Model Year | 2014 | 2013 | |
Model | Mazda Mazda3 | Subaru Forester | |
Engine | 2.5L I4 DOHC-4v 184 hp@5700 185 lb-ft@3250 |
turbocharged 2.5L H4 DOHC-4v 224 hp@5600 226 lb-ft@3600 |
|
Transmission | 6-speed shiftable automatic | 4-speed shiftable automatic | |
Drivetrain | FWD | AWD | |
Body | 4dr Hatch | 4dr SUV | |
Difference | |||
Wheelbase | 106.3 in | 103.0 in | 3.3 in |
Length | 175.6 in | 169.5 in | 6.1 in |
Width | 70.7 in | 70.1 in | 0.6 in |
Height | 57.3 in | 65.9 in | -8.6 in |
Curb Weight | 3002 lb. | 3440 lb. | -438 lb. |
Fuel Capacity | 13.2 gal. | 16.9 gal. | -3.7 gal. |
Headroom, Row 1 | 38.6 in | 41.6 in | -3 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 1 | 57.2 in | 56.1 in | 1.1 in |
Hip Room, Row 1 | 55.5 in | 0.0 in | 55.5 in |
Legroom, Row 1 | 42.2 in | 43.1 in | -0.9 in |
Headroom, Row 2 | 37.6 in | 40.0 in | -2.4 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 2 | 54.4 in | 55.6 in | -1.2 in |
Hip Room, Row 2 | 53.5 in | 0.0 in | 53.5 in |
Legroom, Row 2 | 35.8 in | 38.0 in | -2.2 in |
Total Legroom | 78 in (over 2 rows) | 81.1 in (over 2 rows) | -3.1 in |
Cargo Volume, Minimum | 20.2 ft3 | 33.5 ft3 | -13.3 ft3 |
Cargo Volume, Maximum | 47.1 ft3 | 68.3 ft3 | -21.2 ft3 |
2014 Mazda Mazda3 Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Comment | |
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 |
2014 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 |
2014 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 |
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 |
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 |