Volkswagen Golf / GTI (2016) vs. Mazda Mazda5 (2009) Specs

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2016 Volkswagen Golf / GTI and 2009 Mazda Mazda5 Specifications

Model Year	2016	2009
Model	Volkswagen Golf / GTI	Mazda Mazda5
Engine
Transmission
Drivetrain
Body	4dr Wagon	4dr Minivan
			Difference
Wheelbase	103.5 in	108.3 in	-4.8 in
Length	179.6 in	181.5 in	-1.9 in
Width	70.8 in	69.1 in	1.7 in
Height	58.3 in	64.2 in	-5.9 in
Curb Weight	3063 lb.	3417 lb.	-354 lb.
Fuel Capacity	13.2 gal.	15.9 gal.	-2.7 gal.
Headroom, Row 1	38.6 in	40.7 in	-2.1 in
Shoulder Room, Row 1	55.9 in	55.5 in	0.4 in
Hip Room, Row 1	0.0 in	52.9 in	-52.9 in
Legroom, Row 1	41.2 in	40.7 in	0.5 in
Headroom, Row 2	38.6 in	39.4 in	-0.8 in
Shoulder Room, Row 2	53.9 in	55.6 in	-1.7 in
Hip Room, Row 2	0.0 in	58.3 in	-58.3 in
Legroom, Row 2	35.6 in	35.2 in	0.4 in
Headroom, Row 3	0.0 in	37.1 in	-37.1 in
Shoulder Room, Row 3	0.0 in	49.2 in	-49.2 in
Hip Room, Row 3	0.0 in	40.9 in	-40.9 in
Legroom, Row 3	0.0 in	30.7 in	-30.7 in
Total Legroom	76.8 in (over 2 rows)	106.6 in (over 3 rows)	-29.8 in
Cargo Volume, Minimum	30.4 ft³	11.3 ft³	19.1 ft³
Cargo Volume, Behind R2	30.4	44.4 ft³	-14
Cargo Volume, Maximum	66.5 ft³	70.9 ft³	-4.4 ft³

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TrueDelta Reviews the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2016 Volkswagen Golf / GTI

2016 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

What Our Members Are Saying about the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2016 Volkswagen Golf / GTI

2016 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

What Our Members Are Saying about the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2009 Mazda Mazda5

2009 Mazda Mazda5 Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2010	4dr Minivan 153-horsepower 2.3L I4 5-speed manual FWD	6-passenger seating adequate for older teens, stows away for hauling capacity. see full Mazda Mazda5 review
2010	4dr Minivan 153-horsepower 2.3L I4 5-speed manual FWD	2nd-row seat slide fore/aft and recline. Ample room even for larger passengers to be comfortable on long trips. see full Mazda Mazda5 review
2010	4dr Minivan 153-horsepower 2.3L I4 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD	CAN SEAT 6 PEOPLE see full Mazda Mazda5 review
2008	4dr Minivan 153-horsepower 2.3L I4 5-speed manual FWD	One of the smallest vehicles with seating for 6. Going to a full size minivan removes the option for a manual transmission, severely reduces visibility and adds too much weight. SUVs are just way too big see full Mazda Mazda5 review
2008	4dr Minivan 153-horsepower 2.3L I4 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD	Ample space for such a small exterior. see full Mazda Mazda5 review
2008	4dr Minivan 153-horsepower 2.3L I4 5-speed manual FWD	Space for two kids or adult to sit comfortably - elderly father sits up straight and can access easily with sliding doors. Pop up seats deal with short term travel with friends/teammates. see full Mazda Mazda5 review
2008	4dr Minivan 153-horsepower 2.3L I4 5-speed manual FWD	3rd row in a "car" is nice - we always have the occasional 3rd or 4th child and like that they are somewhat temporarily available. see full Mazda Mazda5 review

2009 Mazda Mazda5 Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2010	4dr Minivan 153-horsepower 2.3L I4 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD	Too small for a road trip with 6 grown men. The 2nd row is tight but not uncomfortable for me (6 ft tall). The 3rd row is for children or pets only. see full Mazda Mazda5 review
2010	4dr Minivan 153-horsepower 2.3L I4 5-speed manual FWD	Not great support in either the seat cushion or back. However, driving position is fine. see full Mazda Mazda5 review
2010	4dr Minivan 153-horsepower 2.3L I4 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD	LAST ROW TOO SMALL FOR ADULTS see full Mazda Mazda5 review
2009	4dr Minivan 153-horsepower 2.3L I4 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD	The back seat is made for very small folks only. The middle row seat belts are placed somewhat far back. see full Mazda Mazda5 review
2009	4dr Minivan 153-horsepower 2.3L I4 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD	Not enough leg room overall in the car. As a larger driver (6'3"), I need to push the drivers seat back. So the kid behind me has to get pushed back. Well the third row can't move back, so I've I'm driving, no one can sit in the third row driver's side and have any leg room. This is the worst for kids in full-size car seats, because the seats position their legs higher and forward of where a small adult's would be with no car seat. see full Mazda Mazda5 review
2009	4dr Minivan 153-horsepower 2.3L I4 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD	The center seats are adequate for tall adults. Judicious positioning of the front and center seats should get you better results than a subcompact. The third-row rear seats are for kids only. see full Mazda Mazda5 review
2009	4dr Minivan 153-horsepower 2.3L I4 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD	The six-chair setup of the 5 means that luggage space is limited, and some may find the "three rows of two" arrangement adds difficulty to monitoring children in the far rear seats. In order to carry significant cargo the seats need to be removed. see full Mazda Mazda5 review

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