Model Year | 2013 | 2014 | |
Model | Volkswagen Beetle | BMW 3-Series | |
Engine | turbocharged 2.0L I4 Diesel DOHC-4v 140 hp@4000 236 lb-ft@1750 |
turbocharged 2.0L I4 Diesel DOHC-4v 180 hp@4000 280 lb-ft@1750 |
|
Transmission | 6-speed automated manual | 8-speed shiftable automatic | |
Drivetrain | FWD | RWD | |
Body | 2dr Hatch | 4dr Wagon | |
Difference | |||
Wheelbase | 99.9 in | 110.6 in | -10.7 in |
Length | 168.4 in | 182.1 in | -13.7 in |
Width | 71.2 in | 71.3 in | -0.1 in |
Height | 58.5 in | 56.5 in | 2 in |
Curb Weight | 3117 lb. | 3595 lb. | -478 lb. |
Fuel Capacity | 14.5 gal. | 15.8 gal. | -1.3 gal. |
Headroom, Row 1 | 39.4 in | 40.4 in | -1 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 1 | 55.3 in | 55.1 in | 0.2 in |
Legroom, Row 1 | 41.3 in | 42.0 in | -0.7 in |
Headroom, Row 2 | 37.1 in | 38.3 in | -1.2 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 2 | 49.0 in | 55.1 in | -6.1 in |
Legroom, Row 2 | 31.4 in | 35.0 in | -3.6 in |
Total Legroom | 72.7 in (over 2 rows) | 77 in (over 2 rows) | -4.3 in |
Cargo Volume, Minimum | 15.4 ft3 | 17.5 ft3 | -2.1 ft3 |
Cargo Volume, Maximum | 29.9 ft3 | 53.0 ft3 | -23.1 ft3 |
2013 Volkswagen Beetle Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Comment | |
2012 | Back in the 1960s VW entreated Americans to "think small." Lately, though, the German manufacturers cars have been getting bigger and bigger. The latest redesign added over two inches to the car's length (now 168 inches) and over two inches to its width (now a midsize-like 71.2 inches. Compared to the 146-by-66-inch, 2,822-pound Mini and the 140-by-64-inch, 2,434-pound Fiat, the 3,340-pound Beetle TDI convertible is a big, heavy car. As noted earlier, solidity and ride quality benefit from this additional bulk. But rear seat room does not. Sure, the Beetle Convertible's rear seat is more viable than the MINI's, but bars to clear rarely come lower. The Fiat is in the same (adults-in-a-pinch) ballpark. In addition to the space shortage, the VW's rear seat back is uncomfortably upright. see full Volkswagen Beetle review |
2013 Volkswagen Beetle Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2012 | 0 | The rear seat is also surprisingly roomy. My 6'2" father was able to sit comfortably in the back for ~30 min hops around town. see full Volkswagen Beetle review |
2013 Volkswagen Beetle Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2013 | 2dr Convertible 170-horsepower 2.5L I5 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD |
The back seat, if you could really call it that, leaves a lot to be desired. Maybe another 3 in. That being said it fits a car seat with my 6' frame in the front seat ahead of it, so it gets the job done. Once the top goes down the interior space seems adequate. see full Volkswagen Beetle review |
2012 | 2dr Hatch turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4 6-speed automated manual FWD |
I love my Beetle, but the rear seat legspace is not so good. For me its no problem at all, since normally only my wife and i drive the car, but when you normally have to drive with 4 adults, it can become crampy at the back. If the driver and front passenger are not that tall, the rear legspace is quite good. Even the headspace is ok. see full Volkswagen Beetle review |
2014 BMW 3-Series Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Comment | |
2014 | The BMW 3-Series used to be tight inside, but it has grown with each redesign, especially the most recent one. The rear seat of the current sedan isn't nearly as roomy as that in the related 3-Series Gran Turismo hatchback. But it offers considerably more rear legroom than direct competitors like the Audi A4, Cadillac ATS, and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. In fact, combined front and rear legroom is the same as in the one size-class up, ten-inch-longer Mercedes E-Class. (You do get a half-inch more rear headroom and nearly two inches more rear shoulder room in the Benz.) Beyond the specs, the BMW's rear seat is comfortably high off the floor, a rarity in the age of sedans with plunging coupe-like roof lines. see full BMW 3-Series review |
None of our members have yet commented on the seat room and comfort of the 2014 BMW 3-Series.