Model Year | 2012 | 2015 | |
Model | Volkswagen Passat | Kia Sorento | |
Engine | 3.6L V6 DOHC-4v 280 hp@6200 258 lb-ft@2500 |
3.3L V6 DOHC-4v 290 hp@6400 252 lb-ft@5200 |
|
Transmission | 6-speed automated manual | 6-speed shiftable automatic | |
Drivetrain | FWD | FWD | |
Body | 4dr Sedan | 4dr SUV | |
Difference | |||
Wheelbase | 110.4 in | 106.3 in | 4.1 in |
Length | 191.6 in | 184.4 in | 7.2 in |
Width | 72.2 in | 74.2 in | -2 in |
Height | 58.5 in | 66.9 in | -8.4 in |
Curb Weight | 3446 lb. | 3722 lb. | -276 lb. |
Fuel Capacity | 18.5 gal. | 17.4 gal. | 1.1 gal. |
Headroom, Row 1 | 38.3 in | 39.2 in | -0.9 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 1 | 56.9 in | 59.3 in | -2.4 in |
Hip Room, Row 1 | 0.0 in | 56.3 in | -56.3 in |
Legroom, Row 1 | 42.4 in | 41.3 in | 1.1 in |
Headroom, Row 2 | 37.8 in | 39.2 in | -1.4 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 2 | 57.0 in | 58.7 in | -1.7 in |
Hip Room, Row 2 | 0.0 in | 55.9 in | -55.9 in |
Legroom, Row 2 | 39.1 in | 37.6 in | 1.5 in |
Headroom, Row 3 | 0.0 in | 36.7 in | -36.7 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 3 | 0.0 in | 53.8 in | -53.8 in |
Hip Room, Row 3 | 0.0 in | 44.4 in | -44.4 in |
Legroom, Row 3 | 0.0 in | 31.3 in | -31.3 in |
Total Legroom | 81.5 in (over 2 rows) | 110.2 in (over 3 rows) | -28.7 in |
Cargo Volume, Minimum | 15.9 ft3 | 9.1 ft3 | 6.8 ft3 |
Cargo Volume, Behind R2 | 15.9 | 36.9 ft3 | -21 |
Cargo Volume, Maximum | 15.9 ft3 | 72.5 ft3 | -56.6 ft3 |
2012 Volkswagen Passat Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Comment | |
2012 | Volkswagen's research must have found that Americans highly value rear legroom, because the Passat has an abundance of it. Unless you're an NBA center you'll have plenty of room to stretch out in the back of this sedan. see full Volkswagen Passat review |
2012 Volkswagen Passat Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2013 | 4dr Sedan turbocharged 140hp 2.0L I4 Diesel 6-speed automated manual FWD |
SEL Premium seating is fantastic. Definitely worth the cost of the upgrade over the mid-grade seats. see full Volkswagen Passat review |
2013 | 4dr Sedan turbocharged 140hp 2.0L I4 Diesel 6-speed manual FWD |
rear seat room is exceptional. can handle long-legged folks with ease and those with large shoe sizes. enter and exiting with larger folks not a problem either. see full Volkswagen Passat review |
2012 | 4dr Sedan 170-horsepower 2.5L I5 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD |
Older teenagers like the extra room see full Volkswagen Passat review |
2012 | 4dr Sedan 170-horsepower 2.5L I5 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD |
HUGE amount of rear legroom! see full Volkswagen Passat review |
2012 | 4dr Sedan 170-horsepower 2.5L I5 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD |
Tons of room while driving. I am 6'4" and have plenty of leg and headroom. see full Volkswagen Passat review |
2015 Kia Sorento Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Comment | |
Hyundai offers the Santa Fe in two lengths, a two-row 184.6-inch "Sport" and a three-row 193.1-inch regular version. Though the 2011-2015 Sorento had an optional third-row seat, it was about the same length as the Santa Fe Sport. Perhaps to better fit that third-row seat and differentiate itself from the two Hyundai variants, the 2016 Sorento is three inches longer than the 2015, for a total of 187.4. Kia has done a good job packaging the new SUV. Though the Toyota Highlander and (2009-2015) Honda Pilot are considerably longer, their rear seats have no more rear legroom than the new Sorento's. At 5-9, I can just barely fit in any of them. Passengers will have more room to stretch their legs in the Santa Fe, though third-row headroom is similarly limited to people of at most my height. If you need an adult-friendly third-row, you really need a minivan. Kia offers an especially stylish one. Like the Santa Fe, the Sorento falls between others' compact and midsize SUVs in width. There might not be more rear legroom in a Highlander or Pilot, but there's enough additional shoulder room to include a third seating position in the third row. If you need an eight-passenger vehicle, both the Sorento and the Santa Fe are out of contention. At least all trim levels of the Sorento can seat seven people. The Santa Fe Limited can only fit six. In both the Kia and the Hyundai the second-row seat is mounted comfortably high off the floor, not a given among midsize crossovers. The third-row seat is mounted low to the floor, forcing a knees-high seating position, but this is pretty much a given in the class. see full Kia Sorento review |
None of our members have yet commented on the seat room and comfort of the 2015 Kia Sorento.