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Volkswagen Rabbit

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Comments

  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    You are confusing side curtain airbags, which both the Rabbit and Fit have standard, with rear side airbags, which the Rabbit has as an optional feature (unique in this class) and the Fit doesn't offer them at all. They are like the side airbags that come out of the sides of the front seats, but in the rear, and provide additional protection to rear passengers.
  • bobw3bobw3 Member Posts: 2,989
    you are correct...back to $2000 difference.
  • jeffyscottjeffyscott Member Posts: 3,855
    Side curtains are std on rabbit, these are for head protection. The option is for rear side thorax airbags, which protect chest area.
  • pog4pog4 Member Posts: 13
    I have to admit, I have been reading reviews and trying to figure out which new hatchback I want to purchase and I keep going back to the Rabbit. I know you if I purchase one I could have some reliability issues, but in the past I owned a 91 golf that that was getting close to 200k miles and the only problems I ever had where the rubber hangers that held the exhaust in place would break ever 15k miles or so. I also had a 2000 beetle that for about 30k miles with no problems.

    I don’t like the fact that it gets 22/30 epa mileage but I am planning on replacing an 03 outlander that gets 21/26, so I would see an improvement on the highway.

    I think the reason I am pulled to the rabbit is the fact it does not feel like a cheap car and does not look out of proportion. I like all the new small cars but with the raised roof line they loose their visual road appeal in my eyes.

    I really like the mazda3 but we already have a protégé5 that we will replace it in a few years with a newer model.
  • pigglespiggles Member Posts: 3
    I'm going to hold out to see what the 2008 TDIs are like and how these Rabbits are with service.

    From what I've heard, only the Jetta is going to be offered as a TDI as a 50-state vehicle in 2008. If you want a Rabbit TDI, you'll have to go outside of California to get one. :(
  • pog4pog4 Member Posts: 13
    Do you think the upcoming jetta wagon will be available with TDI in california?
  • steven39steven39 Member Posts: 636
    hi folks,i just picked up a copy of car and driver magazine.the 07 rabbit was part of a 6 car comparison test.the other 5 vehicles that were part of the test came in the following order....
    07 nissan sentra 2.os...6th place...
    07 toyota corolla le....5th place,07 hyundai elantra se....4th place,07 honda civic lx....3rd place,07 mazda 3s touring....2nd place,and now for the car that came in 1st place in this comparison test by car and driver magazine....
    07 VOLKSWAGEN RABBIT!!!.....
  • bobw3bobw3 Member Posts: 2,989
    What about the Fit and Versa?
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    They are in a different car class, the so-called B class, along with the likes of the Accent, Rio, and Aveo.

    CR will be reviewing those cars in their December issue, due out soon.
  • bobw3bobw3 Member Posts: 2,989
    That's funny since the Versa is bigger than the Rabbit.
  • steven39steven39 Member Posts: 636
    the fit and the yaris were not part of the comparison test.what suprised me though was that the rabbit finished ahead of the 2nd place mazda 3.i test drove a mazda 3 before deciding on my 07 rabbit 4dr.i felt that the mazda 3 had a rougher ride than the rabbit and i felt every bump with the mazda 3.on the other hand the rabbit had a much better ride with almost the same handleing as the 3 and was much quieter on the road and also felt much more solid as well.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    I am a little surprised to see the Rabbit top the Mazda3s in C/D's comparo, because C/D has raved about the Mazda3s in the past. Personally I think the Mazda3 has superior handling to the Rabbit, but the Rabbit is solid there and the ride is a little smoother in the Rabbit. C/D must have liked the Rabbit's handling though, because that is their #1 priority. I was also surprised to see the Corolla top the new Sentra--I recently drove the Sentra and thought it was a much superior car to the Corolla except in fuel economy.

    I'll have to read the review when I get my home issue--which usually comes a few days after it hits the newsstands. :mad:
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    I think the Mazda3 is bigger outside than the Rabbit also, and the Elantra and Sentra are bigger inside than all the other cars tested--the Elantra is actually a mid-sized car by interior room. So classifying the cars is a tough exercise. The Versa is considered a B class car by how it is positioned by Nissan and by price. It is exceptionally roomy for the B class though. Note that C/D reviewed the Versa along with the Fit, Yaris, Accent, Rio5 etc. a few months ago.

    What is a little odd about the comparo is that C/D compared some sedans (Civic, Corolla, Elantra, Sentra) to at least one hatchback (Rabbit) and maybe two (don't know if the Mazda3s was a sedan or hatch). There's some natural inequities when hatches are compared to sedans. The hatches are more versatile, and the sedans are usually quieter than their hatch counterparts. By rights, C/D should have compared the Jetta to the other sedans.
  • bamacarbamacar Member Posts: 749
    Actually the scores seemed a little manipulated to get a win for the Rabbit. The Mazda 3 lost by 3 points to the Rabbit. After saying the Mazda was the sports sedan of the bunch and scoring it higher in both engine and handling categories, they gave the Rabbit 4 more points than the Mazda for "gotta have it" and "fun to drive". They also gave only 1 point to the Rabbit for fuel economy and said passengers won't love it like the driver. The Elantra got the edge for passenger comfort.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Odd. Mazda3 had better handling and engine, but the Rabbit was "more fun to drive"? I can't wait to read how they justify that.

    I always wondered about C/D's practice of scoring cars in a comparo based on someone's opinon of what someone else "has to have." To me, "gotta have it" should be based on the buyer's own criteria, not on what someone else considers "cool." We do know that those little rabbit emblems are a "gotta have it" item--unfortunately for Rabbit owners. :(
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    the Civic they loved so much just a few short months ago is now third place? Of course, the Civic lost previously to the Mazda3, which they adore beyond all reason. I will be very curious to read this article.

    As much as I like the Mazda3s hatch in many ways, I would agree that the Rabbit has it beaten for interior accomodations - design and materials. I will take the Mazda on exterior styling though. And it gets slightly better mileage. Plus, if what you want is four doors plus alloys and a moonroof, you can get the Mazda for about $2000 less than the Rabbit, which will have other stuff built in that you might not necessarily want.

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • germancarfan1germancarfan1 Member Posts: 221
    I'm surprised the 2007 Jetta wasn't included in the comparo. At $16,490 + dest., would seem like a more appropriate choice.

    Surprising is how low the "brand new" Elantra and Sentra placed. Even more astonishing is that the Sentra lost to a 4 year old designed Corolla and the "new" Elantra only slighly edged the Toyota out (who only placed 3rd back in C&D's comparo in 2002).

    Doesn't bode well for both of these cars especially once the 2008 Corolla and 2008/2009 Saturn Ion/Opel Astra arrives.
  • eldainoeldaino Member Posts: 1,618
    When did C/D say that they loved the civic so much? This is not a 'you don't know what you are talking about' sort of thing at all, i just can't remember! I do remember always wondering why it took so long for c/d to review the new civics when they came out; the jumped all over the si, but they took their time with the new civcs.
  • eldainoeldaino Member Posts: 1,618
    Maybe it was because the only jetta that actually goes for that price is the value edition and it's the least equipped model in the jetta line and even then i've never seen it sticker for less than 18,000. All the models in this comparo were not the lowest trim level of each respective one.

    Also volkswagen does not really think the jetta compares to any of these cars; they aim for a higher class i suppose; they call it thier midsize sedan, i guess the passat is their full size since the phaeteon is dead now.
  • eldainoeldaino Member Posts: 1,618
    I don't think so. To VOLKSWAGEN the jetta does not compete in this class even though on paper it looks like it should. The rabbit is a bit cheaper though so it fits better. the fact that volkswagens entry level car happens to be a hatch should make no difference; and maybe as a general rule hatches are louder than sedans, but i have an 07 rabbit and it is actually more quiet than my 06 civic ex was. And the ride is superb. And this is coming from a not-so-much-anymore honda die hard fan.
  • eldainoeldaino Member Posts: 1,618
    Personally i don't think they were 'manipulated'. I agree though that car and driver does have some issues keeping up with what their various reviewers say about certain cars(i.e. going on about how great the civc si's chassis is, and amazingly unflappable in the "gti. vs. si" column but then saying that it was the 'sloppiest' in the lightning lap when compared to the cobalt ss! :confuse: ), but uber sportiness isn't the point in a comparison like this; where as some cars like the elantra are more comfort oriented, and the mazda more sport and fun oritented, the rabbit is a nice blend of both without trying to hard. To me that makes a car more fun to drive because it's personality is versatile. I've driven both and while i feel the mazda has the edge in the handling department(not by a whole lot either) the engine in the rabbit feels a lot more torquey, if not a little bit of a let down at higher rpms. Plus it felt (to me) more solid on the road and quieter. And the interior is unmatched.
  • eldainoeldaino Member Posts: 1,618
    The rabbit has alloys too and it comes in a four door version and is pretty much the same price equally equipped. And the four door gets a moon roof as well so i guess it comes down to preference. Some people may want a radio that lights up when you turn the volume knob (3) and some may want heated seats.(rabbit) it all comes down to preference.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    However, C/D could have grabbed a base Jetta for about $17k, even added alloys and still stay under their self-imposed $18k spending limit. Perhaps VW could not make such a low-priced Jetta available for testing?
  • eldainoeldaino Member Posts: 1,618
    they probably dont feel that it competes in this segment. A decked out gli jetta competes against the likes of a tsx so even in base guise its obvious volkswagen guns for bigger boats with the jetta.
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    $19,0 with the alloys and the moonroof for the Rabbit, around $17,0 for the Mazda3. $2K difference, Yes, I am well aware that the Rabbit can be had with alloys and a moonroof. If you have no use for heated seats, traction control and that sort of thing, the Mazda represents the bargain of the two. Sure those extra things on the Rabbit are nice, and some folks will want them, but for the rest the Mazda can be had cheaper.

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • eldainoeldaino Member Posts: 1,618
    Where did you find that? I just priced a mazda i touring which is the lowest trim they have that comes equipped with 16 inch alloys slapped a 4 speed auto (the rabbit has a 6 speed) and added a mooonroof/six disc cd and abs and the total was 18935 after destination. And thats for the sedan. If you really want to compare apples to apples the base s hatch STARTS at 18200 and after adding a fives speed auto and the moon roof package my grand total was 20015.00. A far cry from making the 3 a 'bargain'. Even the sedan version is not that much cheaper.
  • steven39steven39 Member Posts: 636
    the msrp for my 07 rabbit 4dr hatch with auto,sunroof,and rear airbags was 20,400.00.i got it for 19,500.00...
    i think that this was a pretty good deal considering the fact that most new rabbit owners are paying at or near full msrp.i also got a pretty good trade-in value for my 06 honda civic which i expected i would cause honda's tend to hold their value pretty well.and by the way,i don't miss my civic at all the rabbit far exceeds the civic in all categories.performence,handleing,interior materials,and overall build quality.
  • steven39steven39 Member Posts: 636
    iam a first time vw owner haveing just recently purchased a 07 4dr rabbit.i wanted to know how well the resale value's are with the rabbit and if they hold their value well.probably not as good as my 06 honda civic that i traded in for the rabbit.
  • jeffyscottjeffyscott Member Posts: 3,855
    I have an old Kiplinger magazine from 2000 that has a table of information on all the vehicles on the market at that time. One item in the table is resale value at 2 years and 4 years. For the Golf they give 59% and 46%, for the Civic they give 56% and 45%.

    I don't know how accurate their figures are, or if they would have different numbers today, but those numbers actually indicate a slightly better resale value for the VW.
  • eldainoeldaino Member Posts: 1,618
    not judging by any acutal numbers i have seen for either cars, but you could check kelly blue book and get an estimate. Hondas are wonderful as far as resale value goes, proabably the best and that is no exaggeration. But volkswagens are not to shabby either, not horrible but just not amazing. If the current generation rabbit sells well, ends up being more reliable than the previous generation and more or less problem free, that should help it's resale value. It may not be exactly as good as the civics, but still ok.
  • brucewainbrucewain Member Posts: 1
    Just purchased new 07 Rabbit today, in silver. 2 door version. Got it for 18,750, final price. Apparently I underpaid ~1g, yay me. Even got the man to throw in the rabbit floor mats.

    Has the largest displacement engine under 20k except for the Se-R and Spec V Sentra (which it ties with) at 2.5 IIRC. Power delivery kinda sluggish under 2500 rpm, once there though, delivers smiles. Haven't REALLY driven it yet though.

    Can't say much about reliability yet.

    Very happy with purchase. Can't wait till the 17" Racing Harts C2s and H&R cup kit come in.
  • eldainoeldaino Member Posts: 1,618
    did you get many options on it? My 2 door has the tiptronic automatic tranny and the 16 alloy/wheel package and it stickered for 17500. Yours sounds a bit high...
  • steven39steven39 Member Posts: 636
    i have a 07 rabbit 4dr that i recently purchased a few weeks ago.i can't seem to find the transmision fluid dipstick under the hood.i know the car is new,but i would like to know where it is located for future reference.
  • jeffyscottjeffyscott Member Posts: 3,855
    There is no automatic transmission fluid dipstick. It is a sealed system with a synthetic "lifetime" fluid.

    There also is no power steering fluid, just in case you were going to look for that next :) .
  • jbaustianjbaustian Member Posts: 78
    RE: "One item in the table is resale value at 2 years and 4 years. For the Golf they give 59% and 46%, for the Civic they give 56% and 45%."

    This might be a bit misleading, if they are including TDIs in the Golf mix. TDIs have a much better resale value than the gas-engine models. Just comparing Golfs, the TDI option was about $1000 more, but after a few years the used ones were selling for $3000 more or higher than the gas-engine models.
  • jeffyscottjeffyscott Member Posts: 3,855
    They have separate entry for each trim level. The figures were for the Golf GLS, which was the only trim level that they listed. For Jetta they had TDIs listed, but predicted depreciation was not any different than for the gas models.

    This is very old data, from 2000. Reality did not match the predictions.

    It says the data was provided by "automotive lease guide". Also I did not notice before that it says the percentages are based on suggested retail price. Probably would not have posted this info had I caught that before. The table has a "target price" listed...representing what you would expect to actually pay, I had been assuming the figures were based off of that.

    Edmunds predicted depreciation data is probably better since they base it off of their TMV.
  • steven39steven39 Member Posts: 636
    most vw's tend to hold their value pretty well with the jetta and passats ranking up there pretty well.however,i don't think that their resale values are as good as honda's or toyota's.toyota's and honda's are pretty much all alone by themselves at the top of the resale value heap.
  • vmokhutovvmokhutov Member Posts: 23
    Hello rabbit owners with manual transmission. What is the engine's revs at 80 mph? I drove auto and it's just over 2000 rpm. and a car is pretty quiet at this speed.
  • edurighteduright Member Posts: 12
    I love it! It is a bit noisy, so I want to try some noise deading treatment on the wheel wells. I hope to avoid taking off the wheels- I hear that there is a spray can built to get around that. I would like to find something less toxic than asphalt based undercoat though. I suppose one could stuff more insulation in the doors? and coat the engine comparftment. there is some insualtion in there, and in the back wheel wells. Any suggestions? There IS too much road noise. Especially tire noise from the BIG wheel wells. The front tires only have plastic- the rear has some coating or fiber. The stereo is just fair- can one just upgrade speakers? The bass is muddy, not nuts about the other ranges either. Wohat do you all thing about mud flaps? Makes the most sense in the front, but may look better in sets of four??? And what about paint protectant? I want to protect the beige seats, but will not use chemicals. Perhaps lambswool covers? But the seats ARE heated too.

    Again, its a great car for the money, having superior materials (nontoxic interior- see www.ecocenter.org for ratings on this), fit, finish, handling, stability, ride, design egronomics. More MPGs would be nice. Its sage green with beige/brn/black.
    I got rubber mats. The salesman did not think that cloth mats are standard equipment on the 4 door 06, but they are.
    Its in the little green publicty book for the 06 Rabbit.
  • edurighteduright Member Posts: 12
    I was drving up to 83 mph- oops, over the speed limit.
    I saw the rpm go above 3000, easily. It (the manual trans) starts to get rather noisy at about 70 mph- the automatic tranny engine's torque converter gets the rpms down in higest gear, which makes for more quiet, but power is sacrificed, in a sense, by doing that.
  • edurighteduright Member Posts: 12
    Folks,
    Who knows wher the fuel supply line INTO the engine is? Is it on the left side as you face the engine- by the window fluid reservoir? And what does it look like, construction wise- lots of hoses there.

    By the way, the magents do work. Some British studies on that now, which I saw in a British books on magnet therapy for humans.

    I may get a turbo "cookie cutter" to place in the air hose to the engine, too.
  • vmokhutovvmokhutov Member Posts: 23
    Thank you eduright for your info. How would you comment on engine and transmission operation at cold start and go?
    What's your mpg?
  • edurighteduright Member Posts: 12
    The engine and tranny are very good! I would like it if the clutch was more to the left and had a slightly shorter motion. THe brake pedal is a bit close to the gas pedal, and the gas is a bit close to the drveshaft tunnel.

    Its an incredible car for the money. My first tank was just under 25 MPG in a combiation of city, HY, and four lane highway. I had hoped for better MPG, but I imagine that this will improve as the engine's computer figures out what is going on and the car breaks in.

    The car is very sure footed, more quiet than my Corolla- I would like it still quieter. Most of the noise, according to an expert, comes in from the dooors and pillar between them. The tires may be extra noisy- this may quiet a bit as their "edge" wears off. That should be at about 800 miles.

    Except for the MPG, its an incredible car. The equal of the Audi A3 in many ways- with a different engine. Very nice ride. VERY stable. Has stability control as an option. Inspires confidence. The pedals do need relocating. I am still having shifting problems- practice makes perfect. A six speed manula is in order.....

    OK stereo- not as good as I had hoped. New car smell is negligable. See www.ecocenter.org re. toxic car interiors. A very important and distrubing survey.

    Teriffic interior. Dash ligfhts for speedometer should be a tad brighter at full power. Very clear controls. I hear the VW is losing money on these Rabbit. Several grand per car.
  • steven39steven39 Member Posts: 636
    i must agree with ed in that the rabbit is a incredible value for the money.i paid 19,500.00 for my 07 4dr rabbit with auto,sunroof,rear side airbags,and sat radio.this car drives,and feels like i spent twice as much as i did.this is probably the 1st car that i have owned where i actually look forward to driveing it especially at night time the way everything lights up it's like being in a jet cockpit with all the controls light up.the rabbit with it's great solid feel and handleing and interior materials feels like iam driveing a BMW at half the cost.
  • rabbitdriverrabbitdriver Member Posts: 8
    Little over a month old.

    4th VW -- replaces a '90 Golf. About twice the price, but more than twice as nice! Dealer was very nice -- paid msrp, but got a VW hat, mouse pad and guitar pick -- they say the guitar is coming. Also got the rabbit logo rubber floor mats.

    It's very solid. Lots of torque. So far, 25 & 28 mpg around town with some highway driving.

    Things I need to check into: the passenger-side door sounds a little different than the driver-side door when it's being closed. It's important to have things to worry about, I guess.

    Am hoping that this one lasts as long as the '90 golf. While I had it, it needed two cv joints, one wheel bearing, and a fuel pump replacement -- not bad!
  • steven39steven39 Member Posts: 636
    rabbitdriver,i must say you certainly got your money's worth out of that 90 golf.were you the original owner?
    to have a 16 year old vw with only minimal problems is quite an achievment.that is something that all vw owners wish they can experience.
  • rabbitdriverrabbitdriver Member Posts: 8
    Yes, the original owner.

    I forgot about the muffler -- it was replaced too.

    Sold it with about 160K miles -- it's new owner is
    happy with it.
  • pog4pog4 Member Posts: 13
    I was out looking at the rabbits this weekend. I drove a 4door auto and a 2 door manual back to back.

    I drove the 4door auto first and felt like it had more than enough power to make me happy. On the test drive I looked down and realized I was doing 80 mph, it travels effortlessly and quietly. The red led cluster in the gauge housing is cool in the way it shows what gear you are in along with the outside temp and time.

    Next I hopped into the 2door manual. As I pulled out of the lot I could easily notice how the manual accelerates faster. With 3 people on board it pushed me back in my seat, something the auto didn’t. All the power is down low in the torque range, perfect for city driving. I have to say the price of the 2 door is very appealing but a few things bothered me. 1st, it does not have a center armrest and 2nd the radio in the 2 door looks cheap and the silver buttons felt like they will fall off. The radio head unit in the 4 door was far superior.

    After the test drive I decided a 4door manual would fit the bill, but I think I am going to have a problem finding one. The dealer did a search and told me there is only one available in all of California and it’s not a color I would prefer.
  • jbaustianjbaustian Member Posts: 78
    Just keep looking for the one you want. There's no reason to compromise on color, transmission, trim level or sound system, just because your local dealer doesn't have what you want.

    When I bought my 2003 Golf TDI, what I really wanted was a red 2-door 5M, and I ended up with a red 4-door 5M. But that really was at the end of the line for TDIs in California, and as it turned out I have been very happy with the 4-door model. It came with the Monsoon sound system, so that's what I'm used to and I wouldn't be happy with something inferior. I don't know what I would do with a center armrest.
  • pog4pog4 Member Posts: 13
    Luckily I am in no rush to purchase and with the holidays around the corner I may wait until January. I told the dealer I wanted a white or silver 4 door 5speed with ESP and 16inch alloys. If they can find what I want in the near future I will purchase but otherwise I am going to wait.

    Even on the 10 minute test drive I was annoyed with not having the center armrest.
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