Not you father's Rabbit

Volkswagen introduced the world to the Golf MkI back in 1975, but here in the States we knew it as the Rabbit (model year 1976). Designed by the grandson of the designer of the original Bettle, it's what the Beetle would have looked like if the Beetle body style had followed design trends and evolved over the years (the Beetle, originally designed in the 1930's and built through the 1980's changed very little on the outside).

With the introduction of the MkII for the 1985 model year, Volkswagen of America (VWoA ) dropped the bunny logo and conformed with the rest of the world calling the Golf a Golf, and the Golf/Rabbit GTI was now simply the "GTI" (anyone else remember those "Little GTI" commercials? The song "Little GTO" rewritten in German for the VW GTI...?) The Rabbit had always been a simple economy car; the base cost in 1984 was a mere $3800. In comparison, the 1984 GTI was $8300...

Golf eveolution...

In the last few years, Volkswagen drastically upgraded the Golf, losing sight of its economical roots. The GTI MkV, introduced earlier this year and the first drastic body change in seven years, the base price is over $22k. VWoA didn't unveil the Golf MkV until just a few weeks ago... but with the new "Golf", VWoA is back to the Bunny. The Golf is officially a VW Rabbit again.

Base price is a mere $14,990 (the base price of the Golf MkIV was $16k). Insteading forcing a new owner to pay for options they don't want or even need, they've stripped down the Rabbit to the essentials, making it a great platform for dealer extras, mods, and aftermarket. Hall Volkswagen Mazda of Brookfield, WI got their Rabbits in a couple weeks ago. i stopped by on my way home from work for a peek...

150 HP and a five cylinder 2.5L engine ("FIVE CYLINDERS? HUH? Where do they put the fifth one?" were my exact words to Andy...) . My 1984 was a four cylinder 1.8L, and stock pulled about 95 HP. Back when the Golfs got heavier in 1985, the engines didn't. The Golf MkIVs were STILL a mere 1.8L, though available with a turbocharger.

Andy took me out in something more than just the base model, but as i told him i was happy that there were few cupholders (did you know that the Dodge Caravan at one point had SEVENTEEN cupholders? how many beverages do five people need in a car?) The options available are quite swanky-- in-dash CD changer, heated seats, climate control... but the points that count are standard.

Okay, i need to preface my driving review with a little background: i'm no Csaba Csere, and the "newest" car i've ever owned was 10 years old at time of purchase. But i've driven fun cars and i've driven crap cars. And the Rabbit is a FUN car. It took some getting used to-- the brakes are a LOT more responsive than i'm used to, and hopefully Andy doesn't think i'm a bad driver (hey, at least i didn't kill it or do anything else overtly embarassing like grind gears or something).

it's got get up and go and responsive steering. Corners like it's on rails with its independent suspension. Smooth shifting. STOPPING POWER. Room in the back seat for actual adult humans... With it's simple lines it's got what it takes to be a great sleeper car...

The downside that i see is that while the initial price is economical, the MPG is merely average (20 city, 30 highway, which would average out around what my 14 year old VR6 Corrado gets.) In comparison, while i was walking through the parking lot back to my car, i passed by a New Beetle, with a sticker declaring 44MPG highway. To be fair though, the Golf VR6 at 2.8L and 172 HP only got 19/25MPG. So, the Rabbit is conomical for the power... (with current saftey features, the Rabbit is heavier than my Corrado) and, do you REALLY want to be seen driving a New Beetle? i thought not...

The other downside is the lack of color choices. The two door is only available in black and silver (i didn't ask the range of colors for the four-door). i don't think anyone would recognize me if i wasn't driving a red two-door car!

Overall i give the New VW Rabbit a thumbs up. High quality machine for a great price... i'm NOT trading in my Corrado for one... But if i had the money, i'd buy it as an alternate/winter car. Drive one and you will be pleased.

oh, and for those of you who aren't VW geeks like me and my boys in VENOM, y'all might wonder WHY "Golf" at all? VW was naming their cars after winds-- the Scirocco, the Jetta, and the "Golf" (and later, the Corrado). In German "golf" is our "gulf" (gulf stream), but they played up the wordplay of "golf" with fun touches like the "golf-ball" dimpled shift knob. But apparently, VWoA didn't think that Americans would understand what this new little hatchback had to do with such a boring sport... so "Rabbit" it was. The "Passat" was originally here in the States called the "Dasher", and the "Jetta" had a version called the "Fox" (though the Jetta has been in the states since the beginning as a Jetta...)

SteelBuddha the gauntlet is down...

of everyone that i know, the one man that can answer the challenge would be the SteelBuddha...

Evolution of Dance