Edmunds.com | Inside Line | Auto Observer Your Account | Help | Directory
You are here:
![[F]](http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/media/townhall/webxicons/site.gif){kind=small}
Forums
Hatchbacks Volkswagen Rabbit Volkswagen Rabbit Test Drive Reports
55 messages, Last post on Aug 01, 2009 at 11:36 AM
You are in the Volkswagen Rabbit Forum. Your Host is pf_flyer
Ok well elaborate yes the car has A/C Crusise you can get alloys but i have a base so i can put other rims on! I have seen two blacks one my one and one sage green and yes unfortunately it does have a beige interior the car runs on the inline 5 same as the jetta which it also shares almost the exact interior of! You can even get the sunroof and heated seats. Even my base model has heated side mirrors and side mirror turn signal indicators. If you have any more questions just ask! 
|
|
|
|
|
Replying to: fob666 (Jun 07, 2006 9:36 pm) " Keep us apprised of any initial problems. I just read today that VW - again - ranks near the bottom in the JD Powers initial quality survey for 2006 models. I was hoping VW would have gotten its act together by now. I'm still optomistic for the Rabbit, but will keep my 96 Golf till the dust settles.
|
|
|
Replying to: jpmccormac (Jun 08, 2006 4:43 am) Maybe he new MK5 Golf and GTI aren't a part of this survey. The MK5 Golf has been out for a while in Europe, right? Seems like we should be able to find some reliability statistics from there.
|
|
|
|
|
Replying to: cmk (Jun 08, 2006 11:29 am) Perhaps not, but the Rabbit is built on the same platform with essentially the same components and drivetrains as the GTI and Jetta V. Not a good sign. Re: "The MK5 Golf has been out for a while in Europe, right? Seems like we should be able to find some reliability statistics from there." Yes, but in Europe the dealer/repair network is vastly different and arguably better than in the US. |
|
|
|
|
Today I drove a sage green (a color I really like) four-door stick. The sticker was $18,8 and included three options that were about $400 each: ESP, alloys, and rear side airbags. Me, if I were to buy one, would skip ESP and rear side bags, so my ideal car would sticker at $18K even. The engine is VERY strong as soon as you get it up to 2500 rpms. If you have driven the new 2.0T, this engine has that similar feel of pushing you back in your seat when you hit the gas. The difference is that in the 2.0T, that happens at all engine revs, whereas in the Rabbit you have to havr the engine up to 2500 or 3000 rpm first. However, it is pretty torquey even down at 1500 rpm, and very smooth at all times. Dominant noise at highway speeds is from the road. You never hear the engine at any time - it is well insulated - and even road noise is low. The stick is a joy - not notchy, short throws with well-defined gates. The clutch, however, is a deep one, causing me to have the driver's seat a little closer to the dash than I otherwise would have liked. At least the steering wheel telescopes. Handling and braking are good. It feels very stable at all speeds. The stereo is very nice, with speakers all over the place (and that is the standard stereo! Isn't there an optional upgrade?). You open the rear hatch by flipping the VW emblem in the back door - very cute!  I like the full-size spare. There is a bit of underfloor storage by the tire too. The cupholders don't pop out of anywhere, they are the right kind, sitting by the parking brake. Apart from that, interior ergonomics and materials are very typical VW Golf, I think, not much changed from the '05 Golf I drove last week. I did check out the new thing where you merely have to flick the turn signal stalk and it will give you three flashes (without you holding it) for lane changes. Kind of cool, but not something worth paying extra for!  As for me, I think I would prefer a 2-door, and I am hoping the standard equipment and options are the same, as I would love to pick up a 2-door with optional alloys for $16K. Unfortunately, there is STILL no info in the Rabbit at VW.com, despite dealers already having cars, and the dealer I went to today didn't even have brochures. I normally "shop" with my fingers, going on-line to check out dealer inventories to find the car I want, and the dealers around here don't even have the option of choosing "Rabbit" when it comes to searching their inventory by model.  So, I can see I will have to wait a while before I go ahead, which is fine anyway, as I still hope to compare it back to back against a Fit Sport MT, another car that is impossible to find and test drive.
|
|
|
I had a chance to test drive both manual and automatic versions of the 4-door Rabbit today. we've been in the market for a "smaller" car for about 6 months now and have driven many others along the way. These have included the Toyota Yaris, Corolla, Honda Fit, Civic, Ford Focus (ugh...). Many of these have received much press lately, but to cut to the chase, the Rabbit is in a class much above all of these. Yes, I know that it is several thousand dollars more expensive, but the additional features (both safety oriented and convenience) are well, well worth the premium. I found the Rabbit to be very roomy with excellent storage and plenty of room in the hatch for carting the typical work/family "stuff". Headroom is beautiful (I'm 6'2" mostly from the waist up) and the height of the center console armrest (adjustable) and the armrest on the door are positioned well for forearm support. Seats are very supportive with good lumbar support and driver's seat cam be positioned up to 8 ways. As a chiropractic physician, these things are important to me... Driving the manual was very fun and quite responsive. The engine was not "buzzy" at all even through the higher RPM's. Torque was very strong and noticeable especially through 15-50 mph.. Turning radius was very tight. The car is very quiet even over less than perfect road surfaces. Steering was very responsive but never felt too light or heavy. The Automatic was very similar but less compelling as automatics usually are. Still ,acceleration was very good and shifts were smooth. I did not have a chance to try out the Tiptronic due to a very engaging saleswoman who felt that she needed to explain alot of details while we were driving. Overall, the Rabbit is so much more of a spirited ride than any of the other cars that we've driven lately. It is our first choice by FAR. Given the five-door capabilities and the typical VW intelligent design, the Rabbit is a HUGE amount of car for under 19-20K...
|
|
|
|
|
Replying to: kpelton (Jun 29, 2006 5:25 pm)
|
|
|
|
|
Replying to: jpmccormac (Jun 30, 2006 5:29 am) Real world mileage for Jetta (which is essentially the same car), as measured by CR, is pretty comparable to other cars of similar weight...which is all you can reasonably expect, imo. It is a heavy car for its size. You can come to your own conclusion as to whether that is a positive or negative. |
|
|
I drove a Rabbit last week and was impressed with the car overall. It was a four door model with an automatic transmission, sunroof, and 16" alloy rims. Interior - I liked the interior of this vehicle. As usual, VW uses good materials, the dash is laid out nicely. Overall, the interior is better than most in this class. Front legroom is a little tighter than the Honda Civic or Mazda 3, but should offer plenty of room for most drivers. The seats were firm and comfortable, and living in, what can be, a cold weather climate I liked the heated seats. I was a little disapointed that the Rabbit did not offer audio steering wheel controls. Both the Civic (EX) and Mazda3 offer this feature. Exterior - I liked the exterior styling of the Rabbit, but I did not love it. Definitely prefer it to the previous generation Golf. Not much else to say here. Styling is conservative. I would recommend getting the 16" or 17" alloy rim upgrade. The 15" rims with wheel covers looked cheap. Performance/handling. On paper the VW's 5 cylinder 150hp engine which outputs 170lbs ft of torque sounds powerful for a compact car. But, the reality is that this vehicle is heavy and while it has decent takeoff, I felt that the engine struggled a little over 4000rpm. It did not feel as quick as the 06 Civic EX or the 06 Mazda3 to me. Edmunds estimates 0-60 times around 9.4 seconds (auto). The 3 clocks in about 1 second faster with the automatic. No doubt this is due to the weight. Overall, the Rabbit is more than adequate for most driving. Handling with the Rabbit was my biggest issue. VW utilized electronic assisted power steering in the Rabbit, and I felt this feature distracted with the way the vehicle communicated with me on the road. In a nutshell, the Rabbit felt numb. The previous generation Golf did not have electronic assisted power steering and I felt that vehicle felt much more responsive. Aside from the handling and overall performance, the other negative with this vehicle is gas mileage. Considering I do mostly city driving the 22MPG estimated city EPA rating on this vehicle is disheartening considering this car is targeting the Corolla, Civic, and Mazda3. I wish that VW would trim a little weight off the Rabbit and offer other engine choices that offer closer to 30mpg city. I have to give major kudos to VW for both its standard safety features and additional safety options. Adding stability control as an option was a wonderful idea, and I hope that Honda, Toyota, and Mazda follow VW's lead. I felt very safe in this vehicle. Overall, I think anyone searching for a compact hatchback should absolutely drive the Rabbit. The only concerns that I have with the Rabbit is VW's reliability track record, less than stellar gas mileage, and the fact that the price can add up quickly when you add options. A similarly equipped 4-door Rabbit was almost 2K more than the Mazda3 I purchased. I think VW is on the right track with the new Rabbit. Once they prove they have fixed their reliability and customer service issues and offer a TDI engine, I would seriously consider buying a Rabbit.. Hop, hop, hop....
|
|
|
Replying to: dc_driver (Jul 18, 2006 5:51 pm) Someone who owns a previous generation civic thinks that they have actually decreased the driver leg space in the current Civic. Perhaps the thinking is that larger North Americans will mostly buy the Accord anyway. In regard to the Mazda 3 and 6: I always got the shakes when considering buying them as I wasn't sure how much Ford had oozed into the design/build.
|
|
You are here:
Forums
Hatchbacks Volkswagen Rabbit Volkswagen Rabbit Test Drive Reports
New? Join Now!
Forum Tools
Search Forums
Browse by Vehicle
2009 Volkswagen Rabbit
Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
Today's Chats
