Subaru Forester (2013) vs. Volkswagen Jetta / Golf / GTI (2006) Specs

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2013 Subaru Forester and 2006 Volkswagen Jetta / Golf / GTI Specifications

Model Year	2013	2006
Model	Subaru Forester	Volkswagen Jetta / Golf / GTI
Engine
Transmission
Drivetrain
Body	4dr SUV	4dr Hatch
			Difference
Wheelbase	103.0 in	98.9 in	4.1 in
Length	169.5 in	164.9 in	4.6 in
Width	70.1 in	68.3 in	1.8 in
Height	65.9 in	56.7 in	9.2 in
Curb Weight	3250 lb.	3034 lb.	216 lb.
Fuel Capacity	16.9 gal.	14.5 gal.	2.4 gal.
Headroom, Row 1	41.6 in	38.6 in	3 in
Shoulder Room, Row 1	56.1 in	53.7 in	2.4 in
Legroom, Row 1	43.1 in	41.5 in	1.6 in
Headroom, Row 2	40.0 in	37.4 in	2.6 in
Shoulder Room, Row 2	55.6 in	52.4 in	3.2 in
Legroom, Row 2	38.0 in	33.5 in	4.5 in
Total Legroom	81.1 in (over 2 rows)	75 in (over 2 rows)	6.1 in
Cargo Volume, Minimum	33.5 ft³	18.0 ft³	15.5 ft³
Cargo Volume, Maximum	68.3 ft³	41.8 ft³	26.5 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 2006 Volkswagen Jetta / Golf / GTI

2006 Volkswagen Jetta / Golf / GTI Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2007	4dr Hatch 150-horsepower 2.5L I5 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	most comfortable seats out of the Totoya Matrix, Mazda 3, Honda fit, Nissan Versa see full Volkswagen Jetta / Golf / GTI review
2007	4dr Hatch turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4 6-speed automated manual FWD	Excellent seats and comfort, however occasionally find the seats a bit narrow and the foot well can be tight in some shoes. see full Volkswagen Jetta / Golf / 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 / Golf / GTI review
2007	4dr Hatch turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4 6-speed manual FWD	The sport seats in the basic black leatherette are nicely bolstered though not overly enveloping like seats in my FR-S. This means it hits a nice middle ground of comfort but still keeping you from being thrown around in aggressive driving. The manually adjusted seats are easily positioned to a comfortable state after you figure out which of the 4 levers is doing what. The adjustible thigh support is especially nice and not something I often see in this segment. see full Volkswagen Jetta / Golf / GTI review
2007	2dr Hatch turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4 6-speed automated manual FWD	Zero fatigue on long drives, natural driving position see full Volkswagen Jetta / Golf / GTI review
2007	2dr Hatch turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4 6-speed automated manual FWD	Same as a small sedan, dead pedal, loads of head room see full Volkswagen Jetta / Golf / GTI review
2007	2dr Hatch turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4 6-speed automated manual FWD	High roof line gives sedan-like head room, lots of foot room. see full Volkswagen Jetta / Golf / GTI review
2006	4dr Hatch turbocharged 100hp 1.9L I4 Diesel 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD	Good Shoulder width, okay leg room. see full Volkswagen Jetta / Golf / GTI review

2006 Volkswagen Jetta / Golf / GTI Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
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 / Golf / GTI review
2006	4dr Hatch 115-horsepower 2.0L I4 4-speed automatic FWD	Seats could be firmer though adequate. It has no lumbar support and expended use probably will change the shape of the foam used in the seat. see full Volkswagen Jetta / Golf / GTI review

See TrueDelta's information for all SUVs

See TrueDelta's information for all Subaru models.