2008 Volkswagen Rabbit 2 door

[AHTOXA]

Long-term review of a 2008 VW Rabbit.

Overall - 4 (Overall score is not an average)
Ride and handling - 4
Fuel economy - 3
Reliability - 4.5
Fun - 5
Practicality - 5
Style - 5
Power - 4

Overall
Right around this time last year, I was in the market for a new vehicle. Gas prices were on the rise and my vehicle at the time was hardly practical, had very high mileage and was going to costs me thousands extra in fuel and needed repairs. It made sense to make the switch. I was driving an SUV and when looking for a new car I wanted to keep a lot of the versatility an SUV offers in terms of cargo capacity, thus a hatch-back was the only thing I was looking for. I have driven a Mazda 3, Nissan Versa and a few others. I did like the Mazda 3 and hated the Versa, but overall there were quite a few good options out on the market. One day I was chatting with a friend who drives an '07 Jetta. I never really considered a VW but from what he told me I decided to take a look. A few weeks later I stopped by the local VW dealer and took on for a spin.

Before I got in, I stood outside in the dim light of the street lights, looking at a strangely green-ish hatchback. I wasn't too impressed, really. I got in, started it up. The clutch was feather-light and I liked it, however feed back from it is limited. I pulled out of the dealer lot onto a local street. The car felt assured, tight and very solid. The rumble of the road seemed well absorbed. I was starting to like it.

By the time we returned from the test drive I was impressed. One thing that VW had over the other cars that I have tried was soul. I'm not sure how to describe what a car with a soul feels like, because it varies greatly by car. Whether it was the uncertain reliability that plagues Volkswagen or perhaps the undeniably German feel of even an entry-level hatch -- I'm not sure.

Ride and handling
The car is really superb and sure-footed when it comes to handling. In stock form, even, the body roll is not too over the top, the grip is predictable and suspension is truly well engineered. The car is rather heavy, at 3000 lbs but it can truly handle for a front wheel drive hatch. I remember driving in the mountains of West Virginia grinning from ear to ear as, as the engine barked during a downshift and my buddy Rob (potownrob) was holding on the the handle above the door, occasionally uttering "Oh, shit" as I stood on the brakes coming up to the next corner down the mountain.

Fuel Economy
This area leaves a bit to be desired but you have to compare apples to apples here. In it's class, the Rabbit offers more power than the Mazda 3 and more power than the Versa. With it's 5 cylinder inline engine it prodices 170 hp and 177 torque. I was ready to sacrifice a bit of fuel economy for a little more fun behind the wheel. One thing I dread is driving an appliance to work. I like to like my car.

Reliability
Yes, Volkswagens have not been known to be the most reliable. However, in the 26k miles that I have driven in mine the only issue I had was a broken passenger mirror motor, which would not adjust it up and down, only side to side. Others will tell you differently and my friend in the Jetta was has been having more issues. Overall, judging from the owners as a whole, the new generation is far improved over the older ones in terms of quality.

Fun The mountains of West Virginia really said it all. But you don't have to live and drive there every day to really like this car. It's zippy attitude in the city with 177 ft-lbs of torque make it a fun commuter as well.

Practicality
This was one of the must-haves when buying a car. I often carry a lot of camping gear, biking gear, a few buddies and their bikes and the like. I needed to have the versatility of the hatch. I'll tell you that I have not been disappointed. I have hauled multiple items from Ikea, including a bed, a stand and a sectional and a couch -- all in one run. I helped my buddy move not too long ago and he was impressed at how much this seemingly little car could fit inside.

Another note on practicality. I'm a tall guy at 6'7" and it's often hard for me to fit into a car. In all the cars I have ever owned or driven I have had to push the seat all the way back and adjust from there. I did the same in this car when I first got in it, and I was surprised that I could not reach the clutch comfortably! This came as a shock to me since I've never experienced this before. I actually move up 3-5 clicks to feel comfy. The head room is also worth mentioning. There's a lot of it, even for me. This way I can sit more upright, which is a better driving position. My friend's Jetta has a sunroof, unlike mine and I feel much more cramped in there, but not so bad compared to various other vehicles that I drove, which were equipped with a sunroof.


Bottom line:

It's a great, relatively cheap alternative for an appliance vehicle. It has exceeded my expectations for reliability and the fun factor. I would recommend this car to anyone looking at similar options. However, remember that VW's reliability overall will not compare with Honda, Toyota or Mazda. It's alright, as the car has soul.

[watkins]

I can attest to the fun and interior room.

I loved zipping around WV, and the little car is a massive cave inside.
Only thing is, my car felt pretty similar (when comparably overloaded with people) driving around the twisties, and I definitely have more pep. I think comparing empty, i have a distinct disadvantage.

[AHTOXA]

Yes, you have 15 more hp and 17 more ft lb of torque, but you have a snail under the hood. Yours will have more pep, of course.

[watkins]

My car is also over 200 pounds heavier

[AHTOXA]

I've done more research.

Rabbit - 170hp '99 Saab 93 vert - 200
177tq 209

0-60 8.2 7.0


1/4 mile 16.4 16.0


Snail's a big advantage. All numbers above are random. Some people have posted faster number for the Saab, some people have posted faster numbers for the Rabbit as well.

[watkins]

Wrong 9-3. I have 185hp/194tq.
Im still a bit faster 0-60 at about 7.4 seconds. Dont know the 1/4 mile.

I was surprised to find out how similar the interior space is between our cars. Except lateral rear seat room, but thats a given.

Woot for the snail though!

[theholycow]

I have the same car, half the miles on it so far. I chose it for many of the same reasons, I came from a similar vehicular background, and have a similar review.

4/5. Points off for annoying features, DBW lag/rev hang, and numb clutch.

Right around this time last year, I was in the market for a new vehicle. Gas prices were on the rise and my vehicle at the time was hardly practical, had very high mileage and was going to costs me thousands extra in fuel and needed repairs. It made sense to make the switch.

Verbatim. Right out of my mouth.

I was driving a full size extended cab 4wd pickup and did not expect nor did I seek the same versatility. I hate hatchbacks, but I was willing to sacrifice. I had just started a new job with a 38 mile commute, and could not afford to risk it by risking downtime from my truck failing...and then there was the gas.

I gathered data on available vehicles, selecting by my criteria:
- Comfort. I am miserable if my elbows and knees aren't positioned comfortably.
- Cost (MSRP + incentives, etc) at the bottom end
- Decent fuel economy
- Manual transmission
- Could not be any of a few models that I hate
- Maybe a couple other couple criteria I forgot

I went to dealers for the vehicles that made my list and failed to find any vehicles with manual transmissions. I also failed to find salesmen who were even vageuly interested in trying to make a sale. They didn't care and didn't try to find my car or call me, even though I left my number and asked them to please call me.

I sat in a Ford Focus. I thought that maybe I could possibly survive driving it. I figured that no small car isn't going to have room for my elbows and knees and that was probably as good as it gets. The salesman didn't offer a test drive.

I test drove a Jeep Patriot, per the salesman's suggestion. It was snowing out and I was test driving a 2wd cute-ute and when I asked the salesman about snow, he said "Meh, we've got insurance for that." I found it to be a wholly tolerable vehicle. In all my calculations, it was by far the cheapest and most cost-effective vehicle on the market for me, and very practical. It was less uncomfortable than the Focus but still not quite right, and it lacked soul (though I didn't expect any in my price range).

Eventually, I went out to hit some more showrooms. I walked into the VW dealer, sat in a Rabbit, and nearly crapped my pants...I felt just like I was sitting in my truck! My elbows and knees all fell exactly into place, just right. I still had my doubts.

The dealer had one nearly base model on the lot, manual transmission, the only option being an iPod dock. I test drove it, having almost no experience driving a manual transmission -- I drove one for a few days once a couple years ago, and maybe moved a couple in driveways in the past (I lied and said merely that I hadn't driven one in a long time). I did not stall. However, while on the highway, I somehow shifted into 3rd at 80mph, and saw some light smoke come out the back of the car. I un-failed and continued the test drive. While attempting to enter the dealer parking lot, I finally stalled it.

The test drive was thoroughly exhilirating. I hadn't driven a car, let alone a vaguely sporty one, in forever; it was all trucks and bigger trucks, my full size pickup being the smallest and often I drove a dumptruck or towed a camper.

The clutch was feather-light and I liked it, however feed back from it is limited.

I don't have the experience to say if I like the lightness of the clutch or not. I do know that the lack of feedback was unexpected and difficult for someone who was learning; I thought I'd feel like I was operating part of a car, instead I felt like the clutch was a video game controller. Seriously, it feels just like a car game at an arcade, but I expected it to feel like it's hooked up to something. Oh well, nearly 14,000 miles later I'm confident and comfortable with it.

On golfmkv.com and vwvortex.com there are numerous reports from people who have been driving all manufacturers' manual transmissions for decades who just can't get used to the Rabbit's clutch (which apparently is different even from the one in the Rabbit's big brother the GTI). My own father in law, who is a mechanic and drives every brand every day, stalled it repeatedly. OTOH, my best friend who has only ever driven japanese got in and drove it away without stalling once, hesitating, or even launching slowly.

There are similar reports from others about rev hang, another thing I got used to (but which I think made it more difficult for me to learn).

The car felt assured, tight and very solid. The rumble of the road seemed well absorbed. I was starting to like it.

The ride and handling are definitely far better than I expected from such a seemingly tiny car. Then again, it does weigh a hearty 3000 pounds, so why should I expect it to ride harsher than the 2800 pound but larger 1997 Grand Am I had some years ago?

Fuel Economy

I have been doing very well. The car responds well to gas-saving efforts. Merely shifting it low and using the available low-RPM torque really makes a difference. It has a wideband O2 sensor, which means that you can floor it completely and not get any open loop fuel enrichment.

One thing I dread is driving an appliance to work. I like to like my car.

100% agreed. This car has soul, and that is important.

Reliability

In 14,000 miles, no problems that made me get it repaired. It had minor noises (squeaks and whistles) that either have gone away or I have gotten used to them.

It has some features designed in that I hate. For example, the power lock controls on the door are worthless. If you press "lock" on the driver's door, it doesn't lock the driver's door, presumably to prevent you from locking yourself out. The headlights turn off when the car is off. There's many others, too.

Practicality

I significantly differ from you here. I am spoiled, having always had much larger vehicles. The hatch is a convenient way to get things in and out of the car, but the car fills up fast when I go to the grocery store...and forget trying to cram a bicycle back there. It's easier to fit a bicycle in the back seat of my extended cab (not crew cab) pickup. However, that's not why I chose the car; I chose it to get me, and me alone, to and from work (and not much of anywhere else).

Now I commute with my wife and it's kinda crowded. I would have gotten a wider vehicle if I expected to ride together, as we're wide folks. It's not too bad, though. The adjustable armrest is great, but it seems a bit flimsy when fully extended and raised; I rest my arm on it, but my wife leans on it, so I lower and retract it when she's in the car. This reduces my all-important elbow comfort.

In all the cars I have ever owned or driven I have had to push the seat all the way back (...) I was surprised that I could not reach the clutch comfortably!

Does this car perhaps have a clutch that's lower than other cars might? I sit much more forward than I would like in order to operate the clutch comfortably. I know that's a common complaint from new manual drivers, though.

However, remember that VW's reliability overall will not compare with Honda, Toyota or Mazda. It's alright, as the car has soul.

I think perhaps they've picked up their game a bit, like so many other manufacturers. Time will tell.

[AHTOXA]

I significantly differ from you here. I am spoiled, having always had much larger vehicles. The hatch is a convenient way to get things in and out of the car, but the car fills up fast when I go to the grocery store...and forget trying to cram a bicycle back there. It's easier to fit a bicycle in the back seat of my extended cab (not crew cab) pickup. However, that's not why I chose the car; I chose it to get me, and me alone, to and from work (and not much of anywhere else).

This is interesting.

I mountain bike as a hobby. I ride a 23" frame Specialized. This is one of the biggest frames, but then again, I'm 6'7". Before I got the roof rack, I would tote my bike inside the car and it was fine. Plenty of room. Once I had to put two of my friend's bikes back there because they needed to be secured. We were gonna leave for an hour or so. Both bikes fit in there, one being 21" and the other 17".

I have come from a mid sized SUV but sure there's a difference in cargo capacity but I must say it's much more versatile than any of regular sedans that my friends have. Proof is every time we all go camping.

[watkins]

Hes quite right about the camping supply room
And why would you pick a Rabbit as a work-home car? If thats all I was planning to use a car for, I would certainly pick something far more efficient and less fun. Why waste the money for something you'll rarely use outside of work?

[theholycow]

I would tote my bike inside the car and it was fine. Plenty of room. Once I had to put two of my friend's bikes back there because they needed to be secured. We were gonna leave for an hour or so. Both bikes fit in there, one being 21" and the other 17".

When I tried to put an average sized bike in there, the car simply wasn't long enough or wide enough. The bike had to be diagonal with the front wheel half cocked. I expected to just throw it in and have it lay flat without me having to tediously adjust and re-adjust it, what with being a hatchback and fold down rear seats and such...but when I just threw it in, the front wheel was touching the front seats and the rear wheel was hanging out the back.

Like I said, I'm spoiled. It's probably great by most people's standards.

Hes quite right about the camping supply room
And why would you pick a Rabbit as a work-home car? If thats all I was planning to use a car for, I would certainly pick something far more efficient and less fun. Why waste the money for something you'll rarely use outside of work?

Quality of life. I spend nearly 2 hours per day in it, I need to be comfortable and happy. Part of that was that I needed to be sure I wouldn't regret leaving my full size pickup at home...which meant the all-important comfort factor.

When I had my Grand Am, I hated it in a major way. Looking back, I can see that it really wasn't a bad car at all, but my elbows and knees ached every day because they were pressing strongly against hard plastic all the time.

Why would commuting be any different from any other kind of driving? Maybe if you live and commute in the city and spend the time in a traffic jam (which I'd classify as a whole other reason to need comfort) then driveability and soul wouldn't matter, but my rural commute is scenic and fun.

[AHTOXA]

When I tried to put an average sized bike in there, the car simply wasn't long enough or wide enough. The bike had to be diagonal with the front wheel half cocked. I expected to just throw it in and have it lay flat without me having to tediously adjust and re-adjust it, what with being a hatchback and fold down rear seats and such...but when I just threw it in, the front wheel was touching the front seats and the rear wheel was hanging out the back.

Like I said, I'm spoiled. It's probably great by most people's standards.

Well, removing the front wheel does the job just fine and takes all of two seconds. It's a lot more difficult to fit a bike in the back with a sedan. That was my point, really.

[Saabstory02]

Hes quite right about the camping supply room
And why would you pick a Rabbit as a work-home car? If thats all I was planning to use a car for, I would certainly pick something far more efficient and less fun. Why waste the money for something you'll rarely use outside of work?

Depends on what your commute is like really. I bought a Saab 9³ Convertible as my work-home car since my commute is 65 miles each way. Allows that 1.5-2 hour drive to remain enjoyable even if traffic is heavy

[theholycow]

Well, removing the front wheel does the job just fine and takes all of two seconds. It's a lot more difficult to fit a bike in the back with a sedan. That was my point, really.

Removing the front wheel would indeed make it a piece of cake, but doesn't fit my lazy/spoiled attitude. Also, it's less quick when it's not a quick-release wheel -- I was bringing a beater to work to leave there. I work at a college and needed a way to get around campus without having to worry about a halfway decent bike getting stolen or whatever (why would the athletics department, full of healthy healthy jocks, get to ride a golf cart a hundred yards to the field but us hurried IT nerds have to spend hours out of the day walking a half mile at a time back and forth?).

(Wow, tangents off of tangents...I digress...)

It's ok, I have to drive the truck sometimes, so I mostly use the truck, where I can just toss the bike in and let it land however it wants.

[watkins]

Hes quite right about the camping supply room
And why would you pick a Rabbit as a work-home car? If thats all I was planning to use a car for, I would certainly pick something far more efficient and less fun. Why waste the money for something you'll rarely use outside of work?

Depends on what your commute is like really. I bought a Saab 9³ Convertible as my work-home car since my commute is 65 miles each way. Allows that 1.5-2 hour drive to remain enjoyable even if traffic is heavy

I was going to plug the excellent seats in Saabs

[AHTOXA]

I was going to plug the excellent seats in Saabs

Whatever kinky stuff you do with Saab seats in your private time is your business.