Model Year | 2015 | 2021 | |
Model | Volkswagen Golf / GTI | Mercedes-Benz GLS | |
Engine | turbocharged 2.0L I4 DOHC-4v 215 kW@5400 380 Nm@1800 |
turbocharged 4.0L V8 Hybrid DOHC-4v 450 kW@5750 850 Nm@2500 |
|
Transmission | 6-speed automated manual | 9-speed shiftable automatic | |
Drivetrain | AWD | AWD | |
Body | 4dr Wagon | 4dr SUV | |
Difference | |||
Wheelbase | 2,629 mm | 3,134 mm | -1 mm |
Length | 4,562 mm | 5,207 mm | -1 mm |
Width | 1,798 mm | 2,029 mm | -1 mm |
Height | 1,481 mm | 1,824 mm | 0 mm |
Curb Weight | 1,560 kg | 2,644 kg | -1 kg |
Fuel Capacity | 50 L | 90 L | -40 L |
Headroom, Row 1 | 980 mm | 1,001 mm | 979 mm |
Shoulder Room, Row 1 | 1,420 mm | 1,506 mm | 0 mm |
Legroom, Row 1 | 1,046 mm | 1,024 mm | 0 mm |
Headroom, Row 2 | 980 mm | 1,021 mm | 979 mm |
Shoulder Room, Row 2 | 1,369 mm | 1,486 mm | 0 mm |
Legroom, Row 2 | 904 mm | 1,064 mm | 903 mm |
Legroom, Row 3 | 0 mm | 879 mm | -879 mm |
Total Legroom | 1,951 mm (over 2 rows) | 2,967 mm (over 3 rows) | -1 mm |
Cargo Volume, Minimum | 861 L | 493 L | 368 L |
Cargo Volume, Behind R2 | 30.4 | 1,209 L | 29.4 |
Cargo Volume, Maximum | 1,883 L | 2,398 L | -1 L |
2015 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 |
2015 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 |
None of our members have yet commented on the seat room and comfort of the 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLS.