Model Year | 2013 | 2013 | |
Model | Subaru Forester | Mazda Mazda6 | |
Engine | turbocharged 2.5L H4 DOHC-4v 224 hp@5600 226 lb-ft@3600 |
3.7L V6 DOHC-4v 272 hp@6250 269 lb-ft@4250 |
|
Transmission | 4-speed shiftable automatic | 6-speed shiftable automatic | |
Drivetrain | AWD | FWD | |
Body | 4dr SUV | 4dr Sedan | |
Difference | |||
Wheelbase | 103.0 in | 109.8 in | -6.8 in |
Length | 169.5 in | 193.7 in | -24.2 in |
Width | 70.1 in | 72.4 in | -2.3 in |
Height | 65.9 in | 57.9 in | 8 in |
Curb Weight | 3440 lb. | 3547 lb. | -107 lb. |
Fuel Capacity | 16.9 gal. | 18.5 gal. | -1.6 gal. |
Headroom, Row 1 | 41.6 in | 39.4 in | 2.2 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 1 | 56.1 in | 57.3 in | -1.2 in |
Hip Room, Row 1 | 0.0 in | 55.1 in | -55.1 in |
Legroom, Row 1 | 43.1 in | 42.5 in | 0.6 in |
Headroom, Row 2 | 40.0 in | 37.3 in | 2.7 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 2 | 55.6 in | 56.5 in | -0.9 in |
Hip Room, Row 2 | 0.0 in | 55.9 in | -55.9 in |
Legroom, Row 2 | 38.0 in | 38.0 in | 0 in |
Total Legroom | 81.1 in (over 2 rows) | 80.5 in (over 2 rows) | 0.6 in |
Cargo Volume, Minimum | 33.5 ft3 | 16.6 ft3 | 16.9 ft3 |
Cargo Volume, Maximum | 68.3 ft3 | 16.6 ft3 | 51.7 ft3 |
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 |
2013 Mazda Mazda6 Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Comment | |
This one, again borrowed from the earlier review, won't be an issue with most potential buyers: The Mazda6's svelte, athletically proportioned body comes at a typical price: rear seat room, as in the Ford Fusion, is merely adequate. Sitting behind my 5-9 self, my knees and head have only an inch or two of clearance, my shins none. Among major competitors, only the Chevrolet Malibu has a tighter rear seat. To carve out even this much room beneath the plunging rear roofline the new Mazda6's rear seat cushion is slightly undersized and positioned too low. That in the Fusion is more supportive. A deal killer? Unless space for large adults is a priority, no. If, on the other hand, space for large adults is a priority, then the Honda Accord and VW Passat are better bets. Even for small passengers, the Mazda6 Sport's rear seat has a key shortcoming. Unlike in the Touring and Grand Touring, there's no rear air vent to help cool the aft cabin in the summer. see full Mazda Mazda6 review |
2013 Mazda Mazda6 Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2013 | 4dr Sedan 170-horsepower 2.5L I4 6-speed manual FWD |
I am six feet tall with a long torso and legs, so I usually have the seat pretty far back. With the front seat in a comfortable position, the rear seats have plenty of leg and head room for adults, even more so for my kids. see full Mazda Mazda6 review |