Faults:

iPod jack was not working. Dealer fixed it under warranty.

General Comments:

The car is tight in handling, and the fit and finish is outstanding; a real piece of German engineering.

It has so many standard options for a so called econo-car.

Gas mileage could be better, but then again it is a 5 cylinder.

I only paid 15k, and received the balance of the factory warranty, which was 6 months, plus a 24 month dealer warranty. Can't beat that for a 3 1/2 year old car.

Test drove the Mazda 3 sport wagon and the Hyundai Accent. The Mazda was nice, but lots of road noise and a small back seat. Hyundai was quick, and great gas mileage. But after my Rabbit test drive, the performance and the warranty was the deal breaker, even if it does get 5 miles to a gallon less than the Hyundai.

It can fit my family of 4 no problems. Like I said, if you can deal like I did; low price, low mileage, long warranty, it definitively pushes this car to the top of your shopping list.

Faults:

- A rattle in the middle of the dashboard developed about 2 days after buying the car. Dealer ordered a "cold weather kit" that contained some felt cutouts that fit underneath the center vent - problem solved free of cost.

- The turn signal indicator on one of the exterior mirrors failed right before the warranty expired, and was fixed free of cost.

General Comments:

Excellent ride quality and ride/handling balance. Suspension tuning is nearly ideal for places with rough roads due to harsh winters. Rides like a car that costs far more than the $16K it cost new.

The 5 cylinder engine is very smooth and torquey, especially relative to many compact cars' 4 cylinder engines. More than enough power to easily merge onto 70 mph highways from a stop, even with shorter on-ramps.

Lots of interior room for such a small car. Impressive cargo carrying capacity with the seats folded down. We've fit large items such as a 50 gallon water heater and (separately of course...) a very large dresser in the back while still being able to close the trunk lid.

Fuel mileage has been slightly disappointing. The car has been averaging 26.8 mpg over its lifetime with surprisingly little difference between city and highway driving. 5th gear is short, so the car accelerates very well in top gear, but I suspect VW sacrificed some highway fuel economy for that top gear acceleration.

The response of the drive-by-wire throttle pedal is erratic at low speeds. Combined with a very numb clutch pedal, standing start launches are rarely smooth. The poor throttle calibration can make even experienced manual transmission drivers look like rookies at times. Annoying.

The shifter itself is light-years improved over previous VW products I've driven though. Shift throws are a little on the long side, but the action is very precise and almost friction-free.

Faults:

- Tire pressure monitoring system is quite sensitive, with all of the pressures to be within 2 psi. I just adjust when the car tells me. I guess that's a good thing.

- Almost 50k miles and nothing has gone wrong. Still rides as well as the day I bought it.

General Comments:

The car has a lot of torque for its class.

Civic ~125 ft-lbs.

Rabbit = 177 ft-lbs. for less money.

The interior is very stylish, and I love the red glow that exists in the car at night.

The stereo is excellent, and the AUX input is very convenient for iPod connection.

The seats are very comfortable, and do not show wear.

Steering is direct. The car is great!