Model Year | 2015 | 2014 | |
Model | Subaru Forester | Mazda Mazda6 | |
Engine | turbocharged 2.0L H4 DOHC-4v 250 hp@5600 258 lb-ft@2000 |
2.5L I4 DOHC-4v 184 hp@5700 185 lb-ft@3250 |
|
Transmission | 8-speed shiftable CVT | 6-speed manual | |
Drivetrain | AWD | FWD | |
Body | 4dr SUV | 4dr Sedan | |
Difference | |||
Wheelbase | 103.9 in | 111.4 in | -7.5 in |
Length | 180.9 in | 191.5 in | -10.6 in |
Width | 70.7 in | 72.4 in | -1.7 in |
Height | 66.4 in | 57.1 in | 9.3 in |
Curb Weight | 3624 lb. | 3183 lb. | 441 lb. |
Fuel Capacity | 15.9 gal. | 16.4 gal. | -0.5 gal. |
Headroom, Row 1 | 41.4 in | 38.4 in | 3 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 1 | 57.0 in | 57.1 in | -0.1 in |
Hip Room, Row 1 | 0.0 in | 56.1 in | -56.1 in |
Legroom, Row 1 | 43.0 in | 42.2 in | 0.8 in |
Headroom, Row 2 | 39.8 in | 37.1 in | 2.7 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 2 | 56.5 in | 55.5 in | 1 in |
Hip Room, Row 2 | 0.0 in | 56.1 in | -56.1 in |
Legroom, Row 2 | 38.0 in | 38.7 in | -0.7 in |
Total Legroom | 81 in (over 2 rows) | 80.9 in (over 2 rows) | 0.1 in |
Cargo Volume, Minimum | 34.4 ft3 | 14.8 ft3 | 19.6 ft3 |
Cargo Volume, Maximum | 74.7 ft3 | 14.8 ft3 | 59.9 ft3 |
2015 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 |
2015 Subaru Forester Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2015 | 4dr SUV 170-horsepower 2.5L H4 CVT AWD |
I'm 6'3" and often don't fit comfortable in vehicles. I found this had a very nice amount of front seat room. The center console tends to stay out of the way as well, some newer designs have the center stack moving into where my right knee would be. It's a very noticeable improvement over my previous 2009 Escape. I actually found the Forester more comfortable for me than the Outback. I was expecting the opposite. see full Subaru Forester review |
2015 | 4dr SUV 170-horsepower 2.5L H4 CVT AWD |
After looking at Explorer's, I was surprised how much more room the Forester had in the back seat. Granted it doesn't have a third row, but if you don't need a 3rd row, the Forester is hard to beat in this segment for rear seat room. We can put a forward facing child seat in the back, move the front seat up a about 2 inches from all the way back and there's still plenty of front passenger room and my 1.5 year old son can't kick the back of the seat. see full Subaru Forester review |
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 |
2014 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 |
2014 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 |