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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Awesome Compact Car - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
By ben - October 5 - 11:10 amThis car is better than any other compact car in the market today. It is awesome and I recommend it to anyone. Its priced a little bit higher than other compacts, but it has sooooooooooo many additional features that cars in a higher class have.
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Great car, a step backward for fuel econ - 2006 Volkswagen Rabbit
By bluebunny - October 3 - 2:30 amGreat car, fun car, very solid and yet very nimble on all kinds of roads. The only problem is the fuel economy. We are averaging 17-18 mpg for 100% city driving, which is atrocious for VW historically. Though I really like the feel and the energy the engine gives the car, I think it was a mistake to put the larger engine in this car instead of keeping the old 4-cyl 1.8L standard from the Golf.
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Fun to Drive German Quality - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
By mikeg - September 26 - 1:13 pmI love this little car, for it gets me to work every day with no problems. It has a sweet sounding 5-cyl. engine with decent gas mileage. Its very comfortable and I moved a lot of stuff into the hatch with the seats folded down. It comes fully loaded and I just added 16 inch rims to mine. VW for life!
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I love my bunny! - 2009 Volkswagen Rabbit
By Muddy Shores - July 31 - 4:50 pmThe best way to describe the Rabbit is: solid. The steering and braking are nicely weighted; the doors and hatch make a nice "thunk" when closed; acceleration is smooth and strong. Spacious for a compact car.
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My New 2007 Rabbit - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
By Rabbit Girl - July 15 - 12:10 amGoing from a 2003 Jetta 1.8T with 180 hp, my new Rabbit is a bit of a change. The peppiness isnt as much as my previous Turbo Jetta and the tires are not very smooth. Its ride is a bit noisy with the 5-cyl engine. Other then that, it isnt too bad for the price. It is better than a Japanese vehicle, despite what they always say about reliability. The Rabbit has it.
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Great Car! - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
By ralfo - June 15 - 6:26 pmThe Rabbit is a great car in this price range. I drove some of the Japanese imports and this car beats them all as far as power, handling and ride are concerned. Its very solid and well planted as most German cars are. Its not "tinny." For the options you get, the price is right! I bought this car as a commuter car and have not been disappointed. It fits you like a glove when you drive it! Some are complaining about the gas mileage...but you cant compare it to Civics, Mazda3s, and the Yaris...etc as the horsepower and torque blow those all away. They are not in same class! You want to drive a lawnmower....then buy a Yaris or Fit!
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ROCKS! - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
By Kuya - May 1 - 7:50 amI do not know why this people are saying bad thinks about this car!!! i was reading the reviews and ohh man.. i have never seen anything like that on my car. Good Performance, the Torque is great for this car. It handles pretty good. not problems with this car at all. Also, the oil change, you can do it in several places, like Goodyear, good people, good price for a synthetic oil. the brakes are really good, it could be better, but i cant complain. even i have driven my Stock Rabbit into a track race and it performs really good in corners. If you really take care of your car, and drive it responsible, you will receive response back from it!!! Love it!
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Great Ride - 2008 Volkswagen Rabbit
By Kamehamehagirl - April 8 - 5:33 amI just recently bought this and traded my 1990 Firebird because of the gas prices. I have to say I am impressed with the get up and go it has, and smooth handling. The only complaint I can think of is the gas mileage is not as great as I thought it would be, and there is quite a bit of road noise. Overall nice ride and at a great price to.
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Good car, high operating costs - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
By christauph - March 30 - 6:36 amAlmost to 15k miles, awesome handling, awesome braking, decent acceleration (its a heavy car). The clutch and shifter feel great. Overall my experience with this car has been good, but a few build quality issues have arisen. The sheet metal seems to ding easily, I tend to park carefully but have received a disproportionate number of dings in the past year. Rattle started coming from the center HVAC stack at about 8k miles, dealer fixed. The plug for the spare tire compartment came loose and I had standing water , but luckily no rust, dealer replaced. Rear windshield sprayer is cheap, popped off once, dealer replaced. Routine service is EXPENSIVE (syn oil), and difficult to do yourself.
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Practical Fun - 2008 Volkswagen Rabbit
By BunnyLuvr - March 27 - 4:00 amI looked at all the small hatchbacks and the Rabbit won, hands down. Coming from another German car, a BMW 325, I appreciate the solid build - it doesnt have that tinny feel that too many of the Japanese econoboxes have. The standard features, like the ABS, DSC, etc., make the price very competitive. As far as driving experience, I would have to honestly say, this car is about 90% of the fun of my BMW for about 60% of the price.
