Toyota Highlander (2021) vs. Volkswagen Golf / GTI (2014) Specs

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2021 Toyota Highlander and 2014 Volkswagen Golf / GTI Specifications

Model Year	2021	2014
Model	Toyota Highlander	Volkswagen Golf / GTI
Engine	3.5L V6 DOHC-4v 295 hp@6600 263 lb-ft@4700	turbocharged 2.0L I4 DOHC-4v 200 hp@5100 207 lb-ft@1700
Transmission	8-speed shiftable automatic	6-speed automated manual
Drivetrain	FWD	FWD
Body	4dr SUV	4dr Hatch
			Difference
Wheelbase	112.2 in	101.5 in	10.7 in
Length	194.9 in	165.4 in	29.5 in
Width	76.0 in	70.3 in	5.7 in
Height	68.1 in	58.3 in	9.8 in
Curb Weight	4145 lb.	3090 lb.	1055 lb.
Fuel Capacity	17.9 gal.	14.5 gal.	3.4 gal.
Headroom, Row 1	41.2 in	39.3 in	1.9 in
Shoulder Room, Row 1	59.0 in	54.7 in	4.3 in
Hip Room, Row 1	57.2 in	0.0 in	57.2 in
Legroom, Row 1	42.0 in	41.2 in	0.8 in
Headroom, Row 2	39.4 in	38.5 in	0.9 in
Shoulder Room, Row 2	58.7 in	52.8 in	5.9 in
Hip Room, Row 2	57.0 in	0.0 in	57 in
Legroom, Row 2	41.0 in	35.5 in	5.5 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)	76.7 in (over 2 rows)	34 in
Cargo Volume, Minimum	16.0 ft³	15.0 ft³	1 ft³
Cargo Volume, Behind R2	48.4 ft³	15.0	33.4 ft³
Cargo Volume, Maximum	84.3 ft³	46.0 ft³	38.3 ft³

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TrueDelta Reviews the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2021 Toyota Highlander

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

What Our Members Are Saying about the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2021 Toyota Highlander

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

TrueDelta Reviews the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2014 Volkswagen Golf / GTI

2014 Volkswagen Golf / GTI Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year	Comment
2015	The original Golf revolutionized the automotive world by demonstrating how practical a small car could be. Though the latest, seventh-generation Golf is much larger than the original, and every major auto maker now offers a Golf-like compact, the Volkswagen continues to impress with its practicality. Let's start with the front seat. The seat itself is shaped and padded to provide nearly ideal comfort and support in daily driving. The performance buckets in the GTI and R have firmer bolsters that provide more lateral support, but the regular Golf's buckets are cushier and more comfortably contoured. The e-Golf uses the same exemplary seats. In comparison, the seats in the Soul EV are merely okay. The view forward from the e-Golf's driver seat is also about as good as it gets in a current compact, with a reasonably-sized instrument panel and an expansive, comfortably raked windshield flanked by relatively thin pillars. This said, some people might prefer the higher driving position in the quasi-crossover Soul EV. For me, a conventional car's lower position continues to feel more natural, especially in turns. Battery packs take up space. Even with the (roughly) 1.5-kWh battery packs used by hybrids cargo capacity usually takes a hit. In the Soul EV, rear seat legroom suffers a three-inch reduction due to the underfloor location of the car's 27-kWh battery pack. But VW engineers managed to design and package a 24-kWh battery pack so cleverly that the e-Golf's passenger and cargo room are identical to those of a regular Golf. Adults will comfortably fit in the car's back seat. The same can't be said about most other EVs--the Soul being a second exception. Even with the three-inch cut, the Kia's back seat is about as roomy as the Golf's. The i3's back seat is far tighter. Which EV treats its passengers best depends on the season. The e-Golf includes rear air vents, while the Soul EV+ includes rear seat bun warmers. Moving to the cargo area, the Soul EV's battery pack eats up a dozen cubic feet, leaving just under 50. The uncompromised e-Golf can contain a couple more. But these figures don't convey the differing proportions of the cars' cargo holds. The e-Golf's is a few inches longer, while the Soul EV's is a few inches taller. Which is the better cargo hauler depends on the shape of your cargo. The much larger Tesla Model S can hold a few more cubic feet, the Mercedes-Benz B-Class about the same as the e-Golf. No other EV comes close, especially not the 12-cube BMW i3. see full Volkswagen Golf / GTI review

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