Volkswagen Rabbit

2.5liter five-cylinder, 170hp

$19,400*

Likes: Solid road feel, clever emblem/trunk release latch, stylish and roomy, high safety ratings, strong performance with plenty of pep around town, equipped very well.

Dislikes: Feels heavier than it looks, will be replaced by the Golf next year, five-cylinder sounds stellar when revved hard.

The Volkswagen Rabbit was sold in the United States in the 70's. But Volkswagen had decided to change the name of the Golf in the 80's. By 2005 Volkswagen decided to change the name to Rabbit here in the United States to replace the Golf (which continued the nameplate in Europe.) Now Volkswagen is going to change the name back to the Golf in 2010. With a much more sleeker looking revision. So I decided to go and test drive the Rabbit again, with the new upgraded engine and added new features.

At glance the Volkswagen Rabbit is a very nice looking hatchback. The sleek design blends well. Not too flashy and not too bland. The cool emblem/trunk release latch is also very nicely integrated into the car's hatch. My tester car came with 16 inch alloy wheels which made the hatch look bigger than it actually was. Other than that, there hasn't been much change in the car's design.

Power comes from an upgraded 2.5-liter five-cylinder which produces 170hp. Mated to a Six-speed automatic transmission. The five-speed manual gearbox was discontinued for 2009. You can option for one. But you'll have to choose the three-door. The five-door is automatic only. The engine provides the Rabbit with plenty grunt. Although it would've been nice if Volkswagen still offered the 150hp version as a more inexpensive version to push the price down to $16,000. (But that's just my opinion.) As I turned the key in the ignition. I didn't hear no sound of the engine. Which confused me at first. I thought the car wasn't even on. But I seen the rev gauge move up so instantly I knew the car as on. Slowly shifted fom Park to Drive and pressed the accelerator pedal to drive. This car doesn't feel like its size.

It felt more heavier an dmore weighed down. Now I've driven small cars. Like the Suzuki Reno for example. It felt lighter than this car. But then again, the Suzuki Reno doesn't have all this extra equipment in it. So I can honestly see why the car felt heavy. But this heavy feeling is actually a good thing. You don't want a small car that feels like it's going to drift out of its lane if a semi-truck flies past. You want a nice solid car, with good steering and good brakes. With that being said, the Rabbit passed with flying colors in terms of passing power which is abundant. With a good solid ride comfort and handling that makes you feel like you're driving on all four wheels. Steering is very direct and is very easy to maneuver in and out of parking spots and tight mall parking spaces. My only complaint is that when the engine is revved hard, the engine note is rather stellar sounding.

The Six-speed automatic felt like it would find all the right gears. Even if I were driving in mixed traffic. The rpm guage didn't look like it was wandering around to find the right gear. The front seats are very comfortable. You get the sense you're sitting way higher than you actually are. The pedal feel was very exceptional. For a small car, it felt large and roomy from the interior. With very nice looking controls and very spacious feel. The rear seats were also very comfortable and roomy for its size. The trunk is also roomy and the unique square back design allows for tall items to be easily transported if needed. (Although I didn't really test if it actually could.)

You get six standard airbags. Electronic stability control, anti-lock brakes and electronic brake force distribution as standard. For the money the Rabbit is a good deal. But in my opinion Volskwagen has somewhat overstuffed the car with features. I'd love a Volkswagen Rabbit with a 2.5L 150hp engine with the ESP for $16,000. If Volkswagen does that then they'll get more buyers because, most buyers want stylish cars with nice passing power an safety. Not to mention good gas mileage. This car gives those things and more. Just if it were a little less expensive.

Overall: The Rabbit is one of the best premium small cars you can buy. With ESP standard at such a low base price. It gives larger more expensive luxury cars a good run for their money.