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2014 Subaru Forester and 2008 Volkswagen Jetta / Rabbit / GTI Specifications
| Model Year | 2014 | 2008 | |
| Model | Subaru Forester | Volkswagen Jetta / Rabbit / GTI | |
| Engine | turbocharged 2.0L H4 DOHC-4v 250 hp@5600 258 lb-ft@2000 |
3.2L V6 DOHC-4v 250 hp@6300 236 lb-ft@2500 |
|
| Transmission | 8-speed shiftable CVT | 6-speed automated manual | |
| Drivetrain | AWD | AWD | |
| Body | 4dr SUV | 4dr Hatch | |
| Difference | |||
| Wheelbase | 103.9 in | 101.5 in | 2.4 in |
| Length | 180.9 in | 165.8 in | 15.1 in |
| Width | 70.7 in | 68.3 in | 2.4 in |
| Height | 66.4 in | 58.4 in | 8 in |
| Curb Weight | 3624 lb. | 3643 lb. | -19 lb. |
| Fuel Capacity | 15.9 gal. | 14.5 gal. | 1.4 gal. |
| Headroom, Row 1 | 41.4 in | 39.3 in | 2.1 in |
| Shoulder Room, Row 1 | 57.0 in | 54.7 in | 2.3 in |
| Legroom, Row 1 | 43.0 in | 41.2 in | 1.8 in |
| Headroom, Row 2 | 39.8 in | 38.5 in | 1.3 in |
| Shoulder Room, Row 2 | 56.5 in | 54.6 in | 1.9 in |
| Legroom, Row 2 | 38.0 in | 35.3 in | 2.7 in |
| Total Legroom | 81 in (over 2 rows) | 76.5 in (over 2 rows) | 4.5 in |
| Cargo Volume, Minimum | 34.4 ft3 | 15.1 ft3 | 19.3 ft3 |
| Cargo Volume, Maximum | 74.7 ft3 | 41.8 ft3 | 32.9 ft3 |
TrueDelta Reviews the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2014 Subaru Forester
| 2014 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 2014 Subaru Forester
| 2014 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 |
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 | 4dr SUV 170-horsepower 2.5L H4 CVT AWD |
Huge rear seat for the car's size 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 | ||
| Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
| 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 | ||
| Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
| 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 |
See TrueDelta's information for all SUVs
See TrueDelta's information for all Subaru models.
