Overview & Reviews

When the Volkswagen Golf was introduced in 1974, it came to the U.S. in 1975 as the Volkswagen Rabbit, a hop-away hit. Initially available as either a two- or four-door hatchback and later on as a convertible and even a pickup truck, the diminutive Rabbit combined a nimble, front-wheel-drive chassis with high-quality German construction and incredible space efficiency. This successor to the beloved Beetle easily embarrassed American economy cars in terms of performance, fuel-efficiency and cabin space. In 1985, the Rabbit nameplate was replaced by the Golf moniker (meant to recall the Gulf of Mexico, not a golf ball), which was what the car had always been called in Europe.

More than two decades later, the Rabbit name returned. In a reversal of the 1980s name swap, VW replaced the Golf name with the Rabbit badge on U.S.-bound hatchbacks in mid-2006. This Rabbit ran with an inline-5 rather than a four-cylinder engine, and it retained the characteristic boxy but very functional hatchback architecture, although it was larger and heavier than before. It also offered some upscale features (such as heated seats) not usually seen in its segment, as well as that solid feel on the road that seems to be a birthright of German-engineered cars.

Sadly, the rascally Rabbit died once again following the 2009 model year as Volkswagen reverted to the Golf name once again when it redesigned the car. However, despite the different name, you'll still find the same well-engineered hatchback, though it's made in Mexico these days

Most Recent Volkswagen Rabbit
The most recent VW Rabbit was introduced for 2006, replacing the Golf. It was offered as a two- or four-door hatchback in just one trim level and with only one engine choice. Two-door Rabbits came with a number of standard niceties such as air-conditioning and full power accessories, while the four-door version upped the ante with heated front seats, a fold-down rear armrest and an upgraded stereo.

During its brief, three-year life, the Rabbit changed little. It originally featured a 150-horsepower five-cylinder engine, but it was upgraded to 170 hp for 2008. Transmission choices included a five-speed manual and a six-speed automatic, though for 2009 the four-door was only available with the automatic.

In reviews, we lauded the Rabbit's high-quality cabin trim, which imparted a richness that's rare in the compact class. Additionally, the Rabbit's comfortable ride and competent (if not overly sporty) handling dynamics made it a well-rounded and practical economy car. Below-average fuel economy is our only major gripe about the Volkswagen Rabbit, as this economy hatchback struggled to average 24 mpg during combined city and highway driving.

Shoppers interested in an older or newer model than this will want to examine the Golf. It has much of the same characteristics of the Volkswagen Rabbit. It was available from 1985-2006, then reintroduced for 2010. There was also the original Rabbit sold from 1975-'84. From a used-vehicle standpoint, however, the odds of finding one fit for general use are quite low.

User Reviews:

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  More Than Expected - 2006 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By bill - August 30 - 4:46 pm

  The Rabbit is a well built car with great handling and a good price. The hatchback makes this small car practical. The safety features and performance sold me on this, my second VW. So far I have been getting 25 mpg in city and 32 in mixed mostly highway driving. The car is fun to drive and I am glad that I bought it.

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  Silver Rabbit - 2006 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Rabbit Fan - August 1 - 6:23 am

  Have 500 miles on my Rabbit. Have owned it for two week and like it more and more. My last car was an 02 Passat, but I feel the Rabbit has more pep and is more fun to drive. I decided on the Rabbit after test driving the Honda Civic, Dodge Caliber, Chevrolet HHR, Mazda3, and Toyota Matrix...and picked it because it was quicker, had confortable seats, had a quiet interior, safety features, build quality and better visibility and I liked its good looks. I did not give the Rabbit total 10 because the gas milage is rated lower, but did get 28.36 on my first tank of mixed driving and it will improve after first 3,000 miles.

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  Best value and safety - 2008 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By itqaanalyst - August 1 - 6:00 am

  I wanted a hatchback and this is the best game in town. The car has a very upscale feel and the fit and finish is superb. The car has great safety features and great cash test scores. We have a 2007 Jetta and love it... it sold me on the Rabbit idea.

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  Great Daily Driver - 2006 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Pleasantly Surprised - July 28 - 7:00 am

  I started looking at the Rabbits because of the ads and because I used to own a 87 Golf. When I started checking out the standard features I was shocked at how much car you get for under $20,000. I thought there had to be a compromise in quality somewhere. But after driving the Rabbit I was impressed. The car has a very solid feel and grips the road well. My previous vehicle had a 2.5L V6 (5M) and was nowhere near as quick as this car. The visibility is good in this car with a slight difficulty in seeing past the "b" beam. One of my favorite points about this car is how safe I feel driving it. Beside the eight airbags, it has four wheel ABS and ESP optional(which I got). Buy the Rabbit.

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  Unbeatable Value - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By bwian - July 15 - 5:13 am

  From the moment I bought my Rabbit, I was smitten. The 2.5 liter engine growls a bit when you step on it (which i like), but otherwise is very quiet and responsive, even in 5th gear on the freeway. The seats are firm but comfy and the dash is laid out nicely. The red-on-violet instrument cluster is complemented nicely by the soft red interior lighting...quite sexy. I didnt think the one-tap lane-change feature was such a big deal until I used it. One tap and the turn signal blinks three times without having to hold it, nice. I whittled my original list of 12 cars down to 5 and then test drove them all. The Rabbit beat them all out in the price-to-value category, big time.

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  Down but not out - 2008 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By pkwan - July 7 - 7:40 am

  Found hard time and downgraded from driving Mercedes E/SLK/S to Nissans. Never happy with them. Tinny and whiny. What do I do? Eureka! Found salvation in this bunny that captures the essence of German road feel big time; cost less than Mazda 3 sport comparable equipped where I live. Yes, the engine is a bit noisy, and road noise is somewhat high, but what the heck. This is supposed to be an economy car. I never thought about VW because of the bad rep re: reliability. Regardless whether it will hold up for a few years, I am VERY happy.

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  I Love my new RABBIT!! - 2008 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Spencer N. - July 6 - 4:26 am

  I am Leasing My first new car and chose to go with a black on black rabbit with a set of smoked 17" through their parts department and it is the most enjoyable car I have ever had! I went for the Rabbit over the GTI because insurance was much less and i got a car that was less expensive and just as enjoyable to drive. I LOVE IT!!

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  Near Perfect Car - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Brian - July 5 - 11:20 pm

  I traded in a 01 Audi A4 for my 07 5-door Rabbit. I loved my A4, but I love the Rabbit more. The only feature missing from my Audi is the Homelink and auto-dim mirrors. Everything else is just as good or better. This was definitely not a step down. Everything about this car is just right and the value is unbeatable. Its quick, fast, and super comfortable. Youre not likely to come across many others out on the roads, so its cool to be driving a unique car. I agree with the poster that said if they made this any nicer, it would be an Audi. I thought I might regret not getting the GTI, but I definitely do not. While I love the 2.0T, this 2.5 is a fantastic engine.

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  Rabbit vs. Mazda3 / Civic / Fit = Rabbit Wins - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By gumpyoldman - July 3 - 9:00 pm

  I test drove a Fit, a Civic, Corolla, Matrix, Mazda3 and a Versa. The Rabbit was by far the most impressive of the bunch. I never though Id own another VW but the Rabbit was far and away the better driving car so one is now in my driveway. Its gas mileage is better than I had expected and it handles really well. It is a great little snow car too!

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  Never a boring car to drive... - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By marusik - June 29 - 9:50 am

  Although I dont drive as much as I used to, its always fun to drive the Rabbit under any driving conditions, rain or shine, either city or highway for long trips or short ones, but especially on twisty roads. The ride is always quite and comfortable... After reading some of the negative reviews about reliability issues on this model, Ive got a little bit concern, especially about the life of the brake pads, so I decided to check them out at 20000 miles and I was told that will probably last another 20K miles. Of course brakes life as well as gas mileage are subjective to every drivers attitude and driving styles...