2006 VW Rabbit

Rabbit Redux

by Scott Corlett

The good volks at Volkswagen have decided that Americans, at least the budget buyers, prefer warm and fuzzy animal names to cold and esoteric Teutonic badges—think Beetle, Rabbit, and Fox versus Touareg, Phaeton, and Passat. Accordingly, for 2006, the VW subcompact formerly known as the Golf (and the Rabbit before that) again carries a leporine nameplate in the US market. While for Europeans, who apparently are less enamored of fluffy, the Golf badge stays. But call it whatever you want, because, regardless of name, the fully redesigned Volkswagen Rabbit is a hottie.

Given that our first car was a ’71 Super Beetle, Volkswagens occupy a special place in our automotive heart. In that unheated, but way-cool Bug, listening to New Order or the like at full volume, we earned our first speeding ticket, took our first day-long drive just for the joy of driving, and did a few other firsts that are unfit for print in this publication. Because of this unique bond, we always look forward to the arrival of VW test vehicles in our San Francisco driveway. Recently, the 2006 Volkswagen Rabbit proved no exception to this rule. In fact, the new Rabbit, which is offered in three- or five-door versions, proved downright exceptional.

Subcompacts often perform well in the city, the arena for which they are mainly designed. For us, the true test of a little mover is at speed on the freeway. To this end, we hopped into the Rabbit, cranked the ignition, and shifted the optional six-speed automatic transmission one notch past big D into sport mode. Generally, we’d always opt for a manual, but VW’s Tiptronic automatic transmission is a sweet, smooth-shifting affair, one that rivals any luxury sedan gearbox. We pressed the accelerator and, for the first of many times during our test week, the Rabbit left rubber on pavement. We headed for the highway and passed through the Castro, where we noted Prada shades turning our way. On this turf, we’d like to think that we brought the looks, but, more likely, the Rabbit’s new-factor and its smooth-flowing metal had nabbed the glances.

As we approached the onramp to the elevated freeway that runs parallel to the shore of San Francisco Bay, we smiled. There was open road ahead just begging for hot tread. Our right foot put the pedal to the floor, the Rabbit started forward, and—once the 150-hp, 2.5-liter, five-cylinder engine reached its peak torque range—we began our earnest sprint up the incline. Keeping the accelerator down, we merged left and quickly entered into the never-never land of high-speed subcompact driving. While our old Beetle could only make 75 mph—downhill and with the wind—the needle on the Rabbit’s speedometer soon passed the triple-digit threshold. Remarkably for an entry-level hatch at this velocity, the Rabbit handled steady and sure, no different than when moving at 35 mph on city streets.

We drove south on the freeway, and then, on a twisty, two-laner, cut over toward the coast. In a secluded valley, just east of Half Moon Bay, we pulled off the road into the parking lot of our favorite pumpkin patch. We picked out a big, well-rounded fruit, which we then stowed in the Rabbit’s generous cargo space. In fact, the Rabbit is ample in all dimensions. The headroom and front legroom are truly excellent, while the rear seat space is cozy, not crushing.

Our pumpkin secure, we jumped back onto the cloth-covered driver’s seat and then headed toward home. Volkswagens are long known for their fab interior finishes. Here, the Rabbit, again, proves no exception. The synthetics and fabrics please both visually and tactilely, while the instrument panel and controls are simple, thoughtful designs, with easy-to-use knobs for volume and tuning. Much to the credit of VW’s designers, the face of the Rabbit’s steering wheel remains free of distracting, superfluous buttons and doodads.

At a base price of $14,990 and compared to its peers, the 2006 Volkswagen Rabbit offers a wealth of standard features, including front, front-side, and curtain airbags, electronic locks and windows, and a perky engine. Yes, the Germans definitely chose the right name for this nimble, low-cost, value-laden machine. With Germanic design at its simple best, this Rabbit takes us back to our high school days when the nameplate was last used. As we unloaded our pumpkin, we thought now, if we could just figure out a way to play our Depeche Mode cassettes through that new-fangled iPod connector …

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