Model Year | 2007 | 2013 | |
Model | Volkswagen Jetta / Rabbit / GTI | Fiat 500 | |
Engine | turbocharged 2.0L I4 DOHC-4v 200 hp@5500 207 lb-ft@1800 |
turbocharged 1.4L I4 OHC-4v 160 hp@5500 170 lb-ft@2500 |
|
Transmission | 6-speed automated manual | 5-speed manual | |
Drivetrain | FWD | FWD | |
Body | 2dr Hatch | 2dr Hatch | |
Difference | |||
Wheelbase | 101.5 in | 90.6 in | 10.9 in |
Length | 165.8 in | 139.6 in | 26.2 in |
Width | 69.3 in | 64.1 in | 5.2 in |
Height | 58.4 in | 59.8 in | -1.4 in |
Curb Weight | 3096 lb. | 2533 lb. | 563 lb. |
Fuel Capacity | 14.5 gal. | 10.5 gal. | 4 gal. |
Headroom, Row 1 | 39.3 in | 38.9 in | 0.4 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 1 | 54.7 in | 49.4 in | 5.3 in |
Hip Room, Row 1 | 0.0 in | 47.9 in | -47.9 in |
Legroom, Row 1 | 41.2 in | 40.7 in | 0.5 in |
Headroom, Row 2 | 38.5 in | 35.6 in | 2.9 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 2 | 54.6 in | 46.4 in | 8.2 in |
Hip Room, Row 2 | 0.0 in | 42.6 in | -42.6 in |
Legroom, Row 2 | 35.3 in | 31.7 in | 3.6 in |
Total Legroom | 76.5 in (over 2 rows) | 72.4 in (over 2 rows) | 4.1 in |
Cargo Volume, Minimum | 15.1 ft3 | 9.5 ft3 | 5.6 ft3 |
Cargo Volume, Maximum | 41.8 ft3 | 30.1 ft3 | 11.7 ft3 |
2007 Volkswagen Jetta / Rabbit / GTI Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2008 | 4dr Hatch turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4 6-speed manual FWD |
Plenty of space, good lumbar support, nice side bolstering. see full Volkswagen Jetta / Rabbit / GTI review |
2008 | 2dr Hatch 250-horsepower 3.2L V6 6-speed automated manual AWD |
With only one car, I needed a sporty car with legitimate rear seat room and an automatic for the other users. I have had 2 6ft passengers in the back seat without complaint. The cushion could use a little more height/angle to aid in leg support. Nitpickin see full Volkswagen Jetta / Rabbit / GTI review |
2008 | 4dr Hatch 170-horsepower 2.5L I5 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD |
well bolstered, firm, both driver and passenger seats have height and lumbar adjust see full Volkswagen Jetta / Rabbit / GTI review |
2008 | 4dr Hatch turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4 6-speed automated manual FWD |
With the 4 door GTI I can drive 4 full size adults around in comfort. Easy ingress-egress. see full Volkswagen Jetta / Rabbit / GTI review |
2008 | 2dr Hatch 250-horsepower 3.2L V6 6-speed automated manual AWD |
Fits me perfectly, all controls ideal for me. see full Volkswagen Jetta / Rabbit / GTI review |
2007 | 4dr Hatch 150-horsepower 2.5L I5 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD |
most comfortable seats out of the Totoya Matrix, Mazda 3, Honda fit, Nissan Versa see full Volkswagen Jetta / Rabbit / GTI review |
2007 | 4dr Hatch turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4 6-speed automated manual FWD |
Excellent seats and comfort, however occasionally find the seats a bit narrow and the foot well can be tight in some shoes. see full Volkswagen Jetta / Rabbit / GTI review |
2007 | 4dr Hatch turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4 6-speed manual FWD |
The sport seats in the basic black leatherette are nicely bolstered though not overly enveloping like seats in my FR-S. This means it hits a nice middle ground of comfort but still keeping you from being thrown around in aggressive driving. The manually adjusted seats are easily positioned to a comfortable state after you figure out which of the 4 levers is doing what. The adjustible thigh support is especially nice and not something I often see in this segment. see full Volkswagen Jetta / Rabbit / GTI review |
2007 | 2dr Hatch turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4 6-speed automated manual FWD |
The front seats offer great lateral support. see full Volkswagen Jetta / Rabbit / GTI review |
2007 | 2dr Hatch turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4 6-speed automated manual FWD |
Zero fatigue on long drives, natural driving position see full Volkswagen Jetta / Rabbit / GTI review |
2007 Volkswagen Jetta / Rabbit / GTI Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2008 | 2dr Hatch 170-horsepower 2.5L I5 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD |
It works fine for me, but if you have adults that use the rear seat often they may find it a little uncomfortable for long trips. The legroom is decent, but the seats are a bit hard and not all that ergonomic. see full Volkswagen Jetta / Rabbit / GTI review |
2007 | 2dr Hatch turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4 6-speed automated manual FWD |
Great for my kids (4 and 7) but small for adults. see full Volkswagen Jetta / Rabbit / GTI review |
2006 | 4dr Hatch 115-horsepower 2.0L I4 4-speed automatic FWD |
Seats could be firmer though adequate. It has no lumbar support and expended use probably will change the shape of the foam used in the seat. see full Volkswagen Jetta / Rabbit / GTI review |
2013 Fiat 500 Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Comment | |
2012 | Few seats fit everyone well. For me, the "sport seats" in the Abarth were short on both lateral and lower back support. The seatback reclines in steps, and none of the detents was quite right. Try to relax, and you'll find that the headrests are hard and uncomfortably shaped. see full Fiat 500 review |
2013 Fiat 500 Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2013 | 2dr Hatch 101-horsepower 1.4L I4 5-speed manual FWD |
I like to drive small cars, but I am a large man. (6'3" and about 290lbs.) I love the seating position of the Fiat, as it sits higher, so I don't have to bend down as far to get in, as on the Mini Cooper or the Miatas I used to drive. The driving position is more upright, which I find more comfortable as well. The base model (Pop) seats are comfortable, though I would like to have the leather seats of the "Lounge" model. Ride quality is very good. There is no harshness and I easily rate it better than the Honda Civic I traded for it (2006) and many other, larger cars I drove. It is also one of the quieter cars I've owned. see full Fiat 500 review |
2013 | 2dr Hatch 101-horsepower 1.4L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD |
Front seat very nice for money.. see full Fiat 500 review |
2012 | 2dr Hatch 101-horsepower 1.4L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD |
Great room in front seat, and I'm tall at 6 feet. There are still enough inches above my head to wear a hat. I think the comfortable adjustable seats could accomodate anyone. I bought the cloth seats and I prefer them to the leather seats in my other see full Fiat 500 review |
2012 | 2dr Hatch 101-horsepower 1.4L I4 5-speed manual FWD |
Really comfortable driver's seat, but the armrest is annoying. see full Fiat 500 review |
2013 Fiat 500 Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2013 | 2dr Hatch 101-horsepower 1.4L I4 5-speed manual FWD |
As previously mentioned, I would not want to use my rear seat on a regular basis. It is tight in back, and I think of it as emergency seating. see full Fiat 500 review |
2013 | 2dr Hatch 101-horsepower 1.4L I4 5-speed manual FWD |
Yeah, don't try to ride in the back if you are as big as me. But my kids 8 & 11 fit just fine. My family of 4 has taken the Fiat on several small family trips. I wouldn't drive with them more than a couple of hours each way, as they start to get antsy, but the kids love the car for short trips. see full Fiat 500 review |
2013 | 2dr Hatch 101-horsepower 1.4L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD |
Rear seat is what it is..Small but bigger then you think.. I'm 5'9 and there is still leg room behind me..But for any real distance I would think it's better for kids.. This isn't really a "Con" as your buyig a small car for fun and mileage not leg room... You think this is small try a mini-Cooper back seat see full Fiat 500 review |
2012 | 2dr Hatch 101-horsepower 1.4L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD |
Rear seat is pretty small, but no smaller than most little cars. The seats do fold down for cargo. see full Fiat 500 review |
2012 | 2dr Hatch 101-horsepower 1.4L I4 5-speed manual FWD |
One more thing. Rear seat comfort was obviously not a big selling point, nor a necessary feature. But one piece of it was worse than it had to be: the rear seat headrests. The artful circular shape and limited adjustment made the rear seats even harder to use; the headrest would tend to jab passengers in their spine. A better solution which was more even with the seat back would really have helped here. see full Fiat 500 review |
2012 | 2dr Hatch 101-horsepower 1.4L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD |
Forget about the rear seat unless you are carrying around people who really like you, or people with really short legs. There's plenty of room up front, but not so much in the back. I usually leave the seats folded to expand the cargo room. see full Fiat 500 review |
2012 | 2dr Hatch 101-horsepower 1.4L I4 5-speed manual FWD |
if you need to regularly have adults sitting in the rear seat this may not be the car for you. the rear seat is fine for kids or even small adults occasionally. see full Fiat 500 review |