Model Year | 2009 | 2012 | |
Model | Nissan Altima | Ford Fiesta | |
Engine | |||
Transmission | |||
Drivetrain | |||
Body | 4dr Sedan | 4dr Sedan | |
Difference | |||
Wheelbase | 109.3 in | 98.0 in | 11.3 in |
Length | 189.8 in | 173.6 in | 16.2 in |
Width | 70.7 in | 66.8 in | 3.9 in |
Height | 57.9 in | 58.0 in | -0.1 in |
Curb Weight | 3145 lb. | 2578 lb. | 567 lb. |
Fuel Capacity | 20.0 gal. | 11.9 gal. | 8.1 gal. |
Headroom, Row 1 | 40.6 in | 39.1 in | 1.5 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 1 | 55.7 in | 52.7 in | 3 in |
Hip Room, Row 1 | 56.8 in | 50.6 in | 6.2 in |
Legroom, Row 1 | 44.1 in | 42.2 in | 1.9 in |
Headroom, Row 2 | 36.8 in | 37.1 in | -0.3 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 2 | 55.5 in | 49.0 in | 6.5 in |
Hip Room, Row 2 | 52.5 in | 49.2 in | 3.3 in |
Legroom, Row 2 | 35.8 in | 31.2 in | 4.6 in |
Total Legroom | 79.9 in (over 2 rows) | 73.4 in (over 2 rows) | 6.5 in |
Cargo Volume | 15.3 ft3 | 12.8 ft3 | 2.5 ft3 |
2009 Nissan Altima Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2010 | 2dr Coupe 270-horsepower 3.5L V6 6-speed shiftable CVT FWD |
Nissan has reputation for reliability see full Nissan Altima review |
2010 | 4dr Sedan 175-horsepower 2.5L I4 6-speed shiftable CVT FWD |
I am a big guy who at first did not consider Altima because I did not think I would fit in it. I was surprised to find I fit just fine. I am 6'3" and 252lbs. The front seats provide ample room. I also have a lot of head room. see full Nissan Altima review |
2010 | 4dr Sedan 175-horsepower 2.5L I4 6-speed shiftable CVT FWD |
I am 6'3", weigh 235. Being a big guy, I find this car VERY comfortable. I use it in my work daily. I drive it multiple trips/day (there have been as many as 8-10 trips/day-from 2 miles up to 50 miles/each trip). So I am in/out of the car multiple times/day. It's very easy to enter and exit and is very roomy for a mid-sized car and also has a lot of rear leg room. The trunk is large as well and the back seat folds down making the useful trunk space all the more. I also like the console and having the iPod connection in the second storage area of the console-out of the way. Hip room of the front seat is very generous as well. Just yesterday I had a rear seat passenger who commented how much leg room they had in the back. see full Nissan Altima review |
2009 | 4dr Sedan 175-horsepower 2.5L I4 6-speed shiftable CVT FWD |
Comfortable for 6 ft adult. see full Nissan Altima review |
2008 | 4dr Sedan 270-horsepower 3.5L V6 6-speed manual FWD |
Very comfortable and i found all the controls very intuitive. the driving position is right and everything falls where you would expect it. see full Nissan Altima review |
2008 | 4dr Sedan 175-horsepower 2.5L I4 6-speed shiftable CVT FWD |
Very good for tall people, even with sunroof. Seat is adjustable in 3 directions plus lumbar support. see full Nissan Altima review |
2008 | 4dr Sedan 175-horsepower 2.5L I4 6-speed shiftable CVT FWD |
I guess these first three are of a piece. see full Nissan Altima review |
2008 | 4dr Sedan 175-horsepower 2.5L I4 6-speed shiftable CVT FWD |
adjustability see full Nissan Altima review |
2009 Nissan Altima Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2010 | 2dr Coupe 175-horsepower 2.5L I4 6-speed manual FWD |
Very difficult to get in and even more difficult to get out. Only teens in good shape can do it easily see full Nissan Altima review |
2008 | 2dr Coupe 175-horsepower 2.5L I4 6-speed manual FWD |
Not much room back there but that is to be expected in a coupe You can get small adults back there for short trips see full Nissan Altima review |
2008 | 2dr Coupe 270-horsepower 3.5L V6 6-speed shiftable CVT FWD |
My shoulder room is cramped and i feel like the whole front seating area is a too small. see full Nissan Altima review |
2008 | 2dr Coupe 175-horsepower 2.5L I4 6-speed shiftable CVT FWD |
Difficult entry; Lever in akward position to move front passenger seat forward for rear seat ingress/egress. Headroom, legroom. see full Nissan Altima review |
2008 | 2dr Coupe 175-horsepower 2.5L I4 6-speed manual FWD |
test drove it for 15 minutes and never could found the right driving position see full Nissan Altima review |
2008 | 4dr Sedan 175-horsepower 2.5L I4 6-speed shiftable CVT FWD |
tight quarters. see full Nissan Altima review |
2008 | 2dr Coupe 270-horsepower 3.5L V6 6-speed manual FWD |
Good luck fitting more than one person of or above average size in the back. For one person, I find that having them sit in one seat and putting their legs across behind the other seat creates the illusion of them having more room. see full Nissan Altima review |
2012 Ford Fiesta Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2013 | 4dr Sedan 120-horsepower 1.6L I4 5-speed manual FWD |
Narrow car with narrow seats. If you are a taller/bigger person, expect that the seats will feel like doll furniture after an hour. see full Ford Fiesta review |
2012 Ford Fiesta Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2011 | 4dr Hatch 120-horsepower 1.6L I4 6-speed automatic FWD |
I was told that it is comfortable for a short ride but after 45 minutes my passengers were complaining about lack of room and comfort. see full Ford Fiesta review |
2011 | 4dr Hatch 120-horsepower 1.6L I4 6-speed automatic FWD |
Smallish like all b-segment cars. see full Ford Fiesta review |
2011 | 4dr Hatch 120-horsepower 1.6L I4 6-speed automatic FWD |
Its cramped, but seems about the same as any other car in its size range. It was easier to get in and out of compared to a Mazda 2 and about the same as current generation Prius C. I wouldn't take anyone long distances in the rear, but I didn't expect to. We have a 2009 Prius which is our long distance carry people car. I wanted something with good handling and economy that was well built and that's what I got. see full Ford Fiesta review |
2011 | 4dr Hatch 120-horsepower 1.6L I4 5-speed manual FWD |
Rear seat narrow and limited headroom see full Ford Fiesta review |
2011 | 4dr Sedan 120-horsepower 1.6L I4 6-speed automatic FWD |
while it felt my family of 5 comfortably, it might not fit others.... see full Ford Fiesta review |
2011 | 4dr Hatch 120-horsepower 1.6L I4 6-speed automatic FWD |
Rear seat legroom is limited, especially if front seat passengers adjust their seats rearward. see full Ford Fiesta review |
2011 | 4dr Hatch 120-horsepower 1.6L I4 5-speed manual FWD |
Basically, it is a two seater. Car seats and small children will fit ok in the back. Essentially it is a great commuter car. see full Ford Fiesta review |
2011 | 4dr Sedan 120-horsepower 1.6L I4 6-speed automatic FWD |
rear seat leg room is tight. see full Ford Fiesta review |
2011 | 4dr Hatch 120-horsepower 1.6L I4 6-speed automatic FWD |
Very tiny. Had to squeeze in. Not very comfortable for long term. Feels a bit crowded. see full Ford Fiesta review |