Model Year | 2008 | 2017 | |
Model | Mercedes-Benz R-Class | Volkswagen Golf / GTI | |
Engine | |||
Transmission | |||
Drivetrain | |||
Body | 4dr SUV | 4dr Wagon | |
Difference | |||
Wheelbase | 126.6 in | 103.5 in | 23.1 in |
Length | 203.0 in | 179.6 in | 23.4 in |
Width | 75.7 in | 70.8 in | 4.9 in |
Height | 65.4 in | 58.3 in | 7.1 in |
Curb Weight | 4829 lb. | 3063 lb. | 1766 lb. |
Fuel Capacity | 25.1 gal. | 13.2 gal. | 11.9 gal. |
Headroom, Row 1 | 39.8 in | 38.6 in | 1.2 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 1 | 60.3 in | 55.9 in | 4.4 in |
Legroom, Row 1 | 39.8 in | 41.2 in | -1.4 in |
Headroom, Row 2 | 40.4 in | 38.6 in | 1.8 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 2 | 59.6 in | 53.9 in | 5.7 in |
Legroom, Row 2 | 36.2 in | 35.6 in | 0.6 in |
Headroom, Row 3 | 37.2 in | 0.0 in | 37.2 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 3 | 52.8 in | 0.0 in | 52.8 in |
Legroom, Row 3 | 32.4 in | 0.0 in | 32.4 in |
Total Legroom | 108.4 in (over 3 rows) | 76.8 in (over 2 rows) | 31.6 in |
Cargo Volume, Minimum | 15.3 ft3 | 30.4 ft3 | -15.1 ft3 |
Cargo Volume, Behind R2 | 42.2 ft3 | 30.4 | 11.8 ft3 |
Cargo Volume, Maximum | 85.0 ft3 | 66.5 ft3 | 18.5 ft3 |
2008 Mercedes-Benz R-Class Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2008 | 4dr SUV 268-horsepower 3.5L V6 7-speed shiftable automatic AWD |
Very roomie see full Mercedes-Benz R-Class review |
2007 | 4dr SUV 268-horsepower 3.5L V6 7-speed shiftable automatic AWD |
3rd row seats are big enough and comfortable enough for an adult. 2nd row seats are the best captain chairs I have ever sat in in a car. Glass roof gives additional room appearance. see full Mercedes-Benz R-Class review |
2007 | 4dr SUV 268-horsepower 3.5L V6 7-speed shiftable automatic AWD |
Great front view, comfortable seats. see full Mercedes-Benz R-Class review |
2007 | 4dr SUV 302-horsepower 5.0L V8 7-speed shiftable automatic AWD |
There is excellent legroom in the middle and rear seats. All four recline. see full Mercedes-Benz R-Class review |
2007 | 4dr SUV turbocharged 215hp 3.0L V6 Diesel 7-speed shiftable automatic AWD |
Outstanding room in the second row- tons of leg room. Very comfortable see full Mercedes-Benz R-Class review |
2008 Mercedes-Benz R-Class Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2009 | 4dr SUV 268-horsepower 3.5L V6 7-speed shiftable automatic AWD |
Three different lumbar pumps...don't seem to be very different in what is inflated. see full Mercedes-Benz R-Class review |
2017 Volkswagen Golf / GTI Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Comment | |
2016 | As I've noted before (when reviewing the e-Golf), the seventh-generation Golf's front seats are shaped and padded to provide nearly ideal comfort and support in daily driving. The CX-5's driver seat also fit me well, but not quite as well as the Volkswagen's. Compared to other compact hatchbacks and its ancestors, the current Golf has a roomy rear seat. I can sit behind my 5-9 self with about five inches of air ahead of my knees. Unless unusually tall people populate both rows, the amount of space should be beyond adequate. Compare the Golf SportWagen's rear seat to that in the CX-5, and a funny thing happens. On paper, the Mazda provides about 3.5 more inches of legroom. When sitting behind myself in both vehicles, though, I had about half as much space ahead of my knees in the CX-5. I've noticed in the past that VW measures rear legroom very conservatively, and apparently they continue to do so. The Golf's interior is roomier than the official specs suggest. Plus its rear seat passengers get air vents. The Mazda's do not. This said, I'm not entirely comfortable in the Golf SportWagen's rear seat. To me it feels overly reclined. In neither the GSW nor the CX-5 is the degree of recline adjustable. It is in some compact crossovers. see full Volkswagen Golf / GTI review |
2017 Volkswagen Golf / GTI Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2016 | 2dr Hatch turbocharged 210hp 2.0L I4 6-speed manual FWD |
Difficult ingress and egress see full Volkswagen Golf / GTI review |