Subaru Legacy (2011) vs. Volkswagen Golf / GTI (2017) Specs

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2011 Subaru Legacy and 2017 Volkswagen Golf / GTI Specifications

Model Year	2011	2017
Model	Subaru Legacy	Volkswagen Golf / GTI
Engine	turbocharged 2.5L H4 DOHC-4v 265 hp@5600 258 lb-ft@2000	turbocharged 2.0L I4 DOHC-4v 292 hp@5400 280 lb-ft@1800
Transmission	6-speed manual	6-speed automated manual
Drivetrain	AWD	AWD
Body	4dr Sedan	4dr Hatch
			Difference
Wheelbase	108.3 in	103.8 in	4.5 in
Length	186.4 in	167.5 in	18.9 in
Width	71.7 in	70.8 in	0.9 in
Height	59.3 in	57.2 in	2.1 in
Curb Weight	3550 lb.	3340 lb.	210 lb.
Fuel Capacity	18.5 gal.	13.2 gal.	5.3 gal.
Headroom, Row 1	40.3 in	38.4 in	1.9 in
Shoulder Room, Row 1	56.3 in	55.9 in	0.4 in
Legroom, Row 1	43.0 in	41.2 in	1.8 in
Headroom, Row 2	37.5 in	38.1 in	-0.6 in
Shoulder Room, Row 2	56.1 in	53.9 in	2.2 in
Legroom, Row 2	37.8 in	35.6 in	2.2 in
Total Legroom	80.8 in (over 2 rows)	76.8 in (over 2 rows)	4 in
Cargo Volume, Minimum	14.7 ft³	22.8 ft³	-8.1 ft³
Cargo Volume, Maximum	14.7 ft³	52.7 ft³	-38 ft³

2011 Subaru Legacy Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2012	4dr Sedan 170-horsepower 2.5L H4 6-speed shiftable CVT AWD	Wide rear door openings make ingress & egress from back seat very easy. Commodious rear seat room. see full Subaru Legacy review
2010	4dr Sedan turbocharged 265hp 2.5L H4 6-speed manual AWD	I can put adults back there, unlike the previous 2 WRXs. see full Subaru Legacy review
2010	4dr Sedan 170-horsepower 2.5L H4 6-speed manual AWD	Good sized back seat, could fit two adults very comfortably with plenty of legroom. see full Subaru Legacy review
2010	4dr Sedan turbocharged 265hp 2.5L H4 6-speed manual AWD	I can easily fit three our four six foot adults in the car comfortably. see full Subaru Legacy review
2010	4dr Sedan turbocharged 265hp 2.5L H4 6-speed manual AWD	I can easily fit three our four six foot adults in the car comfortably. see full Subaru Legacy review

2017 Volkswagen Golf / GTI Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year	Comment
2016	As I've noted before (when reviewing the e-Golf), the seventh-generation Golf's front seats are shaped and padded to provide nearly ideal comfort and support in daily driving. The CX-5's driver seat also fit me well, but not quite as well as the Volkswagen's. Compared to other compact hatchbacks and its ancestors, the current Golf has a roomy rear seat. I can sit behind my 5-9 self with about five inches of air ahead of my knees. Unless unusually tall people populate both rows, the amount of space should be beyond adequate. Compare the Golf SportWagen's rear seat to that in the CX-5, and a funny thing happens. On paper, the Mazda provides about 3.5 more inches of legroom. When sitting behind myself in both vehicles, though, I had about half as much space ahead of my knees in the CX-5. I've noticed in the past that VW measures rear legroom very conservatively, and apparently they continue to do so. The Golf's interior is roomier than the official specs suggest. Plus its rear seat passengers get air vents. The Mazda's do not. This said, I'm not entirely comfortable in the Golf SportWagen's rear seat. To me it feels overly reclined. In neither the GSW nor the CX-5 is the degree of recline adjustable. It is in some compact crossovers. see full Volkswagen Golf / GTI review

2017 Volkswagen Golf / GTI Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2016	2dr Hatch turbocharged 210hp 2.0L I4 6-speed manual FWD	Difficult ingress and egress see full Volkswagen Golf / GTI review

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