
Height	57.9 in	72.8 in	-14.9 in
Curb Weight	3281 lb.	5687 lb.	-2406 lb.
Fuel Capacity	14.5 gal.	26.4 gal.	-11.9 gal.
Headroom, Row 1	38.1 in	41.2 in	-3.1 in
Shoulder Room, Row 1	54.9 in	58.5 in	-3.6 in
Hip Room, Row 1	53.7 in	0.0 in	53.7 in
Legroom, Row 1	42.0 in	40.3 in	1.7 in
Headroom, Row 2	37.7 in	40.0 in	-2.3 in
Shoulder Room, Row 2	54.0 in	58.3 in	-4.3 in
Hip Room, Row 2	52.2 in	0.0 in	52.2 in
Legroom, Row 2	36.2 in	38.5 in	-2.3 in
Headroom, Row 3	0.0 in	38.9 in	-38.9 in
Shoulder Room, Row 3	0.0 in	50.5 in	-50.5 in
Legroom, Row 3	0.0 in	35.0 in	-35 in
Total Legroom	78.2 in (over 2 rows)	113.8 in (over 3 rows)	-35.6 in
Cargo Volume, Minimum	17.0 ft³	16.0 ft³	1 ft³
Cargo Volume, Behind R2	17.0	49.4 ft³	-32.4
Cargo Volume, Maximum	42.8 ft³	93.8 ft³	-51 ft³

2013 Mazda Mazda3 Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year	Comment
2012	The Mazda3 also isn't a clear choice if a roomy rear seat is a top priority. Sitting behind my 5-9 self, I had little room to spare. The rear seat in the Ford Focus is at least as tight, but has a more comfortably positioned cushion. A Honda Civic, Nissan Sentra, or Toyota Corolla has far more rear seat room. If you like how the Mazda3 looks and drives, but need more rear seat legroom, the Mazda6 offers another three inches for another $2,100 to $3,700 (depending on trim level). see full Mazda Mazda3 review

2013 Mazda Mazda3 Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2013	4dr Hatch 155-horsepower 2.0L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	Nice contoured, form fitting seats offer plenty of support, quite comfortable. see full Mazda Mazda3 review

2013 Mazda Mazda3 Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2013	4dr Hatch 155-horsepower 2.0L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	Rear seat a bit tight, needs more room back there. see full Mazda Mazda3 review
2012	4dr Hatch 155-horsepower 2.0L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	It's a joke. You can't fit anything in the back seat aside from children and/or groceries/shopping. Putting an adult back there will require a sincere apology, and possibly a written note and gift bottle of wine. see full Mazda Mazda3 review
2012	4dr Sedan 155-horsepower 2.0L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	Non of either if the front seats are all the way back, but rear seat room is NOT a factor for me. see full Mazda Mazda3 review
2012	4dr Sedan 155-horsepower 2.0L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	I bought this car to replace a 2004 Mazda 6i Hatchback that I truly loved (got rear-ended and totaled). I did not like the 2012 Mazda 6 at all (or the milage it got), so I went the 3 with Skyactiv. The rear seat and rear legroom is just a bit too small. If it were a tad larger, this would be a awesome car, but the great mileage I get offsets this to a certain degree. see full Mazda Mazda3 review
2012	4dr Hatch 155-horsepower 2.0L I4 6-speed manual FWD	Rear seat is rather tight, worse than my old Protege5 see full Mazda Mazda3 review

2014 Mercedes-Benz GL Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year	Comment
2013	The Mercedes-Benz GL-Class is just a little longer than the Audi Q7 (201.6 vs. 200.3 inches), and isn't as wide (76.4 vs. 78.1 inches). But the Mercedes is considerably taller (72.8 vs. 68.4 inches) and not nearly as curvy. Which might explain how it is far roomier than the much sleeker Audi. Combined legroom for all three rows is 107.6 inches in the Q7 vs. 113.8 inches in the GL-Class, a large difference. The Q7's space deficit grows the farther back you sit. For adults to even fit in the Audi's third row without extreme discomfort, those in the second row must slide their seats forward to the point that they are themselves short on knee room. While the new GL350's third row sits too low to provide thigh support, it's not nearly as cramped. Further evidence that Audi didn't intend the Q7's third row for frequent use: the second-row seat doesn't do a good job of getting out of the way, making the path in and out of the way-back perhaps the tightest I've experienced. The second-row seat in the GL-Class tips forward to open up a much wider path. If manually tipping the seat is too much of a chore (perhaps because you'e a five-year-old and haven't yet learned to read this), $400 buys a power assist. But even with this option the seat must be manually returned to its upright position, so the point eludes me. see full Mercedes-Benz GL review

None of our members have yet commented on the seat room and comfort of the 2014 Mercedes-Benz GL.

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