Toyota Highlander (2015) vs. Volkswagen Jetta (2012) Specs

vs.

◆

2015 Toyota Highlander and 2012 Volkswagen Jetta Specifications

Model Year	2015	2012
Model	Toyota Highlander	Volkswagen Jetta
Engine	3.5L V6 DOHC-4v 270 hp@6200 248 lb-ft@4700	turbocharged 2.0L I4 DOHC-4v 200 hp@5100 207 lb-ft@1700
Transmission	6-speed shiftable automatic	6-speed automated manual
Drivetrain	FWD	FWD
Body	4dr SUV	4dr Sedan
			Difference
Wheelbase	109.8 in	104.4 in	5.4 in
Length	191.1 in	182.2 in	8.9 in
Width	75.8 in	70.0 in	5.8 in
Height	68.1 in	57.2 in	10.9 in
Curb Weight	4233 lb.	3157 lb.	1076 lb.
Fuel Capacity	19.2 gal.	14.5 gal.	4.7 gal.
Headroom, Row 1	40.7 in	38.2 in	2.5 in
Shoulder Room, Row 1	59.3 in	55.2 in	4.1 in
Hip Room, Row 1	57.2 in	0.0 in	57.2 in
Legroom, Row 1	44.2 in	41.2 in	3 in
Headroom, Row 2	39.9 in	37.1 in	2.8 in
Shoulder Room, Row 2	59.6 in	53.6 in	6 in
Hip Room, Row 2	57.1 in	0.0 in	57.1 in
Legroom, Row 2	38.4 in	38.1 in	0.3 in
Headroom, Row 3	35.9 in	0.0 in	35.9 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	110.3 in (over 3 rows)	79.3 in (over 2 rows)	31 in
Cargo Volume, Minimum	13.8 ft³	15.5 ft³	-1.7 ft³
Cargo Volume, Behind R2	42.3 ft³	15.5	26.8 ft³
Cargo Volume, Maximum	83.7 ft³	15.5 ft³	68.2 ft³

2015 Toyota Highlander Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year	Comment
	Toyota replaced the 2013 Highlander's rear struts with control arms to enable a three-inch-wider third-row seat, and then used the extra space to cram in a third seating position. So if you need seats for eight people, only the Highlander will do in this threesome. A top-of-the-line Santa Fe only seats six. Other eight-pass options include the Honda Pilot and GM's large crossovers. But those three people best be small, as the Highlander doesn't have nearly as much rear legroom as the Pathfinder or the Santa Fe. To fit children of even middling size in the third row it's necessary to slide the second row well forward. The second row seat cushion is mounted too low for adult comfort. The Nissan's second row suffers from a similar shortcoming, but the Hyundai's does not. see full Toyota Highlander review

None of our members have yet commented on the seat room and comfort of the 2015 Toyota Highlander.

2012 Volkswagen Jetta Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year	Comment
2013	The Jetta is a little longer than the ILX (182 vs. 179 inches), and all of the additional inches appear to have gone into the rear seat. While the average adult will barely fit into the back seat of the Acura (those over 5-9 will be on close terms with the headliner), the Jetta has significantly more rear headroom and more rear legroom than the average midsize sedan, much less the average compact. If you like a roomy rear seat, you'll love the Jetta. Room is one thing, comfort another. The rear seat feels overly hard, and neither the cushion nor the backrest was set at a comfortable angle for me. Clearly some German engineer found these angles optimal, though. So maybe it's just me. see full Volkswagen Jetta review

2012 Volkswagen Jetta Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2011	4dr Sedan 115-horsepower 2.0L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	While the Jetta is extremely roomy and comfortable, the center console is slightly too close and can interfere with the driver's right knee and calf. see full Volkswagen Jetta review

See TrueDelta's information for all SUVs

See TrueDelta's information for all Toyota models.