Model Year | 2012 | 2017 | |
Model | Toyota Highlander | Volkswagen Golf / GTI | |
Engine | |||
Transmission | |||
Drivetrain | |||
Body | 4dr SUV | 4dr Wagon | |
Difference | |||
Wheelbase | 109.8 in | 103.5 in | 6.3 in |
Length | 188.4 in | 179.6 in | 8.8 in |
Width | 75.2 in | 70.8 in | 4.4 in |
Height | 68.1 in | 58.3 in | 9.8 in |
Curb Weight | 3946 lb. | 3063 lb. | 883 lb. |
Fuel Capacity | 19.2 gal. | 13.2 gal. | 6 gal. |
Headroom, Row 1 | 40.6 in | 38.6 in | 2 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 1 | 59.7 in | 55.9 in | 3.8 in |
Hip Room, Row 1 | 56.7 in | 0.0 in | 56.7 in |
Legroom, Row 1 | 43.2 in | 41.2 in | 2 in |
Headroom, Row 2 | 40.1 in | 38.6 in | 1.5 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 2 | 59.5 in | 53.9 in | 5.6 in |
Hip Room, Row 2 | 56.5 in | 0.0 in | 56.5 in |
Legroom, Row 2 | 38.3 in | 35.6 in | 2.7 in |
Headroom, Row 3 | 36.3 in | 0.0 in | 36.3 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 3 | 55.0 in | 0.0 in | 55 in |
Hip Room, Row 3 | 42.3 in | 0.0 in | 42.3 in |
Legroom, Row 3 | 29.2 in | 0.0 in | 29.2 in |
Total Legroom | 110.7 in (over 3 rows) | 76.8 in (over 2 rows) | 33.9 in |
Cargo Volume, Minimum | 10.3 ft3 | 30.4 ft3 | -20.1 ft3 |
Cargo Volume, Behind R2 | 42.3 ft3 | 30.4 | 11.9 ft3 |
Cargo Volume, Maximum | 95.4 ft3 | 66.5 ft3 | 28.9 ft3 |
2012 Toyota Highlander Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2013 | 4dr SUV 270-horsepower 3.5L V6 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD |
Perfect for two car seats. Really neat trick - the middle seat for the 2nd row rolls up into the center console. I did not remove it nor attempt to sit in it but that does make the 3rd row more likely to be used for those with car seats. I did not attempt to sit in the 3rd row (looked at it before folding into the floor for cargo space for the entire trip) so cannot opine on it. Use at your own risk. see full Toyota Highlander review |
2012 | 4dr SUV 270-horsepower 3.5L V6 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD |
I am 6 foot tall, and there is plenty of head and leg room in the driving position. Easy access as well. see full Toyota Highlander review |
2012 Toyota Highlander Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2012 | 4dr SUV 270-horsepower 3.5L V6 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD |
3rd row seats are useless to me. Too little room for adults. Should have been an option for families with small children. With 3rd row seating, you lose storage space. see full Toyota Highlander review |
2011 | 4dr SUV 245-horsepower 3.5L V6 Hybrid CVT AWD |
Third row minimal legroom see full Toyota Highlander 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 |