2007 VOLKSWAGEN RABBIT

Transcription

1 2007 VOLKSWAGEN RABBIT Called Golf for 21 years, the Volkswagen compact hatchback has relaid claim to the Rabbit name, but only in North America as elsewhere, it is still known as the Golf. The Rabbit is more generously sized than the Golf and comes in a two or four-door hatchback model. For the time being, only the 2.5 litre five-cylinder front-wheel drive is available in the Rabbit. The Golf continues under the name Golf City. Interior and trunk The easy-to-access front seats are comfortable but would be even more so if you could adjust the angle of the cushion, which tilts a bit to the rear. Because the lateral supports of the cushion and backrest stick out somewhat, you can t just slide to get up you have to actually lift yourself off the seat. The seat fabric holds you back almost like Velcro. Thanks to the telescopic steering column and adjustable seatback, the driving position is good. With no sunroof, headroom is generous. Legroom is also good. Getting into the back seat is difficult in the two-door model. The rear seats only two people comfortably as the middle is taken up by the exhaust system bump. The 60/40 seatback does not fold completely flat but slopes upwards toward the front. The trunk is spacious and easy to load thanks to the large liftgate opening. Convenience and security The interior is well finished with very good quality materials. Soundproofing against road noise is very poor and total storage space is insufficient. There is no spacious central consol or pockets in the front seatbacks. Photo: Volkswagen

2 The instruments and controls are well laid out, but some people will find the cruise control too close to the turn signal lever. All controls are lit for night driving. The air conditioner is efficient, and there are an infinite number of ways to control air distribution. The sound system controls are easy to use. The antenna on the rear of the roof could make transporting objects difficult The wiper fluid nozzles are under the hood where snow can easily block them. The windshield washer fluid reservoir holds only three litres which is ridiculously small, especially for a vehicle with a rear windshield wiper. The windshield wipers have a rather unusual feature to make up for the fact that they are under the hood and can t be lifted to remove snow. If you push the wiper lever down when the engine is off, the wipers move to a vertical position facilitating snow removal from the lower part of the windshield. They return to their original position only when the lever is pushed down a second time. This is a great feature assuming you remember to use it. However, the next one is not so great: Because the front roof pillars are higher than the windshield, particularly at the bottom, they trap snow. Snow accumulation can strain the wiper motor and prevent the wipers from completing their entire course. For safety, the Rabbit has dual front airbags, side airbags, two curtain airbags, five head restraints, four disc brakes with ABS, good headlights, and good visibility except to the rear when backing up, as it is difficult to gauge distances. The three rear head restraints do not adjust high enough for taller persons. In U.S. government crash tests, the Rabbit scored four out of five stars for front seat occupants in a head-on collision and five out of five stars for all occupants in a lateral collision. At the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the Rabbit was rated good, the highest possible rating for its protection of the driver in a frontal offset impact and for its protection of front seat occupants in a side impact. It received an acceptable rating, the next highest, for protection of the occupants in a rear impact. Engine and transmission The 2.5 litre five-cylinder engine generates only 150 horsepower but 170 pounds of torque. Despite this relatively modest number of horses for a five-cylinder, acceleration is lively, linear, and practically instantaneous at all speeds. Thanks to the generous torque, the engine is quite flexible. At idle, there is no vibration. In fact, the engine is so quiet you will think it s turned off. The engine meets the very stringent American BIN 5 antipollution standard.

3 The five-speed manual transmission is pleasing and easy to use. The gears are well spaced and the clutch is smooth. On the Road The four-wheel independent suspension delivers a very smooth ride. As with all self-respecting German-made suspension systems, it is firm but not uncomfortable or stiff on bumps, which it absorbs readily. Handling is very good on all surfaces. The suspension creates the impression that you re driving a sturdy vehicle. The electric power steering is very well calibrated, precise, and quite quick. If the tire pressure is not correct, the vehicle has a more than average tendency to follow ruts. The steering transfers little road feel. The turning radius is very short, and the brakes are powerful and resist fading well. Inspection at a CAA-Quebec Technical Inspection Centre revealed that the Rabbit is very well built with a rugged underbody that is well protected against rust not surprising given its 12 year warranty against perforation. A chain drives the camshaft. Conclusion With its old name back, the Rabbit now also has some of its old features back from the 70s, notably its great road performance. Unfortunately, it still lacks soundproofing like before, which is the greatest blemish on its otherwise very positive record. PROS: Lively engine, pleasing manual transmission, comfortable ride, handling, manoeuvrability, quality of construction CONS: Constant road noise, non-adjustable front seat cushion, insufficient storage space, wiper fluid nozzles under the hood, windshield lower than the front roof pillars, small windshield wiper fluid reservoir VOLKSWAGEN RABBIT 2007 Engine: 20-valve, 2.5-litre 5-cylinder Horsepower: 150 hp at 5,000 rpm Torque: 170 lb-ft at 3,750 rpm Transmission: 5-speed manual; 6-speed automatic Suspension: fully independent Brakes: disc/disc Wheelbase: cm Length: 421 cm

4 Width: cm Height: cm Weight: 1,349 to 1,379 kg Tires: 195/65R15; 205/55R16 Maximum towing capacity: not available Airbags: dual front, plus two side and two curtain airbags. Two rear side airbags in option with the four-door model. Fuel consumption with manual transmission: Transport Canada rating: City 10.7 L/100 km (26 mpg) Highway 7.1 L/100 km (39.5 mpg) Test result: 9 L/100 km (31 mpg) Test temperature: 8 0 C to 25 0 C Fuel tank capacity: 55 litres Fuel requirement: regular grade gasoline Acceleration: km/h: 8.5 seconds km/h: 4.6 seconds Competition: Chevrolet Cobalt et Optra, Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Kia Spectra, Mazda3, Mitsubishi Lancer, Nissan Sentra, Pontiac G5, Saturn Ion, Subaru Impreza,Toyota Corolla Warranty: Full basic coverage: 4 years/80,000 km Powertrain: 5 years/100,000 km Surface corrosion: 4 years/80,000 km Perforation damage: 12 years/unlimited km Emissions control system: 4 years/80,000 km (full coverage); 8 years/130,000 km (catalytic converter, electronic control module, onboard diagnostic system). Factory replacement parts: Rear bumper: $689 Front brake disc: $102 Brake pads: $111 Muffler: $396 Front fender: $224 Average insurance premium (Quebec City, replacement cost endorsement, claim-free insurance record, male or female driver 30 to 40 years old): $734 to $927

5 Price according to trim level: 2-door: $19,990 4-door: $20,990 Main options: Automatic transmission: $1,400 Sunroof package: $1,400 Electronic stabilization program: $450 Convenience package: $400 (4-door: $605) Cold weather package: $205 Price as tested: $19,990 Freight and preparation: $1,310 Dealers: Quebec: 57 Canada: 167 September All rights reserved, CAA-Quebec