Model Year | 2012 | 2021 | |
Model | Volkswagen Passat | Toyota Highlander | |
Engine | 3.6L V6 DOHC-4v 280 hp@6200 258 lb-ft@2500 |
3.5L V6 DOHC-4v 295 hp@6600 263 lb-ft@4700 |
|
Transmission | 6-speed automated manual | 8-speed shiftable automatic | |
Drivetrain | FWD | FWD | |
Body | 4dr Sedan | 4dr SUV | |
Difference | |||
Wheelbase | 110.4 in | 112.2 in | -1.8 in |
Length | 191.6 in | 194.9 in | -3.3 in |
Width | 72.2 in | 76.0 in | -3.8 in |
Height | 58.5 in | 68.1 in | -9.6 in |
Curb Weight | 3446 lb. | 4145 lb. | -699 lb. |
Fuel Capacity | 18.5 gal. | 17.9 gal. | 0.6 gal. |
Headroom, Row 1 | 38.3 in | 41.2 in | -2.9 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 1 | 56.9 in | 59.0 in | -2.1 in |
Hip Room, Row 1 | 0.0 in | 57.2 in | -57.2 in |
Legroom, Row 1 | 42.4 in | 42.0 in | 0.4 in |
Headroom, Row 2 | 37.8 in | 39.4 in | -1.6 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 2 | 57.0 in | 58.7 in | -1.7 in |
Hip Room, Row 2 | 0.0 in | 57.0 in | -57 in |
Legroom, Row 2 | 39.1 in | 41.0 in | -1.9 in |
Headroom, Row 3 | 0.0 in | 36.1 in | -36.1 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 3 | 0.0 in | 55.0 in | -55 in |
Hip Room, Row 3 | 0.0 in | 45.6 in | -45.6 in |
Legroom, Row 3 | 0.0 in | 27.7 in | -27.7 in |
Total Legroom | 81.5 in (over 2 rows) | 110.7 in (over 3 rows) | -29.2 in |
Cargo Volume, Minimum | 15.9 ft3 | 16.0 ft3 | -0.1 ft3 |
Cargo Volume, Behind R2 | 15.9 | 48.4 ft3 | -32.5 |
Cargo Volume, Maximum | 15.9 ft3 | 84.3 ft3 | -68.4 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 |
2021 Toyota Highlander Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Comment | |
With each redesign (for 2008, 2014, and 2020) Toyota has enlarged the Highlander, yet the crossover's third-row seat remains uncomforably low and tight. For adults to be even passably comfortable in the way-back the second row must be slid forward, rendering legroom there also marginal. Some three-row crossovers have much roomier and more comfortable third-row seats. But if you want to be able to squeeze in eight people, Highlanders with a second-row bench can do this. Because they have significantly narrower third-row seats, the Ford Explorer and Kia Sorento cannot fit three people back there even in a pinch, so in hybrid form the former has a maximum capacity of seven people and the latter only six. (The Sorento PHEV will be able to seat seven.) This noted, if you want your adult passengers to have plenty of room, the practical capacity of each is four people. see full Toyota Highlander review |
2021 Toyota Highlander Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2020 | 4dr SUV 295-horsepower 3.5L V6 8-speed shiftable automatic AWD |
The 3rd row seating is just not for adults at all, and I'm not certain that children would be easy to fit back there as well. I'm not sure what Toyota was thinking, even making the 2020 longer didn't make any difference at all. My one complaint is it is just TOO SMALL! see full Toyota Highlander review |