Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport (2011) vs. Mercedes-Benz GL (2012) Specs

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2011 Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport and 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL Specifications

Model Year	2011	2012
Model	Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport	Mercedes-Benz GL
Engine
Transmission
Drivetrain
Body	4dr Hatch	4dr SUV
			Difference
Wheelbase	103.1 in	121.1 in	-18 in
Length	173.8 in	200.6 in	-26.8 in
Width	68.5 in	76.0 in	-7.5 in
Height	58.5 in	72.4 in	-13.9 in
Curb Weight	3075 lb.	5346 lb.	-2271 lb.
Fuel Capacity	16.9 gal.	26.0 gal.	-9.1 gal.
Headroom, Row 1	40.3 in	40.1 in	0.2 in
Shoulder Room, Row 1	54.8 in	58.3 in	-3.5 in
Legroom, Row 1	43.5 in	40.3 in	3.2 in
Headroom, Row 2	37.6 in	40.6 in	-3 in
Shoulder Room, Row 2	53.2 in	58.9 in	-5.7 in
Legroom, Row 2	33.5 in	39.5 in	-6 in
Headroom, Row 3	0.0 in	38.2 in	-38.2 in
Shoulder Room, Row 3	0.0 in	50.5 in	-50.5 in
Legroom, Row 3	0.0 in	34.2 in	-34.2 in
Total Legroom	77 in (over 2 rows)	114 in (over 3 rows)	-37 in
Cargo Volume, Minimum	19.0 ft³	14.3 ft³	4.7 ft³
Cargo Volume, Behind R2	19.0	43.8 ft³	-24.8
Cargo Volume, Maximum	44.4 ft³	83.3 ft³	-38.9 ft³

2011 Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2012	4dr Hatch 148-horsepower 2.0L H4 CVT AWD	I've driven between the SF Bay Area and San Diego several times with no comfort issues. As a point of comparison, I am comfortable with long drives in a 2002 Honda Civic and I would like to burn the seats in a 2010 Hyundai Tucson. see full Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport review
2012	4dr Hatch 148-horsepower 2.0L H4 6-speed shiftable CVT AWD	I am 6'4" tall and this is one of the few compact cars I fit into easily with room to spare. see full Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport review
2012	4dr Hatch 148-horsepower 2.0L H4 6-speed shiftable CVT AWD	The rear seats actually have enough space to comfortably fit full size adults or child car seats. The doors open wide making ingress and egress easy. see full Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport review
2012	4dr Hatch 148-horsepower 2.0L H4 6-speed shiftable CVT AWD	Amongst small cars, this had quite comfortable rear seat room, which accommodated our car seat better than our previous Volkswagen Jetta. see full Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport review
2012	4dr Sedan 148-horsepower 2.0L H4 6-speed shiftable CVT AWD	Roomy inside, as well as pretty large greenhouse see full Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport review

2011 Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2012	4dr Hatch turbocharged 265hp 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD	Coming from both an MX-5 and Buick Century the cabin of the WRX is very spacious. There is good room for driver and passenger. see full Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport review
2012	4dr Hatch turbocharged 265hp 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD	I drove he car for a better part of 2 hours today. The seats were very comfortable all around in rush hour traffic on city and highway roads. see full Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport review
2012	4dr Hatch 148-horsepower 2.0L H4 6-speed shiftable CVT AWD	Seats only adjust two ways, and manual adjustments at that. They're adequate for short trips but uncomfortable if you have to sit for hours. I wish there was an option for multiple power adjustments with memory. see full Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport review
2011	4dr Hatch 170-horsepower 2.5L H4 4-speed shiftable automatic AWD	There is no lumbar support which makes it tough for drives over 2 hours. The seats could be better for its class. I think Subaru remedied this issue in the new body style, however. see full Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport review

2012 Mercedes-Benz GL Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year	Comment
2013	The Mercedes-Benz GL-Class is just a little longer than the Audi Q7 (201.6 vs. 200.3 inches), and isn't as wide (76.4 vs. 78.1 inches). But the Mercedes is considerably taller (72.8 vs. 68.4 inches) and not nearly as curvy. Which might explain how it is far roomier than the much sleeker Audi. Combined legroom for all three rows is 107.6 inches in the Q7 vs. 113.8 inches in the GL-Class, a large difference. The Q7's space deficit grows the farther back you sit. For adults to even fit in the Audi's third row without extreme discomfort, those in the second row must slide their seats forward to the point that they are themselves short on knee room. While the new GL350's third row sits too low to provide thigh support, it's not nearly as cramped. Further evidence that Audi didn't intend the Q7's third row for frequent use: the second-row seat doesn't do a good job of getting out of the way, making the path in and out of the way-back perhaps the tightest I've experienced. The second-row seat in the GL-Class tips forward to open up a much wider path. If manually tipping the seat is too much of a chore (perhaps because you'e a five-year-old and haven't yet learned to read this), $400 buys a power assist. But even with this option the seat must be manually returned to its upright position, so the point eludes me. see full Mercedes-Benz GL review

None of our members have yet commented on the seat room and comfort of the 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL.

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