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It could be argued that
the Rabbit, which recently replaced the Golf in the Volkswagen lineup, doesn’t
belong in a group with these other subcompacts. It’s much more powerful, much
more refined, and much nicer inside than any of them. It also costs quite a
bit more, and gets lower fuel economy than any of the others. But it’s similar
in size to the larger of the others in this group, and its cargo space cannot
compete with the larger hatchbacks and wagons reviewed earlier. With its price
and gas mileage concerns, it can’t be considered a real alternative to the
others here, and it isn’t practical enough to compete with larger,
similarly-priced vehicles. But it’s a good alternative to a higher-priced
small sedan (like the pricier Volkswagen Jetta with which this car shares its
essentials), and its improvements over the class norm will be worth the extra
money to some.
The Rabbit has a steady,
comfortable, and very absorbent ride. It handles nimbly, more so than the
Jetta, and the steering feels sharper. The engine is much larger than any of
the others’ here, but it also has the most weight to move, so while the Rabbit
is the quickest car in this group, it still doesn’t have much reserve pep at
high speeds. The relative lack of engine, wind, and road noise make the Rabbit
feel like the more expensive car that it is. The car’s weight and engine size
combine for the lowest gas mileage in this group, mileage that is not only the
lowest of any small car, but that is worse than many 4-cylinder midsize sedans
(including Volkswagen’s own Passat), the V6 versions of the Chevrolet Malibu
and Toyota Camry, and the full-size V6-powered Toyota Avalon.
Inside, the Rabbit’s
front seats are large, well-padded, and supportive, and the seats go back
especially far for taller drivers. The rear seat is mounted high and
well-shaped, so passengers should be comfortable despite the lack of leg
space.  The interior is
of impressive quality in the recent VW tradition, with high-quality materials
that fit together well. The gauges are clear and the instrument layout is
uncomplicated. Front-seat entry/exit is easy, but the rear door openings could
be larger and the footwell is a bit small. Drivers are offered a
tilt/telescoping steering wheel and extra-long seat tracks to create a
comfortable driving position. Visibility is generally clear despite thick
rearmost roof pillars. There is more usable cargo space behind the rear seats
than the specs suggest thanks to a relatively large floor space, but it still
isn’t great even among this tiny company. The seats fold easily, but the cargo
area is still somewhat small. Again, the Rabbit is more of an alternative to a
sedan than to another hatchback in terms of cargo space.
The Rabbit was the most
expensive vehicle in this group by a $1,500 margin, at $18,410, a price that
includes only standard equipment and an automatic transmission. Standard
equipment is fortunately generous, including all the expected equipment in
this group and, through the end of 2006, an electric guitar color-coded to the
specific vehicle that can play through the car’s speakers.
Overall, though it’s the
same size as the others here, the Rabbit is more pleasant and luxurious. It’s
also quite a bit more expensive, and gas mileage is dreadful for a small car.
If you can’t afford it, don’t consider it, because it may make
good-for-the-money lower-priced subcompacts seem insufficient by comparison.
And if you can, make sure that the improvements in refinement and interior
quality are worth the extra cash, and cross-shop the Mazda3 sedan.
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