• Cute, but not what Volkswagen has in mind for you to drive.Rabbit image by veseliysyslik from Fotolia.com
  
  The Volkswagen Rabbit was introduced to the U.S. market in 1984 and has since stayed popular with people looking for German quality without spending too much money. The Rabbit is also known as the Golf in European markets. The name Rabbit was phased out in the U.S. for several years, but has since returned.
  
  

The Car

• The Rabbit is a compact two-door (plus hatchback) front-wheel drive car that seats five people. The interior features just over 93 cubic feet of passenger space and the trunk has over 50 feet of cargo space. The wheelbase is 101.5 inches, and the ground clearance is 5.4 inches. The Rabbit weighs in at a little over 3,000 pounds.
  
  

The Engine: Gas Powered

• The gas powered Rabbit has a 2.5-liter, 5-cylinder engine. The engine has 170 horsepower (at 5,700), with a maximum torque of 177 pounds per inch (@ 4250). The manual can go from 0 to 60 in 7.8 seconds, while the automatic is a little slower at 8.1 seconds. Top speed is 125 miles per hour
  
  

The Engine - TDI

• The TDI (diesel) Rabbit has a 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder engine. The engine has 140 horsepower (at 4,000), with a maximum torque of 236 pounds per inch (at 1,750 to 2,500). The TDI can go from 0 to 60 in 8.6 seconds. Top speed is 125 miles per hour.
  
  

Steering, Suspension and Brakes

• The steering for the Rabbit is rack and pinion with power assist. Turning radius is 35.8 feet. The front suspension features independent MacPherson struts, while the rear has multilink suspension. The brakes are disc brakes in the front and rear and ABS is standard.
  
  

Mileage and Fuel Capacity

• The gas-powered Rabbit gets 22 miles per gallon in the city (23 for automatic) and 30 on the highway. The TDI reaches 30 miles per gallon in the city and 42 for the highway. The fuel tank holds 14.5 gallons of fuel.