TrueDelta Reviews the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2017 Volkswagen Golf / GTI
2017 Volkswagen Golf / GTI Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year
Comment
2016
As I've noted before (when reviewing the e-Golf), the seventh-generation Golf's front seats are shaped and padded to provide nearly ideal comfort and support in daily driving. The CX-5's driver seat also fit me well, but not quite as well as the Volkswagen's.
Compared to other compact hatchbacks and its ancestors, the current Golf has a roomy rear seat. I can sit behind my 5-9 self with about five inches of air ahead of my knees. Unless unusually tall people populate both rows, the amount of space should be beyond adequate.
Compare the Golf SportWagen's rear seat to that in the CX-5, and a funny thing happens. On paper, the Mazda provides about 3.5 more inches of legroom. When sitting behind myself in both vehicles, though, I had about half as much space ahead of my knees in the CX-5. I've noticed in the past that VW measures rear legroom very conservatively, and apparently they continue to do so. The Golf's interior is roomier than the official specs suggest. Plus its rear seat passengers get air vents. The Mazda's do not.
This said, I'm not entirely comfortable in the Golf SportWagen's rear seat. To me it feels overly reclined. In neither the GSW nor the CX-5 is the degree of recline adjustable. It is in some compact crossovers.
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What Our Members Are Saying about the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2017 Volkswagen Golf / GTI
2017 Volkswagen Golf / GTI Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
TrueDelta Reviews the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe
2012 Hyundai Santa Fe Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year
Comment
2013
Nothing impressed me more about the new Santa Fe than the amount of combined legroom. With a length of 193 inches (2.5 more than the Veracruz), the new crossover is four inches shorter than a Nissan Pathfinder and over seven inches shorter than a GMC Acadia, yet you'll find more legroom in its second and third rows. On top of this, unlike in the Nissan and GMC (but like in the Veracruz, this hasn't changed) the second-row seat is comfortably high off the floor.
Alas, all is not good in this area--check out the cons below--so I haven't rated it against the Pathfinder.
see full Hyundai Santa Fe review
2012 Hyundai Santa Fe Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year
Comment
As noted among the pros, you'll find abundant legroom in the Santa Fe. But shoulder room is a different story. The new Santa Fe's 74.2-inch width exceeds that of the typical compact crossover or midsize sedan, but is narrower than that of the Highlander, Veracruz, Pathfinder, Pilot, and Acadia by 1.0, 2.4, 3.0, 4.3, and 4.7 inches, respectively. For anyone seeking to sit three across in the second row (or who simply prefers the spacious ambiance of a wide vehicle in any row), the Santa Fe's consequently narrower interior could be the #1 downside of sharing as much as possible with the new two-row Santa Fe Sport.
Then again, maximum shoulder room for three passengers is only an issue with the Santa Fe GLS. As mentioned in the preceding section, the Santa Fe Limited has standard captains chairs, and so can only seat six. Anyone seeking a full zoot crossover with seating for more people will have to shop elsewhere.
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What Our Members Are Saying about the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe
2012 Hyundai Santa Fe Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year
Body/Powertrain
Comment
2012
4dr SUV turbocharged 194hp 2.2L I4 Diesel 6-speed manual AWD
Seats are comfortable for my wife and myself, with more than adequate room, 3 people fit easily in the back. They have good foot room too.
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2012 Hyundai Santa Fe Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year
Body/Powertrain
Comment
2011
4dr SUV 276-horsepower 3.5L V6 6-speed shiftable automatic AWD