Volkswagen Golf / GTI Volkswagen Golf / GTI 2014 BMW 3-Series BMW 3-Series 2015

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Volkswagen Golf / GTI (2014) vs. BMW 3-Series (2015) Specs

How powerful is the engine? How much room is in the back seat? Get the 2014 Volkswagen Golf / GTI and 2015 BMW 3-Series specs.

2014 Volkswagen Golf / GTI and 2015 BMW 3-Series Specifications

Model Year 2014 2015  
Model Volkswagen Golf / GTI 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 4dr Hatch 4dr Wagon  
      Difference
Wheelbase 101.5 in 110.6 in -9.1 in
Length 165.4 in 182.1 in -16.7 in
Width 70.3 in 71.3 in -1 in
Height 58.3 in 56.5 in 1.8 in
Curb Weight 3025 lb. 3595 lb. -570 lb.
Fuel Capacity 14.5 gal. 15.8 gal. -1.3 gal.
Headroom, Row 1 39.3 in 40.4 in -1.1 in
Shoulder Room, Row 1 54.7 in 55.1 in -0.4 in
Legroom, Row 1 41.2 in 42.0 in -0.8 in
Headroom, Row 2 38.5 in 38.3 in 0.2 in
Shoulder Room, Row 2 52.8 in 55.1 in -2.3 in
Legroom, Row 2 35.5 in 35.0 in 0.5 in
Total Legroom 76.7 in (over 2 rows) 77 in (over 2 rows) -0.3 in
Cargo Volume, Minimum 15.0 ft3 17.5 ft3 -2.5 ft3
Cargo Volume, Maximum 46.0 ft3 53.0 ft3 -7 ft3

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

2014 Volkswagen Golf / GTI Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
YearComment
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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TrueDelta Reviews the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2015 BMW 3-Series

2015 BMW 3-Series Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
YearComment
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
 

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