Model Year | 2021 | 2017 | |
Model | Toyota Highlander | Kia Cadenza | |
Engine | 3.5L V6 DOHC-4v 295 hp@6600 263 lb-ft@4700 |
3.3L V6 DOHC-4v 290 hp@6400 253 lb-ft@5200 |
|
Transmission | 8-speed shiftable automatic | 8-speed shiftable automatic | |
Drivetrain | FWD | FWD | |
Body | 4dr SUV | 4dr Sedan | |
Difference | |||
Wheelbase | 112.2 in | 112.4 in | -0.2 in |
Length | 194.9 in | 195.7 in | -0.8 in |
Width | 76.0 in | 73.6 in | 2.4 in |
Height | 68.1 in | 57.9 in | 10.2 in |
Curb Weight | 4145 lb. | 3633 lb. | 512 lb. |
Fuel Capacity | 17.9 gal. | 18.5 gal. | -0.6 gal. |
Headroom, Row 1 | 41.2 in | 40.2 in | 1 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 1 | 59.0 in | 58.3 in | 0.7 in |
Hip Room, Row 1 | 57.2 in | 56.5 in | 0.7 in |
Legroom, Row 1 | 42.0 in | 45.5 in | -3.5 in |
Headroom, Row 2 | 39.4 in | 37.9 in | 1.5 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 2 | 58.7 in | 56.5 in | 2.2 in |
Hip Room, Row 2 | 57.0 in | 56.3 in | 0.7 in |
Legroom, Row 2 | 41.0 in | 37.2 in | 3.8 in |
Headroom, Row 3 | 36.1 in | 0.0 in | 36.1 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 3 | 55.0 in | 0.0 in | 55 in |
Hip Room, Row 3 | 45.6 in | 0.0 in | 45.6 in |
Legroom, Row 3 | 27.7 in | 0.0 in | 27.7 in |
Total Legroom | 110.7 in (over 3 rows) | 82.7 in (over 2 rows) | 28 in |
Cargo Volume, Minimum | 16.0 ft3 | 16.0 ft3 | 0 ft3 |
Cargo Volume, Behind R2 | 48.4 ft3 | 16.0 | 32.4 ft3 |
Cargo Volume, Maximum | 84.3 ft3 | 16.0 ft3 | 68.3 ft3 |
2021 Toyota Highlander Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Comment | |
With each redesign (for 2008, 2014, and 2020) Toyota has enlarged the Highlander, yet the crossover's third-row seat remains uncomforably low and tight. For adults to be even passably comfortable in the way-back the second row must be slid forward, rendering legroom there also marginal. Some three-row crossovers have much roomier and more comfortable third-row seats. But if you want to be able to squeeze in eight people, Highlanders with a second-row bench can do this. Because they have significantly narrower third-row seats, the Ford Explorer and Kia Sorento cannot fit three people back there even in a pinch, so in hybrid form the former has a maximum capacity of seven people and the latter only six. (The Sorento PHEV will be able to seat seven.) This noted, if you want your adult passengers to have plenty of room, the practical capacity of each is four people. see full Toyota Highlander review |
2021 Toyota Highlander Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2020 | 4dr SUV 295-horsepower 3.5L V6 8-speed shiftable automatic AWD |
The 3rd row seating is just not for adults at all, and I'm not certain that children would be easy to fit back there as well. I'm not sure what Toyota was thinking, even making the 2020 longer didn't make any difference at all. My one complaint is it is just TOO SMALL! see full Toyota Highlander review |
2017 Kia Cadenza Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Comment | |
2017 | Due to its shorter greenhouse and taller, more intrusive center console, the Buick's front row doesn't feel nearly as roomy as the Kia's, or even as roomy as the related Chevrolet Malibu's. Large sedans aren't what they used to be. While in the past they were both longer and wider than midsize sedans, these days they more often than not share platforms with the latter, and thus are not significantly wider, only longer. Even in the official specs the LaCrosse has nearly an inch less front shoulder room than the "smaller" Malibu. Likewise, the Cadenza's front row dimensions are within fractions of an inch of the Optima's. If you're seeking more front seat room than in a midsize sedan, you won't find it in these cars. To be fair, midsize sedans have grown. Both the Cadenza and LaCrosse have comfortable front seats, with the Buick's cushion perhaps slightly cushier. Take a turn aggressively, though, and you're much more likely to slide off the Buick's non-bucket, as it provides hardly any lateral support. The Cadenza's bolsters are more effective. The payoff for the additional size of these largish sedans can be found in the back seat, where each offers about two inches more legroom than its junior partner. On paper, the Kia Cadenza offers only slightly more total legroom than the Buick LaCrosse. In reality, it offers much more. With the front seat positioned for my 30-inch inseam (I'm not long of leg), I had about ten inches of knee room in the Kia's back seat. The Kia's rear seat cushion is also a little more supportive and comfortable than the Buick's. Not so good: in both cars there's not enough space under the front seats for the rear seat passengers' feet, essentially robbing them of about a half-foot of legroom. This design flaw is more the rule than the exception in upscale sedans. Still, it's not right. see full Kia Cadenza review |
None of our members have yet commented on the seat room and comfort of the 2017 Kia Cadenza.