Model Year | 2013 | 2013 | |
Model | Subaru Forester | Volkswagen Passat | |
Engine | turbocharged 2.5L H4 DOHC-4v 224 hp@5600 226 lb-ft@3600 |
3.6L V6 DOHC-4v 280 hp@6200 258 lb-ft@2500 |
|
Transmission | 4-speed shiftable automatic | 6-speed automated manual | |
Drivetrain | AWD | FWD | |
Body | 4dr SUV | 4dr Sedan | |
Difference | |||
Wheelbase | 103.0 in | 110.4 in | -7.4 in |
Length | 169.5 in | 191.6 in | -22.1 in |
Width | 70.1 in | 72.2 in | -2.1 in |
Height | 65.9 in | 58.5 in | 7.4 in |
Curb Weight | 3440 lb. | 3446 lb. | -6 lb. |
Fuel Capacity | 16.9 gal. | 18.5 gal. | -1.6 gal. |
Headroom, Row 1 | 41.6 in | 38.3 in | 3.3 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 1 | 56.1 in | 56.9 in | -0.8 in |
Legroom, Row 1 | 43.1 in | 42.4 in | 0.7 in |
Headroom, Row 2 | 40.0 in | 37.8 in | 2.2 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 2 | 55.6 in | 57.0 in | -1.4 in |
Legroom, Row 2 | 38.0 in | 39.1 in | -1.1 in |
Total Legroom | 81.1 in (over 2 rows) | 81.5 in (over 2 rows) | -0.4 in |
Cargo Volume, Minimum | 33.5 ft3 | 15.9 ft3 | 17.6 ft3 |
Cargo Volume, Maximum | 68.3 ft3 | 15.9 ft3 | 52.4 ft3 |
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 |
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 |
2013 Volkswagen Passat Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Comment | |
2012 | Volkswagen's research must have found that Americans highly value rear legroom, because the Passat has an abundance of it. Unless you're an NBA center you'll have plenty of room to stretch out in the back of this sedan. see full Volkswagen Passat review |
2013 Volkswagen Passat Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2013 | 4dr Sedan turbocharged 140hp 2.0L I4 Diesel 6-speed automated manual FWD |
SEL Premium seating is fantastic. Definitely worth the cost of the upgrade over the mid-grade seats. see full Volkswagen Passat review |
2013 | 4dr Sedan turbocharged 140hp 2.0L I4 Diesel 6-speed manual FWD |
rear seat room is exceptional. can handle long-legged folks with ease and those with large shoe sizes. enter and exiting with larger folks not a problem either. see full Volkswagen Passat review |
2012 | 4dr Sedan 170-horsepower 2.5L I5 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD |
Older teenagers like the extra room see full Volkswagen Passat review |
2012 | 4dr Sedan 170-horsepower 2.5L I5 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD |
HUGE amount of rear legroom! see full Volkswagen Passat review |
2012 | 4dr Sedan 170-horsepower 2.5L I5 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD |
Tons of room while driving. I am 6'4" and have plenty of leg and headroom. see full Volkswagen Passat review |