Model Year | 2008 | 2016 | |
Model | Pontiac G8 | Volkswagen Golf / GTI | |
Engine | 6.0L V8 OHV-2v 361 hp@5300 385 lb-ft@4400 |
turbocharged 2.0L I4 DOHC-4v 292 hp@5400 280 lb-ft@1800 |
|
Transmission | 6-speed shiftable automatic | 6-speed automated manual | |
Drivetrain | RWD | AWD | |
Body | 4dr Sedan | 4dr Hatch | |
Difference | |||
Wheelbase | 114.8 in | 103.8 in | 11 in |
Length | 196.1 in | 167.5 in | 28.6 in |
Width | 74.8 in | 70.8 in | 4 in |
Height | 57.7 in | 57.2 in | 0.5 in |
Curb Weight | 3995 lb. | 3340 lb. | 655 lb. |
Fuel Capacity | 19.0 gal. | 13.2 gal. | 5.8 gal. |
Headroom, Row 1 | 38.7 in | 38.4 in | 0.3 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 1 | 59.1 in | 55.9 in | 3.2 in |
Hip Room, Row 1 | 56.7 in | 0.0 in | 56.7 in |
Legroom, Row 1 | 42.2 in | 41.2 in | 1 in |
Headroom, Row 2 | 38.0 in | 38.1 in | -0.1 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 2 | 59.1 in | 53.9 in | 5.2 in |
Hip Room, Row 2 | 58.0 in | 0.0 in | 58 in |
Legroom, Row 2 | 39.4 in | 35.6 in | 3.8 in |
Total Legroom | 81.6 in (over 2 rows) | 76.8 in (over 2 rows) | 4.8 in |
Cargo Volume, Minimum | 17.5 ft3 | 22.8 ft3 | -5.3 ft3 |
Cargo Volume, Maximum | 17.5 ft3 | 52.7 ft3 | -35.2 ft3 |
2008 Pontiac G8 Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2009 | 4dr Sedan 415-horsepower 6.2L V8 6-speed shiftable automatic RWD |
Huge back seat, and very comfortable, even for two adults and a child seat. see full Pontiac G8 review |
2009 | 4dr Sedan 415-horsepower 6.2L V8 6-speed shiftable automatic RWD |
Plenty of room, good support, and do not have to squirm much on a 6 hour drive. see full Pontiac G8 review |
2009 | 4dr Sedan 361-horsepower 6.0L V8 6-speed shiftable automatic RWD |
Tons of legroom, and I mean TONS of legroom see full Pontiac G8 review |
2009 | 4dr Sedan 256-horsepower 3.6L V6 5-speed shiftable automatic RWD |
Even with front seats completely back, there is enough leg room for rear passengers. see full Pontiac G8 review |
2009 | 4dr Sedan 415-horsepower 6.2L V8 6-speed shiftable automatic RWD |
When I go places with my friends, I actaully like sitting in the back! The back seats are sooo comfortable. see full Pontiac G8 review |
2009 | 4dr Sedan 361-horsepower 6.0L V8 6-speed shiftable automatic RWD |
The seat fits my smaller frame and has comfortable padding and bolsters. The headrest is in the right place. Power controls are convenient. see full Pontiac G8 review |
2009 | 4dr Sedan 361-horsepower 6.0L V8 6-speed shiftable automatic RWD |
Tons of room for the family. This is a true full-size sedan. see full Pontiac G8 review |
2009 | 4dr Sedan 361-horsepower 6.0L V8 6-speed shiftable automatic RWD |
Extremely comfortable backseat, although serious hump in the center eliminates almost all leg room for center seat. Four in comfort all day long, large armrest, good visibility forward and to the side. Nice support, split folding seats and cargo passthru see full Pontiac G8 review |
2009 | 4dr Sedan 415-horsepower 6.2L V8 6-speed manual RWD |
Fantastic seats. see full Pontiac G8 review |
2008 Pontiac G8 Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2008 | 4dr Sedan 361-horsepower 6.0L V8 6-speed shiftable automatic RWD |
Cannot get comfortable - ever. Hurts my lower back after just 15 mins. I have the leather seats w/ premium package. No lateral support/bolstering either. Lumbar support useless. see full Pontiac G8 review |
2016 Volkswagen Golf / GTI Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Comment | |
2015 | The original Golf revolutionized the automotive world by demonstrating how practical a small car could be. Though the latest, seventh-generation Golf is much larger than the original, and every major auto maker now offers a Golf-like compact, the Volkswagen continues to impress with its practicality. Let's start with the front seat. The seat itself is shaped and padded to provide nearly ideal comfort and support in daily driving. The performance buckets in the GTI and R have firmer bolsters that provide more lateral support, but the regular Golf's buckets are cushier and more comfortably contoured. The e-Golf uses the same exemplary seats. In comparison, the seats in the Soul EV are merely okay. The view forward from the e-Golf's driver seat is also about as good as it gets in a current compact, with a reasonably-sized instrument panel and an expansive, comfortably raked windshield flanked by relatively thin pillars. This said, some people might prefer the higher driving position in the quasi-crossover Soul EV. For me, a conventional car's lower position continues to feel more natural, especially in turns. Battery packs take up space. Even with the (roughly) 1.5-kWh battery packs used by hybrids cargo capacity usually takes a hit. In the Soul EV, rear seat legroom suffers a three-inch reduction due to the underfloor location of the car's 27-kWh battery pack. But VW engineers managed to design and package a 24-kWh battery pack so cleverly that the e-Golf's passenger and cargo room are identical to those of a regular Golf. Adults will comfortably fit in the car's back seat. The same can't be said about most other EVs--the Soul being a second exception. Even with the three-inch cut, the Kia's back seat is about as roomy as the Golf's. The i3's back seat is far tighter. Which EV treats its passengers best depends on the season. The e-Golf includes rear air vents, while the Soul EV+ includes rear seat bun warmers. Moving to the cargo area, the Soul EV's battery pack eats up a dozen cubic feet, leaving just under 50. The uncompromised e-Golf can contain a couple more. But these figures don't convey the differing proportions of the cars' cargo holds. The e-Golf's is a few inches longer, while the Soul EV's is a few inches taller. Which is the better cargo hauler depends on the shape of your cargo. The much larger Tesla Model S can hold a few more cubic feet, the Mercedes-Benz B-Class about the same as the e-Golf. No other EV comes close, especially not the 12-cube BMW i3. see full Volkswagen Golf / GTI review |
2016 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 |