Volkswagen Golf / GTI (2017) vs. Lexus IS (2015) Specs

vs.

◆

2017 Volkswagen Golf / GTI and 2015 Lexus IS Specifications

Model Year	2017	2015
Model	Volkswagen Golf / GTI	Lexus IS
Engine	turbocharged 2.0L I4 DOHC-4v 292 hp@5400 280 lb-ft@1800	3.5L V6 DOHC-4v 306 hp@6400 277 lb-ft@4800
Transmission	6-speed automated manual	6-speed shiftable automatic
Drivetrain	AWD	AWD
Body	4dr Hatch	4dr Sedan
			Difference
Wheelbase	103.8 in	110.2 in	-6.4 in
Length	167.5 in	183.7 in	-16.2 in
Width	70.8 in	71.3 in	-0.5 in
Height	57.2 in	56.3 in	0.9 in
Curb Weight	3340 lb.	3737 lb.	-397 lb.
Fuel Capacity	13.2 gal.	17.4 gal.	-4.2 gal.
Headroom, Row 1	38.4 in	38.2 in	0.2 in
Shoulder Room, Row 1	55.9 in	55.9 in	0 in
Hip Room, Row 1	0.0 in	54.3 in	-54.3 in
Legroom, Row 1	41.2 in	44.8 in	-3.6 in
Headroom, Row 2	38.1 in	36.9 in	1.2 in
Shoulder Room, Row 2	53.9 in	53.4 in	0.5 in
Hip Room, Row 2	0.0 in	54.0 in	-54 in
Legroom, Row 2	35.6 in	32.2 in	3.4 in
Total Legroom	76.8 in (over 2 rows)	77 in (over 2 rows)	-0.2 in
Cargo Volume, Minimum	22.8 ft³	10.8 ft³	12 ft³
Cargo Volume, Maximum	52.7 ft³	10.8 ft³	41.9 ft³

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. see full Volkswagen Golf / GTI review

2017 Volkswagen Golf / GTI Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2016	2dr Hatch turbocharged 210hp 2.0L I4 6-speed manual FWD	Difficult ingress and egress see full Volkswagen Golf / GTI review

2015 Lexus IS Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year	Comment
2016	For me, the front bucket seats in Lexus F Sport models provide a nearly ideal blend of comfort and support. Even when they don't lack lateral support, the seats in competitors don't fit my form as well. Infiniti doesn't offer the Q50 2.0t in Sport form. The standard car's front seats provide little lateral support. The instrument panel appears larger and more imposing in the Infiniti than in the Lexus. Still, I wish the view forward were a little more open in the latter. (The Cadillac ATS is better in this regard.) Lexus lowered the driving position compared to the previous IS to help the car feel sportier. I raised the seat some to compensate. Adding all-wheel-drive to the Lexus IS (and a V6 engine with it, AWD isn't offered with the 2.0T engine) adds another issue, a large hump beneath the driver's right calf. Some drivers might find they have to adjust how they sit to avoid this hump. see full Lexus IS review

None of our members have yet commented on the seat room and comfort of the 2015 Lexus IS.

See TrueDelta's information for all Hatchbacks, Wagons, and Convertibles.

See TrueDelta's information for all Volkswagen models.