Subaru Forester Subaru Forester 2009 Volkswagen Jetta / Rabbit / GTI Volkswagen Jetta / Rabbit / GTI 2008

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Subaru Forester (2009) vs. Volkswagen Jetta / Rabbit / GTI (2008) Specs

How powerful is the engine? How much room is in the back seat? Get the 2009 Subaru Forester and 2008 Volkswagen Jetta / Rabbit / GTI specs.

2009 Subaru Forester and 2008 Volkswagen Jetta / Rabbit / GTI Specifications

Model Year 2009 2008  
Model Subaru Forester Volkswagen Jetta / Rabbit / GTI  
Engine turbocharged
2.5L H4
DOHC-4v
224 hp@5600
226 lb-ft@3600
3.2L V6
DOHC-4v
250 hp@6300
236 lb-ft@2500
 
Transmission 4-speed shiftable automatic 6-speed automated manual  
Drivetrain AWD AWD  
Body 4dr SUV 4dr Hatch  
      Difference
Wheelbase 103.0 in 101.5 in 1.5 in
Length 179.5 in 165.8 in 13.7 in
Width 70.1 in 68.3 in 1.8 in
Height 65.9 in 58.4 in 7.5 in
Curb Weight 3440 lb. 3643 lb. -203 lb.
Fuel Capacity 16.9 gal. 14.5 gal. 2.4 gal.
Headroom, Row 1 41.6 in 39.3 in 2.3 in
Shoulder Room, Row 1 56.1 in 54.7 in 1.4 in
Legroom, Row 1 43.1 in 41.2 in 1.9 in
Headroom, Row 2 40.0 in 38.5 in 1.5 in
Shoulder Room, Row 2 55.6 in 54.6 in 1 in
Legroom, Row 2 38.0 in 35.3 in 2.7 in
Total Legroom 81.1 in (over 2 rows) 76.5 in (over 2 rows) 4.6 in
Cargo Volume, Minimum 33.5 ft3 15.1 ft3 18.4 ft3
Cargo Volume, Maximum 68.3 ft3 41.8 ft3 26.5 ft3

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What Our Members Are Saying about the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2009 Subaru Forester

2009 Subaru Forester Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
YearBody/PowertrainComment
2010 4dr SUV turbocharged 224hp 2.5L H4
4-speed shiftable automatic AWD
leather seat "baquet" has very good lateral control, but leather is slippery on braking see full Subaru Forester review
2010 4dr SUV 170-horsepower 2.5L H4
4-speed shiftable automatic AWD
Enough room to feel comfortable, even at 6 feet tall. The fact that the Premium Trim package allows rear seats to recline a bit helps a lot as well. see full Subaru Forester review
2009 4dr SUV 170-horsepower 2.5L H4
4-speed shiftable automatic AWD
ample rear seat room for car seats and adults alike see full Subaru Forester review
2009 4dr SUV 170-horsepower 2.5L H4
5-speed manual AWD
Rear seat has plenty of leg room, and the roof is high for tall drivers. see full Subaru Forester review
2009 4dr SUV 170-horsepower 2.5L H4
4-speed shiftable automatic AWD
Rear seats are very comfortable, lots of space, excellent for wife and kid. see full Subaru Forester review
2009 4dr SUV 170-horsepower 2.5L H4
4-speed shiftable automatic AWD
Easily fits people over 6 foot in fron with plenty of room in back for passengers - much better than previous generation Forester. see full Subaru Forester review
2009 4dr SUV 170-horsepower 2.5L H4
5-speed manual AWD
Pleanty of room for long legs in the rear seat. see full Subaru Forester review
2009 4dr SUV 170-horsepower 2.5L H4
5-speed manual AWD
Big enough for growing children; enough leg room for tall driver see full Subaru Forester review
2009 4dr SUV turbocharged 224hp 2.5L H4
4-speed shiftable automatic AWD
well padded and shaped, power seat controls allows good positioning. see full Subaru Forester review
2009 4dr SUV 170-horsepower 2.5L H4
5-speed manual AWD
It fits my kids (three) better than 2001 Outback, the rear seat "hump" is less proeminent than in other Subaru models (Outback namely), good hip and shoulder room see full Subaru Forester review
2009 Subaru Forester Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
YearBody/PowertrainComment
2009 4dr SUV 170-horsepower 2.5L H4
4-speed shiftable automatic AWD
Great for an average women. Too narrow for fit 6 foot man, especially in the back cushion. see full Subaru Forester review
 

What Our Members Are Saying about the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2008 Volkswagen Jetta / Rabbit / GTI

2008 Volkswagen Jetta / Rabbit / GTI Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
YearBody/PowertrainComment
2009 2dr Hatch 170-horsepower 2.5L I5
5-speed manual FWD
Plenty of shoulder/elbow/head room. see full Volkswagen Jetta / Rabbit / GTI review
2009 2dr Hatch 170-horsepower 2.5L I5
5-speed manual FWD
Adequate for 2 adults to sit comfortably. High roof, adequate legroom. see full Volkswagen Jetta / Rabbit / GTI review
2009 2dr Hatch turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4
6-speed manual FWD
Quite possibly the most comfortable front seats I have ever sat in. It is as if they were pulled straight from an Audi and placed in the GTI. An added bonus is the heated cloth, which is unusual because usually you need to option cold leather for heat. see full Volkswagen Jetta / Rabbit / GTI review
2009 4dr Hatch turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4
6-speed automated manual FWD
Front seats are extremely supportive and even heated with the Interlagos cloth option see full Volkswagen Jetta / Rabbit / GTI review
2008 4dr Hatch turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4
6-speed manual FWD
Plenty of space, good lumbar support, nice side bolstering. see full Volkswagen Jetta / Rabbit / GTI review
2008 4dr Hatch 170-horsepower 2.5L I5
6-speed shiftable automatic FWD
well bolstered, firm, both driver and passenger seats have height and lumbar adjust see full Volkswagen Jetta / Rabbit / GTI review
2008 2dr Hatch 250-horsepower 3.2L V6
6-speed automated manual AWD
Fits me perfectly, all controls ideal for me. see full Volkswagen Jetta / Rabbit / GTI review
2008 4dr Hatch turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4
6-speed automated manual FWD
With the 4 door GTI I can drive 4 full size adults around in comfort. Easy ingress-egress. see full Volkswagen Jetta / Rabbit / GTI review
2008 2dr Hatch 250-horsepower 3.2L V6
6-speed automated manual AWD
With only one car, I needed a sporty car with legitimate rear seat room and an automatic for the other users. I have had 2 6ft passengers in the back seat without complaint. The cushion could use a little more height/angle to aid in leg support. Nitpickin see full Volkswagen Jetta / Rabbit / GTI review
2007 2dr Hatch turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4
6-speed automated manual FWD
The front seats offer great lateral support. see full Volkswagen Jetta / Rabbit / GTI review
2008 Volkswagen Jetta / Rabbit / GTI Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
YearBody/PowertrainComment
2008 2dr Hatch 170-horsepower 2.5L I5
6-speed shiftable automatic FWD
It works fine for me, but if you have adults that use the rear seat often they may find it a little uncomfortable for long trips. The legroom is decent, but the seats are a bit hard and not all that ergonomic. see full Volkswagen Jetta / Rabbit / GTI review
2007 2dr Hatch turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4
6-speed automated manual FWD
Great for my kids (4 and 7) but small for adults. see full Volkswagen Jetta / Rabbit / GTI review
 
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