Nissan Altima (2009) vs. Subaru Outback (2014) Specs

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2009 Nissan Altima and 2014 Subaru Outback Specifications

Model Year	2009	2014
Model	Nissan Altima	Subaru Outback
Engine	3.5L V6 DOHC-4v 270 hp@6000 258 lb-ft@4400	3.6L H6 DOHC-4v 256 hp@6000 247 lb-ft@4400
Transmission	6-speed shiftable CVT	5-speed shiftable automatic
Drivetrain	FWD	AWD
Body	4dr Sedan	4dr Wagon
			Difference
Wheelbase	109.3 in	107.9 in	1.4 in
Length	189.8 in	189.0 in	0.8 in
Width	70.7 in	71.7 in	-1 in
Height	57.9 in	65.7 in	-7.8 in
Curb Weight	3424 lb.	3613 lb.	-189 lb.
Fuel Capacity	20.0 gal.	18.5 gal.	1.5 gal.
Headroom, Row 1	40.6 in	40.8 in	-0.2 in
Shoulder Room, Row 1	55.7 in	56.3 in	-0.6 in
Hip Room, Row 1	56.8 in	0.0 in	56.8 in
Legroom, Row 1	44.1 in	43.0 in	1.1 in
Headroom, Row 2	36.8 in	39.3 in	-2.5 in
Shoulder Room, Row 2	55.5 in	56.1 in	-0.6 in
Hip Room, Row 2	52.5 in	0.0 in	52.5 in
Legroom, Row 2	35.8 in	37.8 in	-2 in
Total Legroom	79.9 in (over 2 rows)	80.8 in (over 2 rows)	-0.9 in
Cargo Volume, Minimum	15.3 ft³	34.3 ft³	-19 ft³
Cargo Volume, Maximum	15.3 ft³	71.3 ft³	-56 ft³

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What Our Members Are Saying about the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2009 Nissan Altima

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

TrueDelta Reviews the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2014 Subaru Outback

2014 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

2014 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

What Our Members Are Saying about the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2014 Subaru Outback

2014 Subaru Outback Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2014	4dr Wagon 173-horsepower 2.5L H4 6-speed manual AWD	The front seats are very comfy, and the seat heaters are powerful and warm up quickly. We compared the car to a 2014 Forrester, and we think the OB seats are more comfy-- they have more thigh support. see full Subaru Outback review
2014	4dr Wagon 173-horsepower 2.5L H4 6-speed manual AWD	The rear seats are much more comfy than in the old Outback. They took a couple of inches out of the cargo area to give the rear seat more room. The reclining seatback for the rear seats is a nice comfort as well. see full Subaru Outback review

2014 Subaru Outback Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2014	4dr Wagon 173-horsepower 2.5L H4 6-speed manual AWD	Minor complaint-- like every other Japanese car I've ever owned, this one also doesn't seem to understand that feet get cold. The heater is great- it provides lots of heat, and quickly. But when you you set it to floor, the hot air hits you in the lower calf, and then rises. The heat never makes it to your feet! see full Subaru Outback review

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