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Comments
Oh and got about 24 mpg first tank me being the average young driver and doing high rpm shifts thats pretty good
In Feb. this year I took a lease of a 4dr Automatic Rabbit from a local seller in Montreal.
First of all, I find this model very “gourmand”, as it tokes about 15,5 liters for a 100 Km (15,2 miles for a gallon) during the winter. Right now, it takes about 13 Liters for 100Km. I found this very high, since the same car with a TDI or GTI engine go down to 6,5 liters (TDI) or 8,5 liters (GTI) for a 100 km.
During the winter, the heating was poor, so I paid a visit to my dealer to solve the issue. A change of a cooling liquid to from a -55 degree Celsius (-67 F) to a -35 degree Celsius (-31F) solved the problem.
Bad points that I found until now:
- Seats too rigid. In a trip Montreal –Toronto (about 500 Km) it is really difficult to be comfortable.
- Auto-volume control makes the lower frequency go very high if I brake. Making this option OFF solve the problem
- Too much gas consumption in town, about 18,1 miles for a gallon, or 13 liters for 100 Km. On the highway, it was about 23,52 miles for a gallon, or 10 liters for 100 Km.
- A constant difference of 5 Km/h between the speedometer and a GPS (at 55 real, it shows 50, at 125 it shows 120). The same GPS gadget was used on several Americans and Japanese cars and the error was about 1 Km/h, more or less.
Personally, I will wait until they’ll going to issue the new TDI on the North American market and I will trade my Rabbit for a TDI.
Regarding an earlier post about having the rabbit insignia stolen, I suspect that will become a common problem with these cars. Some people are just destructive idiots. I would choose your parking space carefully.
I have the 5 speed, getting used to it, so much torque off the line that I have trouble engaging first without chirping the tires. Plugged in my ipod to the aux jack, works like a charm. I think its natural competitor is the Mazda3, which is not a bad choice, but I just liked the Rabbit better.
The 2 door has very wide doors, something to watch out for when parking.
Definately need rubber mats, may just get some generic ones rather than the monster mats sold by VW.
Still on my new car honeymoon, will report back in about a month...
I didnt get a chance to get them orginally, and my wife and i bought generic mats just to protect the carpet in the meantime and it sucked; the mat area is not very generic, it has very specific dimensions, so any generic mat put into it will look and feel akward, especially on the drivers side.
again, vw makes you use THEIR stuff; which is pretty darn expensive, i got the cheaper monstermats at a discount from a vw dealer website and after shipping they were 80 bucks. The carpeted floor mats are almost 100 befor taxes.
Having said that, i love the mats, they clean up nicely and give the bunny a wonderful finished look!
You guys convinced me not to cheap out on the mats, I will get the rubber monster mats
I notice a lot of people complaining about mileage on the Rabbits....
well I wont be one of them.
I dont know if I drive very different than anyone else, but my mileage is actually pretty good.
Just did a 400 mile trip to Tahoe (elevation 6000 ft), and averaged 32 mpg going up (climbing grades), and 33 mpg coming home (down grades).
This was at avg speeds of 75+ mph.
My friend drove his Chevy Aveo (1.6 liter, 107 HP) up at the same time, and averaged only 32!!
I imagine if I ever drove real conservativly, say 65 mph, I could probably get 33+....
but the car is too happy going faster!
So far, this VW, and my honda are the only 2 cars I've ever owned that were capable of getting more mpg than rated for.
I think my car does great given its engine size and vehicle weight; the only time it looks bad is when its compared to cars in its same class/price range. The rabbits high on the highway is usually only slightly higher than what these other cars manage around town!
But i do love my bunny, its just the service that i wish would be cheaper. I think i would feel the mileage issue if it wasn't my families only car; but it is so its no biggie.
Average 22 mpg. July will be driving Las Vegas to
Santa Rosa, Calif. then to Reno and back to Las Vegas.
I expect to do 32 plus on this trip.
Joe from Las Vegas
Anyway, even 19 is very low, in the same condition the japanese go for 28 or some...
That's it! Next time I will pose myself some questions when the official site do not give infos about consumption...
Regards
Also bought the rubber monster mats, a necessity in cold climates. Plus I am a trail runner and manage to bring a good part of the trail back with me on my shoes.
Now that I am on my second week, I don't have any negative impressions. Its a fun car to drive hard. I have the 5 speed and it seems to have plenty of power, the GTI would um, get me in a lot of trouble...
Even going by the old numbers though, your only a totally understandable 2mpg off. That could just be the a/c.
This is my first manual car and I've gotten used to the clutch pretty quickly; I've killed it a few times, but no big deal. Like others have said, I really like how solid this car is; with all windows up is very comfortable on all the country roads that I have to drive on and I can't wait to hit the interstate. Rear passengers also like the car a lot; quite comfortable they say. Even though the stereo is stock, it's the best I've ever had in a car...it's nice. I also got the i-Pod adapter; it's nice to be able to listen to the i-Pod and keep it charged at the same time. My i-Pod is 2nd generation, so the battery doesn't last as long as the new ones. I just wish there was a better interface for it...I never know what I am going to be listening to when I select a playlist and not all playlists are available. But the i-Pod is a very very very minor issue and I love this car. In a few years I'm going for a diesel. :shades:
Great road trip car, remarkably quiet on rough roads.
Learned to master hill holding, i.e. using the e brake to keep the car from rolling backwards at a stoplight on a steep hill while using 1st gear to get started, then easing off the e brake. So a few thousand miles later, still very happy with the car.
As eldaino said in another post, this is a perfect city car due to its small size and abundance of low end torque.
options
4drs
sunroof
16 alloy
price paid
$19,201
I don't think anyone near my area can beat this price so rushed to long island and picked up this baby yesterday.
nice!
if yes, how much?
thanks
I’d like to preface everything by saying that I absolutely love this car. It’s solid as a rock, feels fantastic on both city streets and highways, handles like a go-kart, and really has the look and feel (both inside and out) of a far more expensive vehicle. It’s got more little features, fine touches and technology than a lot of cars in much higher price brackets, and although acceleration off the line could be improved (probably with a less restrictive exhaust), one thing is for sure: the sticker price notwithstanding, this little bunny is no econo-box.
OK, so now to my beefs:
1.
As noted by many people, the fuel economy is pretty crummy. I’ve been averaging 12-13.5 L/100 km over the lifespan of this car. I have to admit at this point that I have a pretty heavy foot – I drive exclusively in tiptronic mode and have a “spirited” driving style. I tend to accelerate rather hard from stoplights and stop signs, engine brake where possible, and hold my gears to higher RPM’s. Having said this, I DID drive the car very conservatively while breaking in the engine for the first 2500 km’s or so, and my fuel economy has remained pretty constant from the very start.
2.
There’s a very distinct “pssht-pshht” coming from the front suspension when this car goes over a bump, or is even just driving over uneven roads. It’s almost a high-pitched creak, and I thought at first that the springs needed some lubrication. I now think that it’s just air being pushed through the shocks, but I’m still not 100% sold that it’s normal.
3.
The car doesn’t hold centre very well. The steering is 10-15 degrees off of centre, and this is most noticeable on the highways (above 120 km/h or so). I told VW about this when I brought it on for my first service; they road-tested the car and told me that it was “within factory parameters.” Whatever, I’m telling you it’s off.
DSG (Direct Shift Gearbox) is a true manual gearbox, with a computer-controlled clutch and (therefore) no driver-operated clutch pedal. It’s essentially the same technology employed in Formula 1 cars, as well as in a lot of high-end sports cars. In Ferraris, for instance, a traditional clutch and gated shifter is now an option on all their vehicles, and BMW has used it for years in their M-branded cars (BMW calls it SMG, for Sequential Manual Gearbox).
Tiptronic, on the other hand, is a type of automatic transmission with a torque converter (like all other slushboxes) and a manual override. Tiptronic is actually the brand name for the technology originally developed by Porsche about 15 years ago, and it has now found its way into a lot of the Vee-Dub group vehicles – Audi, Lambo, etc., in addition to many of the newer Volkswagens themselves. Similar systems have become widely used in the auto industry over the last 5-6 years or so, and although every company has their own name for it (Acura, for instance, calls it Sequential SportShift, while Mercedes goes by TouchShift), the underlying principle is the same across the board.
To get back to the DSG gearbox currently available in the 2007 GTI: To my knowledge (and I could be wrong), VW is the first brand to offer this type of transmission in a moderately-priced vehicle. In addition, DSG is truly a next-generation sequential gearbox. It employs a dual clutch cocentric system (one for the “inside” even-numbered gears, another for the “outside” odd-numbered gears), and the computer predicatively pre-selects the next gear prior to full engagement. This allows for lightning-quick upshifts, as fast as 8ms.
The DSG system on the GTI, as well as the GTI in general, has had gleaming reviews, almost across the board. If you’re thinking about a Rabbit, and can afford the extra few grand for the GTI (and/or can wait out the 6+ months it takes to get one in North America), I would recommend taking a good hard look this car.
Sorry for the rant - I needed to vent.
Also, a bird crapped on the car. Make sure you clean it off early; otherwise, you may get a mark on the car -- soak it off with water, don't force it off.
Some bozo also backed into it and scuffed the black, low down, on the rear bumber -- no damage, otherwise.
Still, it's a great car. I named it "Red," because its color is red.
Can you provide a VW link please... All the canadian sites doesn't give a consumption rate...
your only a totally understandable 2mpg off. That could just be the a/c.
What about the spring period when the AC was off.
And why is on the inferior limit and no upper?
I think I drive normally, no "heavy foot", no acceleration till 15 m before a stop sign... however I was about 12 L/Km, 50% highway, 50% town (And I don't drive in the rush hours)..
I changed the oil (first change) and have checked the speedometer... big BS from the dealer... it's OK, it shows exactly what the computer tells... Why then on the american cars I do not have any difference between the speedometer and a GPS? It's a big why...
Concerning the consumption, the most reasonable explanation was: "Get use to it!" Well, I don't want to get use to it, OK? I want to feel a little difference between a 2,5 L 6 cylinder of my old Ford Contour (11,5 L/Km in town at 120 000 Km life) and a new Rabbit. You can call me however you want, that's just me...
Regards.
Car is perfect, no manufacturing defects I could find, it drives very well. I find it has plenty of power and the good torque allows you to drive very relaxed, i.e. unlike some Japanese competitors you do not have to shift as often to keep going. As discussed on this forum, it has a surprising amount of standard equipment and lots of nice little features that are usually absent on Asian competitors. Solid, composed, comfortable...let's hope the long-term reliability matches the very positive first experience.
Bought the car from Volkswagen of Durham; first class treatment, no hassles whatsoever, even when the car that came from another dealership had the mats; they could have taken them out and I would have never known the difference. By far the best car purchasing experience I have had; salesperson had good produce knowledge as well, a rarity these days, and took his time to show and explain the car. Thumbs up!
what do you mean by 'why is on the inferior limit and no upper?' :confuse:
2mpg is no big deal, its less than 30 miles to a tank, and even i have that happen to me occasionally.
You don't want to get used to it huh? ok. thats fine. But did you read what your cars sticker was before buying the vehicle? they don't tell you what the mpg ratings are AFTER you buy the car, they are displayed readily for you. and now with the new epa ratings, your bunny is rated at 19/28. is your 2mpg still there?
i think that EVERYONE who decides to buy a rabbit REALLY needs to start getting realistic and look at specs; ask yourself 'WHY does it have such a low mpg rating?'
these are the answers you should come up with.
1.its a five cylinder. wow! not only is it bigger than the engine in an accord or camry, its got the same dispacement as a nissan altima, and one extra cylinder! def not the poster child for frugality already.
2. it weighs considerably more than the competition.
having said that, the rabbit rewards you with:
1. very competative mpg among cars with the same engine size/weight. the mazda 3 hatch weighs a tiny bit more, has a smaller engine with 8 more hp and one less cylinder, and averages the same gas mileage. the accord and camry do about the same as well, without the same torque. Suddenly your mpg isn't all that bad considering you are not driving a car that gets bogged down by the a/c and 4 people in it, the way a civic/corolla/sentra would.
seriously guys, enough complaining!
Many people who ask me about this car also ask about fuel consumption in the next breath, and are then surprised that a car of its size drinks fuel at such a rate. As eldaino has stated, however, the Rabbit has an extra cylinder and a substatial displacement for a compact vehicle, and (like many Volkswagens) weighs in at a fair bit more than its peers.
a lot of people do ask me about my mpg too, and they are usually suprised at what it gets. So i do my best to educate them in WHY it gets what it does, and the benefits of these factors, that are usually absent on cars in the same price range. (i.e. stability at high speeds, passing power, low-end torque, immaculate interior, luxurious ride, wont see to many of yourself on the road.).
Actually, this weekend, on saturday, i had a gentleman who lives in my apt complex ask be about my bunny; he had one back in the 80's and sold it with 160k on it and it was still going strong. He was looking for an inexpensive alternative to a small suv to use on the weekends for bike trips. He seemed a little dissapointed with the mileage, but after i told him the benefits, he was hardly bothered by it. He thought it was a sharp looking car. He also inquired about the new civic, since i owned that car for about a year and i told him how my mileage was significanlty better, but that the car cost me over 3 grand more. (ex model.)
true you can get a civic lx, but for people who want the disc brakes, the sunroof, alloys etc, a comparbale rabbit is still much cheaper, and that totally negates the cost of fuel, something he totally agreed with. You can easily get a mazda 3 hatch for 19k, but your still stuck with an engine that gets just about the same mpg; and its less justified, given its smaller size and one less cylinder.
He loved the car. As do I.
Consider this:
1. VW introduced the 2.5L I5 engine with the redesigned Jetta for the 2005 model year. The engine quickly became legendary for its inefficiency, which could be excused if it was a high-output engine – but it isn’t.
2. The engine, which has now been transplanted into the Rabbit/Golf is the ONLY part of the redesigned car that is not made in Germany (it’s Mexican-built).
Taking these two factors into consideration:
Why wouldn’t VW have taken the more efficient 2.0L I4 engine currently employed in the GTI and use it in the Rabbit? After all, the GTI is built on the same platform and shares about 90% of its same sheet metal and parts with the Rabbit. Furthermore, the 2.0L engine is German-built, like the rest of the car. Why ship an engine which (quite frankly) is a bit of a dog all the way from Mexico, when you have a perfectly good one built specifically for your car sitting right there in Deutschland?
Sure, you say, but the GTI has a more free-flowing exhaust and uses a turbo to boost its power to 200 hp. Fine, if your output numbers are a little bit anemic without the turbo, add the turbo in as an option on the Rabbit. This way, you’ve probably got around 130-140HP without the turbo (less than the 2.5L, but still a big improvement over the last-model Golf), and likely between 170 and 180 with the turbo bolted on (still less than the GTI, but better than the current 150HP on the Rabbit).
In my opinion, the only reason that they went all the way to Mexico to fetch the engine was to distinguish the Rabbit from the GTI. If they used the 2.0L in the Rabbit, the only significant differences between a manual turbo-boosted Rabbit and a manual GTI (other than the aforementioned free-flowing exhaust) would be trim – the front fascia, seat fabric, etc.
I believe that in the next model year or two, VW is going to drop a new engine into this car, and it’ll likely be a 4-banger. Those of us who bought in the first couple of model years will be stuck with the 2.5L, and our resale values will probably suffer as a result.
1.the 2.5 is a N/a market only engine. this engine can be found nowhere in germany. why? it was built specifically to american tastes, hence the torque. its marketed as the uber city car, and with that much low end, it excels.
2. they did not simply decide to not put the 2.0 in the rabbit just because they wanted to distinguish it from the gti; the gti is the performance model and is worthy of its engine/exhaust/styling/suspension upgrades. Not only would the bunny be more expensive with an engine from germany, but can you imagine what a 2.0 with 140 hp would make acceleration numbers look like in the rabbit? with an engine that small, fuel economy would still be sub-par when compared to other 2.0l engines in its class, because of all the extra weight it has to lug around. it would NOT make for a very entertaining drive at ALL.
Now lets say we go with the lightly turbo version (about 180 hp as you put it); heres the problem; its going to require premium fuel. Ok ok, we can live with a thirsty 16k car, because its low price and extra anemities more than make up for it...but would YOU want to sell a car that was the only one that required premium in its class? thats going to turn people off no matter what, regardless of 'well its only a bit more when you fill up'. People hear it and then they'll go to a honda/toyota/nissan/hyundai/mazda dealer instead.
Vw has no plans of installing a small 4 cyl in the rabbit; for 2008, hp is getting bumped to 170 and torque to 177; no longer a model of inefficiency huh? redline raises to 6300 as well. (that would put it horsepower-wise on par with a small turboed 2.0. like you mentioned, without all the additional cost or premium fuel requirments.) And after 2008, the rabbit will get discontinued if it doesn't make it to the 2009 model year, and the MKVI will come out. There will be different engines then, but resale value wont be affected in the way you mentioned.
I did a "worst case scenario" estimate on my driving at 18000 miles per year with 60% highway driving at $5 a gallon and compared it to other vehicles at www.fueleconomy.gov. At these prices the Rabbit and the Mazda3 5 door start to trail behind the Civic by about $600 a year but the two remain within $150 dollars or so of each other for a year of driving. So the Mazda3 and the Rabbit are not noticeably different in annual MPG Also, VW has had a better reliability rating by JD Power and Associates than Mazda.
Rabbit is also considered a PSEV vehicle in California, and has some of the best front and side impact ratings out there, not to mention extra optional rear passanger airbags (in addition to the standard ones) if you are using this as a family car.
I do admit I am taking a risk with the new VWs considering their maintenance and reliability record in the past, but am hoping for the best, especially now that the majority of the car is manufactured in Germany instead of Mexico. The "got to have it" factor of this car, and it's loooooong list of standard features still tips the scale and I will see if this risk pays off over time. Considering its gas mileage, and pricy maintenance I don't consider this an economy car, but an economical fun car that delicately balances practicality while offering a really exceptional (IMO) driving experience inside and out. As long as you know this about the Rabbit UP FRONT, then hopefully there will not be too many bitter surprises down the road. For me, and what I am looking for, the pros definately outweigh the cons and I'm willing to pay a little bit more money (compared to the other cars in it's "class") over time for a car that I know I'm going to enjoy driving.
What stunned me is the LACK of torque compared to the 1.8T, contrary to what I have seen written in many posts. It may be that the engine is still not fully broken in (900 kilometers), but still the 5 cylinders is nowhere near the kick in the pants feeling of the 1.8T. No question about that! It's NOT an exhalirating engine, though it is fine. The torque curve is spread more evenly across the RPM band compared to the 1.8T which has a big torque rush between
1 800 and 2 200 RPM. The acceleration numbers may be similar in the end to 100 km (I doubt it though) but you don't have the immense "kick in the back" feeling. On this I am dissapointed... I don't feel the "so torquey' people talk about. Of course it's all relative to what cars you drove before. But I disagree with people saying the car has tons of torque. Simply not true! It HAS better torque than japanese 4 cylinders. But LESS than Volkswagen turbos. Forget about the numbers: you don't feel them! May I remind people that the 170 lbs comes at near 4 000 RPM.If you shift at 2500/3000, you cannot compare that car to a 1.8/2.0T. Also,the Rabbit has a 3.65 differential wich may explain a LOT. The turbos have a 3.95...
The first gear is TOO short.
The recommended tire pressures are TOO high (34 PSI) wich gives a harsh feeling on bad roads, more so from the rear suspension wich is not isolated enough. The Bettle was more compliant on bad roads.
So do I love the car? A stunning YES. The point is don't test it back to back with a GTi/Jetta 2.0T...
On the other end I'm stunned by the interior quality/materials. The level of standard features is simply amazing. The back passengers interior space is unbelievable. The ajustable center armrest is the best in the industry! The velours seat material is very pleasing and easy to maintain contrary to last generations velours. The shift mechanism is well defined and precise and better than the Beetle. The electro-machannical steering frees you from that anoying hydraulic sounds (apart from that I don't see any difference). And after a month not a single bugg/rattle.
The sound system is a hair above average but decent. The 6 discs/MP3 in-dash changer is unique as a standard feature on a 4/5 door in this category and my best personal feature. I had no problem making mp3s with Acoustica CD burner and the Rabbit sound system shows artist/song and folders with this software.
The 4 years garanty is a cut above the competition and contrary to what people tell, I never had a SINGLE problem with garanty repairs at my dealear.
You're right in saying that the Rabbit has a very even power band; it delivers good power throughout the RPM range, but not GREAT power anywhere. Nonetheless, my experience has been that the car "feels" quick the majority of the time, especially once you've adjusted to the gear ratios.
I do disagree quite vehmently with your comments about the (premium) stereo. I believe, for a stock system, it's a phenomenal stereo system and I've been ecstatic with it from the start. The friendly, bright console, the large display, the ease of use, and quality of sound -- all of these are huge positives in my books.
I think there's no doubt about build quality. It's an exceptionally solid and well-assembled car, and there's no question (IMO) that the fact that it's built in Germany makes a world of difference. As far as reliability goes...I guess we'll just have to wait and see, won't we?
a lot of 1.8t owners on vwvortex have commented on the power delivery of the rabbit; i believe that the torque is actually pretty close, but the rabbit delivers it without any turbo lag. there are many a 1.8t drivers on that website that switched to the 2.5 and have nothing but good things to say (most of them better than what they were saying about the 1.8t) about the engine. granted to each their own, and the 2.0t is a TOTALLY different ordeal. This cars engine is on par with entry level midsize sedans; to say it lacks torque basically mean you shouldn't compare it to anything under a 2.5 displacement engine, or anything that doesnt have forced induction.
to say the rabbit isn't torquey makes less sense than saying it has less torque than a 1.8 turbo.
how was it a torquier engine than the rabbit when it was a 'dog' below 3000rpm? not even the rsx type s has as much torque as the rabbit, i think that k series only had like 140lbs of torque; did you have a type s? if not, its even worse, becasue the base rsx engine only had 135 lbs of torque. Do these engines like to rev more than the rabbit? oh yes, definitely. but are they 'torquier'? not a chance. the rsx (both base and type s) make their power high in the rpm band, thus needing to be revved; the exact opposite of whats commonly referred to as 'torquie'.
I think there's no doubt about build quality. It's an exceptionally solid and well-assembled car, and there's no question (IMO) that the fact that it's built in Germany makes a world of difference. As far as reliability goes...I guess we'll just have to wait and see, won't we?
totally agree; although the engine in our cars IS sourced from mexico, but everything else is wolfsburgian. if its any consolation, my rabbit is about to clear 23k in less than a year, and still no problems.
Anyway, my buying experience.
I picked up the 4 door United Gray with the Anthrawhatever Gray Interior, and the anti skid control. The model I saw in the lot also had a sunroof and 16 inch rims--not something I needed or was looking for, but I doubted I'd really be able to find a base model 4 door automatic in the color I wanted.
I got the vehicle for 21,300 out the door after taxes, licensing, a $50 dollar dock fee, and destination. They even threw in the Gorilla gear floor mats (after I said that I could probably find them for $80 online) for the front and back, and the big mat for the hatchback along with a set of velcro shelve things for no extra charge. I did the math and it was like getting the vehicle for $900 below invoice. My Uncle who went with me made them give me $10 of gas also. I'm extremely happy with the price I paid, and the buying experience was great. I went in looking to get just a base model Automatic for 19,800 at best. I purchased it with 70 miles on the vehicle.
I also asked about maintenance programs and extended warranties. The Finance guy was surprisingly cool, the only thing he tried to sell me was Lojack which I declined. I had to ask him about the maintenance and he basically said that "VW's are more expensive to maintain than Japanese cars. If you get the maintenance plan you're going to pay now instead of later." Not to mention that it is only good at the dealer I'm purchasing the maintenance program from. Eldaino's messages about his expensive maintenance, along with someone elses post about maintenance programs made me ask. I plan on putting about a 1,000 dollars away soon for a "expensive maintenance fund."
So I am officially a Rabbit owner, and I have absolutely zero buyers remorse. I will try my best to drive frugally and get some decent MPG out of it in the next few months!
-Abel
i'm suprised you couldn't find a base four door auto for less than high 19k; i've seen em without sunroof and rims with the auto for mid 18's. But anywho, you got some good options and the price is fantastic, so is the color! (my bunny is united gray as well!)
I finally got around to changing the oil myself, it was no walk in the park initially, but now i got it down. I think i'll take her back to the dealer for a big service, like the 40k and then do the smaller ones myself again.
At anyrate, congratulations man, enjoy your awesome new ride!
Thanks for the warm welcome!
I'll be sure to post here often.
any heads ups on the car? anything you wish you'd known from the get go but didnt? advice? let me know!!
VW Rabbit is a really good car for the out the door price, but expect to pay more for maintenance over time, and expect to be bringing it in to the shop a little bit more often than any of it's Japanese competitors (for things like brakes and tune ups). VW has had reliability issues in the past, when most of their vehicles in the US were assembled in Mexico. The new Rabbit's final assembly point is in Wolsfburg Germany, the 2.5 liter engine is manufactured in Mexico, and if you are getting a rabbit with automatic transmission, the transmission is made in Japan. It is a new year model, so we'll have to wait and see what it's true reliability is (And I've only had mine for 4 days). BUT our '07 Rabbit's have been available in other countries as the GOLF for a few years already (with a different engine), so hopefully the bugs have been worked out.
That being said, the car feels tight as a drum behind the wheel and the interior is immaculate, even nicer than the new civics. It's a great car, and I hope that if it's "babied" a little bit more than my old Japanese car, it will last a long, long time. Hope this helps!
it does exceptionally well in rainy conditions, and feels uber solid on the road. I owned a new civic and it was very nice, got great gas mileage, and had a slightly better steering feel, but it was a dime a dozen and the rabbits solidity, power, and interior alone make up for it.
Your oil changes only happen every 10k because there is no need to change synthetic oil any more often than that, and its what the rabbits manual calls for. The exception is that once you hit 5k, you have to get it changed (the break in period check up is what it is is guess) and then again at 10k. But after that, you shouldn't have to do it (wether its you or the dealer) until 20k, and then 30k and so on and so forth.
I just hit 23k this weekend and have had no problems so far!
Hope this helps!