CD Article: 2008 Volkswagen Rabbit 2.5 four-door, five-speed manual

[CD_Editor]

Test Drive:


A horsepower upgrade for 2008 makes the Rabbit one of the most powerful hatchbacks in its class, reports Editor-in-chief, Greg Wilson.  It's both "fun-to-drive and practical," he says, but "fuel consumption is not as good as many of its competitors."

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[The Mighty Duck]

Freigh/PDI nearly doubled over last year?    I love the car, and the changes for 2008 only sound like they make it better, but that kind of obvious extortion leaves a very sour taste in my mouth.  I'd like to see what paltry explanation the salesman offers when you point to the 2007 model still on the lot and ask how, exactly, it cost half as much to get it there!

[PJungnitsch]

Just talking with a friend about her Rabbit, she loves it, showing off her 'switchblade' key. Real speeding ticket material apparently, she says it drives as smooth and solid at 160 as it does at 110. Cruise is a must.

IIRC at CR it is the top rated small car for owner satisfaction.

On the freight/PDI thing. I remember asking the VW salesman last year if it was really that much lower with them then everyone else, and he said no, VW just advertised the 'freight' part of freight/PDI at the time.

[mmret]

VW just advertised the 'freight' part of freight/PDI at the time.

Bingo. PDI was a tack on and you didn't see it at vw.ca IIRC.

[articsteve]

Review was spot on.

[JSCC]

It's actually cheaper in most cases when freight + PDI is fixed at $1335.

I remember Vancouver dealers were charging fixed freight = $695 + varable PDI = $1000 when the 07 Rabbits first landed.

[Michael]

I still get hot under the collar when I see how much cheaper the Rabbit is in the US... not to mention that the "destination charge" is 640$ in the US. 

[PJungnitsch]

Ouch, didn't realize VW was one of the gougers. 2door Rabbit $20,175 Cdn here, $15,490 US in the States, cheaper than we pay for a City Golf.

Hopefully VW will crack a bit like Toyota just did.

[Eric Green]

This car makes the Sube Impreza look like a steal- especially if bought stateside.

Sube's AWD and anvil-like reliability vs. VW's... unnhhhh... farfurnugen. Yeah, that's it.

[Eric Green]

Oh, and real-world mileage as reported?

12.2 L/100 km = 23.313 Imp. MPG!!!! NOT 34 MPG.

This is appalling for an economy car. Either that, or the reviewer drove it with the e-brake engaged?

[BlackS40]

This car makes the Sube Impreza look like a steal- especially if bought stateside.

Sube's AWD and anvil-like reliability vs. VW's... unnhhhh... farfurnugen. Yeah, that's it.

Ummm....it's Fahrvergnügen!!  And it's real!!

[sirAQUAMAN64]

Oh, and real-world mileage as reported?

12.2 L/100 km = 23.313 Imp. MPG!!!! NOT 34 MPG.

This is appalling for an economy car. Either that, or the reviewer drove it with the e-brake engaged?

The article was edited since recently. When I read it this morning, read more like 8.XL/100kms and 'I checked it twice", which is why the next paragraph reads as it does indicating the fuel economy came because the engine revs lower.

Clarification needed, perhaps?

Nevertheless, while neither the Rabbit nor the I5 are economy champs and shouldn't be purchased on that basis, they do have other redeeming qualities.

Article was spot on.

[JSCC]

Most direct Canadian competition include:

Matrix 2.4 (prices not annouced)
Mazda3 2.3 Sport
Impreza 2.5 hatch

If you compare against the above, the Rabbit is not overpriced or underperforming.
Unfortunately, VW didn't gave the US/CAD the choice of a smaller engine, say 2.0 FSI or 1.6 FSI, so pricing is not economy level.
But you have the choice of going City Golf/Jetta.

[BlackS40]

Oh, and real-world mileage as reported?

12.2 L/100 km = 23.313 Imp. MPG!!!! NOT 34 MPG.

This is appalling for an economy car. Either that, or the reviewer drove it with the e-brake engaged?

The article was edited since recently. When I read it this morning, read more like 8.XL/100kms and 'I checked it twice", which is why the next paragraph reads as it does indicating the fuel economy came because the engine revs lower.

Clarification needed, perhaps?

Nevertheless, while neither the Rabbit nor the I5 are economy champs and shouldn't be purchased on that basis, they do have other redeeming qualities.

Article was spot on.

I love the I5 in my Beetle, especially mated with the 5-speed transmission. 

[The Mighty Duck]

Sure, it's not the most fuel efficient option.  But it's the most powerful, so a consumer has to decide whats more important to them.  Personally, I could live with the slightly lower fuel economy of the Rabbit or Mazda3, since both cars are significantly more fun to drive than a Toyota Corolla.

Will VW bring a TDI Rabbit to North America?  That would solve the fuel consumption problem quite eloquently for those who don't like the numbers right now.  Although a 2.0L I4 option might make sense as well - what kind of power does the I4 in the GTI put out without the turbo?

[JSCC]

Sure, it's not the most fuel efficient option.  But it's the most powerful, so a consumer has to decide whats more important to them.  Personally, I could live with the slightly lower fuel economy of the Rabbit or Mazda3, since both cars are significantly more fun to drive than a Toyota Corolla.

Will VW bring a TDI Rabbit to North America?  That would solve the fuel consumption problem quite eloquently for those who don't like the numbers right now.  Although a 2.0L I4 option might make sense as well - what kind of power does the I4 in the GTI put out without the turbo?

They had a 2.0 FSI with 150HP in Europe and Asia, but it seems like it is being replaced by a new generation 1.8T FSI with 160HP and 1.4 TSI (twin charger) with 140HP/170HP.

http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/new_cars/golf/engines

[ggweci]

Will VW bring a TDI Rabbit to North America? 

That'd be a nice addition to this class of cars and with the EcoRebate, pricing wouldn't really change at all. 

[mmret]

Sure, it's not the most fuel efficient option.  But it's the most powerful, so a consumer has to decide whats more important to them.  Personally, I could live with the slightly lower fuel economy of the Rabbit or Mazda3, since both cars are significantly more fun to drive than a Toyota Corolla.

Will VW bring a TDI Rabbit to North America?  That would solve the fuel consumption problem quite eloquently for those who don't like the numbers right now.  Although a 2.0L I4 option might make sense as well - what kind of power does the I4 in the GTI put out without the turbo?

They had a 2.0 FSI with 150HP in Europe and Asia, but it seems like it is being replaced by a new generation 1.8T FSI with 160HP and 1.4 TSI (twin charger) with 140HP/170HP.

http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/new_cars/golf/engines

Imagine anything forced induction might not work so well in an economy car over here.

Synth oil and premium unleaded on a vanilla Golf? What? 2.0 FSI makes sense on that perspective (I am assuming it is happy or can be easily made happy on 87).

[Mitlov]

Imagine anything forced induction might not work so well in an economy car over here.

Wasn't there a Geo Metro with a turbocharged three-cylinder?

VW is talking about using a turbo three in the Up.

[mmret]

Imagine anything forced induction might not work so well in an economy car over here.

Wasn't there a Geo Metro with a turbocharged three-cylinder?

VW is talking about using a turbo three in the Up.

Will it run on regular though? If yes I think they can get away with it and people will just put up with $100 oil changes and longer intervals.
 
And what happened to the Metro?