Subaru Forester (2013) vs. Volkswagen Jetta / Golf / GTI (2010) Specs

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2013 Subaru Forester and 2010 Volkswagen Jetta / Golf / GTI Specifications

Model Year	2013	2010
Model	Subaru Forester	Volkswagen Jetta / Golf / GTI
Engine
Transmission
Drivetrain
Body	4dr SUV	4dr Wagon
			Difference
Wheelbase	103.0 in	101.5 in	1.5 in
Length	169.5 in	179.3 in	-9.8 in
Width	70.1 in	70.1 in	0 in
Height	65.9 in	59.2 in	6.7 in
Curb Weight	3250 lb.	3228 lb.	22 lb.
Fuel Capacity	16.9 gal.	14.5 gal.	2.4 gal.
Headroom, Row 1	41.6 in	38.4 in	3.2 in
Shoulder Room, Row 1	56.1 in	54.8 in	1.3 in
Legroom, Row 1	43.1 in	41.1 in	2 in
Headroom, Row 2	40.0 in	38.1 in	1.9 in
Shoulder Room, Row 2	55.6 in	53.1 in	2.5 in
Legroom, Row 2	38.0 in	35.5 in	2.5 in
Total Legroom	81.1 in (over 2 rows)	76.6 in (over 2 rows)	4.5 in
Cargo Volume, Minimum	33.5 ft³	32.8 ft³	0.7 ft³
Cargo Volume, Maximum	68.3 ft³	66.9 ft³	1.4 ft³

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TrueDelta Reviews the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2013 Subaru Forester

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

What Our Members Are Saying about the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2013 Subaru Forester

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

What Our Members Are Saying about the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2010 Volkswagen Jetta / Golf / GTI

2010 Volkswagen Jetta / Golf / GTI Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2011	2dr Hatch turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4 6-speed manual FWD	I have MS, so comfortable seats are a must. This is the only car that I've been in where I could do a non-stop trip from Michigan to Washington DC in. No fatigue, no stopping for a stretch. It's that good, and VW throws in standard heated seats for the GTI. And they do mean "heated" seats, not "warmed" seats, not "take-the-edge-off" seats. Turn them on full and your bum will be roasting with in a few minutes. see full Volkswagen Jetta / Golf / GTI review
2011	4dr Hatch turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4 6-speed automated manual FWD	Firm, yet comfortable. Excellent lateral support in the turns. Excellent thigh support fro taller driver. Can sit for hours and still feel comfortable. see full Volkswagen Jetta / Golf / GTI review
2011	4dr Hatch turbocharged 140hp 2.0L I4 Diesel 6-speed automated manual FWD	Firm, supportive seats. Not too hard. Should be excellent for long road trips. see full Volkswagen Jetta / Golf / GTI review
2011	4dr Hatch turbocharged 140hp 2.0L I4 Diesel 6-speed automated manual FWD	Good leg room for a small car. Supportive seats. see full Volkswagen Jetta / Golf / GTI review
2011	4dr Hatch turbocharged 140hp 2.0L I4 Diesel 6-speed automated manual FWD	Good leg room and supportive seats. see full Volkswagen Jetta / Golf / GTI review
2011	2dr Hatch 170-horsepower 2.5L I5 5-speed manual FWD	Seats actually fit your body and have proper bolstering, unlike most other seats in this price range which are more like shelves for oversized American behinds. see full Volkswagen Jetta / Golf / GTI review
2010	4dr Hatch turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4 6-speed automated manual FWD	Surprisingly roomy for this size of car. see full Volkswagen Jetta / Golf / GTI review
2010	4dr Hatch turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4 6-speed automated manual FWD	Surprisingly roomy for this size of car. see full Volkswagen Jetta / Golf / GTI review
2010	4dr Hatch turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4 6-speed automated manual FWD	Good room for a small car. Four adults can ride comfortably. Plenty of cargo room with the rear seats down. see full Volkswagen Jetta / Golf / GTI review
2010	4dr Hatch turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4 6-speed automated manual FWD	A lot of rear leg rrom when compared to the Mazda3 and A3 which I also looked at. see full Volkswagen Jetta / Golf / GTI review

See TrueDelta's information for all SUVs

See TrueDelta's information for all Subaru models.