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Subaru Forester (2006) vs. Subaru Outback (2015) Specs

How powerful is the engine? How much room is in the back seat? Get the 2006 Subaru Forester and 2015 Subaru Outback specs.

2006 Subaru Forester and 2015 Subaru Outback Specifications

Model Year 2006 2015  
Model Subaru Forester Subaru Outback  
Engine turbocharged
2.5L H4
DOHC-4v
230 hp@5600
235 lb-ft@3600
3.6L H6
DOHC-4v
256 hp@6000
247 lb-ft@4400
 
Transmission 4-speed automatic 6-speed shiftable CVT  
Drivetrain AWD AWD  
Body 4dr SUV 4dr Wagon  
      Difference
Wheelbase 99.4 in 108.1 in -8.7 in
Length 176.6 in 189.6 in -13 in
Width 68.3 in 72.4 in -4.1 in
Height 65.0 in 66.1 in -1.1 in
Curb Weight 3350 lb. 3810 lb. -460 lb.
Fuel Capacity 15.9 gal. 18.5 gal. -2.6 gal.
Headroom, Row 1 39.8 in 40.8 in -1 in
Shoulder Room, Row 1 53.5 in 58.1 in -4.6 in
Hip Room, Row 1 51.6 in 55.5 in -3.9 in
Legroom, Row 1 43.6 in 42.9 in 0.7 in
Headroom, Row 2 39.7 in 38.9 in 0.8 in
Shoulder Room, Row 2 53.6 in 57.3 in -3.7 in
Hip Room, Row 2 51.6 in 55.0 in -3.4 in
Legroom, Row 2 33.7 in 38.1 in -4.4 in
Total Legroom 77.3 in (over 2 rows) 81 in (over 2 rows) -3.7 in
Cargo Volume, Minimum 32.0 ft3 35.5 ft3 -3.5 ft3
Cargo Volume, Maximum 57.7 ft3 73.3 ft3 -15.6 ft3

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What Our Members Are Saying about the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2006 Subaru Forester

2006 Subaru Forester Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
YearBody/PowertrainComment
2007 4dr SUV 173-horsepower 2.5L H4
4-speed automatic AWD
easy to find comfortable position; no problems driving over an hour or more; good upright position see full Subaru Forester review
2005 4dr SUV 165-horsepower 2.5L H4
5-speed manual AWD
There is leg room. The seat is adjustable enough. see full Subaru Forester review
2006 Subaru Forester Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
YearBody/PowertrainComment
2007 4dr SUV turbocharged 224hp 2.5L H4
5-speed manual AWD
Front driver leg room is a little cramped from side to side. see full Subaru Forester review
2007 4dr SUV 173-horsepower 2.5L H4
4-speed automatic AWD
No thigh or lumbar support, seats hrad, minimal leg room for front passenger see full Subaru Forester review
2007 4dr SUV 173-horsepower 2.5L H4
4-speed automatic AWD
Not acceptable for an adult in any of the three rear seating positions see full Subaru Forester review
2006 4dr SUV 173-horsepower 2.5L H4
5-speed manual AWD
Again, cramped and too small for larger people. see full Subaru Forester review
2006 4dr SUV turbocharged 230hp 2.5L H4
5-speed manual AWD
This is honesty the only complaint i have about the 2006 XT. The rear seat is a bit tight. We took three other adults on about a 4 hour trip and it was a tight fit - good thing we're good friends! My wife's 2009 Forester is much better in the rear legroom department. see full Subaru Forester review
2005 4dr SUV 165-horsepower 2.5L H4
4-speed automatic AWD
Rear seat is just too small, but that has been fixed for the 2009 models. The front seat, actually the cabin of the car is just a bit too narrow. It needs more elbow room. see full Subaru Forester review
2005 4dr SUV 165-horsepower 2.5L H4
4-speed automatic AWD
Not enough elbow room. see full Subaru Forester review
2005 4dr SUV 165-horsepower 2.5L H4
4-speed automatic AWD
Rear seat room is a bit tight for larger people. Car seats are a little tight in both rear and forward facing positions. see full Subaru Forester review
 

TrueDelta Reviews the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2015 Subaru Outback

2015 Subaru Outback Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
YearComment
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
2015 Subaru Outback Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
YearComment
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 2015 Subaru Outback

2015 Subaru Outback Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
YearBody/PowertrainComment
2016 4dr Wagon 175-horsepower 2.5L H4
6-speed shiftable CVT AWD
see full Subaru Outback review
2016 4dr Wagon 175-horsepower 2.5L H4
6-speed shiftable CVT AWD
see full Subaru Outback review
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
2015 Subaru Outback Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
YearBody/PowertrainComment
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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See TrueDelta's information for all Subaru models.