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Volkswagen Rabbit
The Rabbit is a compact car manufactured in North America by Volkswagen. It originally debuted in Europe in 1974 as the Volkswagen Golf and adopted the Rabbit moniker when it made its first appearance in Canada and the United States in 1975. In 1985, Volkswagen switched its name back to the original Golf, and it remained as such for 21 years. When the new Mk V platform was developed, Volkswagen opted to switch the Golf's name again, and in early 2006 the brand new Rabbit was unveiled.
Recent Changes
The Mk V Rabbit is set to replace the Volkswagen Golf for the 2007 model year and beyond. As such, there are a handful of elements that have been changed or updated from the 2006 Golf. First, the engine has been upgraded to a standard 2.5-L 150-hp I-5 for both the 2-door and 4-door models.
Styles and Major Options
The 2006 Rabbit is available in two trims: a 2-door hatchback and a 4-door hatchback. Here are some of the features offered with each of them:
Rabbit 2-Door
- 150-hp 2.5L DOHC engine
- 6-way manually adjustable driver's seat
- Turn signal indicator in side mirrors
- 10-speaker AM/FM CD stereo system
- Speed sensitive wipers
Rabbit 4-Door
- 150-hp 2.5L DOHC engine
- 60/40 folding rear seat
- Heatable front seats
- Adjustable lumbar support for driver and front passenger
- Light tinted windows
Pricing
Today's actual prices for the Volkswagen Rabbit can be found at CarsDirect.
Rabbit Trims |
|
2-Door |
4-Door |
MSRP |
|
$14,990 |
$16,990 |
Invoice |
|
$14,378 |
$16,277 |
Gas Mileage
As seen on the FuelEconomy.gov website, the City/Highway MPG averages are as follows:
Rabbit Specs |
|
5-Cyl. 2.5L
|
5-Cyl. 2.5L
|
MPG |
|
22/30 |
22/30 |
Reliability
Before being redesigned and renamed the Rabbit, the Volkswagen Golf received high reliability ratings in recent years. While there is little reason to believe its ratings will drop significantly, it is wise to bear in mind that the new Rabbit is based on an entirely new platform and that reliability ratings for this model are not yet available.
Safety
The Rabbit comes equipped with the following standard safety features:
- 4-wheel Anti-lock braking system with traction control
- Brake Assist
- Dual Front, Side, and Side Curtain airbags with occupancy sensors
- Active head restraints
In addition, the Rabbit also scored 4/5 and 5/5 stars for frontal and side impact crash tests performed by the NHTSA.
Photos
Colors
The Volkswagen Rabbit is available in the following colors:
Exterior
- Black Uni
- Reflex Silver
- United Gray
- Sage Green
- Shadow Blue
- Candy White
- Tornado Red
Interior
- Anthracite
- Art Gray (only available for 4-door)
Main Competitors
Hybrid Models
There are no hybrid models of the Rabbit.
Unique Attributes
Resale Values
Criticisms
History
The history of the Golf/Rabbit can be found here.
Worldwide
The Rabbit is known everywhere outside North America as the Volkswagen Golf. It has enjoyed immense worldwide success, and remains one of the world's best sellers, moving more than 24 million cars over 5 generations.
Design Quirks and Oddities
The original Golf/Rabbit is credited with popularizing the hot hatch, or European hatchback, style of automobile. After its initial debut, several companies rushed to bring out their own takes on the genre.