Model Year | 2014 | 2016 | |
Model | Volkswagen Golf / GTI | Honda Civic | |
Engine | turbocharged 2.0L I4 DOHC-4v 200 hp@5100 207 lb-ft@1700 |
turbocharged 1.5L I4 DOHC-4v 174 hp@6000 162 lb-ft@1700 |
|
Transmission | 6-speed automated manual | CVT | |
Drivetrain | FWD | FWD | |
Body | 4dr Hatch | 4dr Sedan | |
Difference | |||
Wheelbase | 2,578 mm | 2,700 mm | 0 mm |
Length | 4,201 mm | 4,630 mm | 0 mm |
Width | 1,786 mm | 1,798 mm | 0 mm |
Height | 1,481 mm | 1,415 mm | 0 mm |
Curb Weight | 1,402 kg | 1,315 kg | 0 kg |
Fuel Capacity | 55 L | 47 L | 8 L |
Headroom, Row 1 | 998 mm | 998 mm | 0 mm |
Shoulder Room, Row 1 | 1,389 mm | 1,448 mm | 0 mm |
Hip Room, Row 1 | 0 mm | 1,364 mm | -1 mm |
Legroom, Row 1 | 1,046 mm | 1,074 mm | 0 mm |
Headroom, Row 2 | 978 mm | 942 mm | 36 mm |
Shoulder Room, Row 2 | 1,341 mm | 1,397 mm | 0 mm |
Hip Room, Row 2 | 0 mm | 1,201 mm | -1 mm |
Legroom, Row 2 | 902 mm | 950 mm | -48 mm |
Total Legroom | 1,948 mm (over 2 rows) | 2,024 mm (over 2 rows) | -1 mm |
Cargo Volume, Minimum | 425 L | 428 L | -3 L |
Cargo Volume, Maximum | 1,303 L | 15.1 | -14.1 L |
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 |
None of our members have yet commented on the seat room and comfort of the 2014 Volkswagen Golf / GTI.
2016 Honda Civic Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Comment | |
2016 | From the driver seat the new Honda Civic feels especially roomy. Appearances aren't deceiving: the car has an inch or two more front shoulder room than most other small sedans, and about as much as you'll find in some midsize sedans. On paper the Mazda3 has as much shoulder room, but it feels narrower. Some competitors feel much narrower. In comparison, the new Civic's driving position seems like that of a midsize car. In terms of specs, the Civic's rear seat is also roomier than most others. Owing to a somewhat low cushion and scant toe room beneath the front seats, though, I found it less comfortable than some others. The Elantra isn't among these others. Its rear seat cushion is also too close to the floor to provide thigh support, plus its rear seat back is reclined too much for my taste. Even so, rear headroom is limited. The new Civic's trunk can also hold more than the class average. see full Honda Civic review |
2016 Honda Civic Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Comment | |
Unlike in the Hyundai and Mazda, in the new Honda Civic the lumbar bulge cannot be adjusted. I didn't mind the Touring's front seats. Perhaps my spine was unusually flexible the day I drove it. Or perhaps the cloth seats are slightly different. Whatever the reason, for my upright build the Civic EX's lumbar bulge and headrest both jut too far forward. If your body shape differs from mine, your impressions of the seats might as well. But for years I've heard more complaints about Honda's seats than others. Try extensively before you buy. see full Honda Civic review |
None of our members have yet commented on the seat room and comfort of the 2016 Honda Civic.