2010 Volkswagen Golf at 2009 New York Auto Show

• Competes with: Mazda3 hatchback, Honda Fit, Mini Cooper
• Looks like: VW is obsessed with smooth styling
• Drivetrain: 170-hp, 2.5-liter inline-five-cylinder or 140-hp, 2.0-liter four-cylinder diesel with five-speed manual (gas), six-speed manual (diesel) or six-speed automatic (gas or diesel); front-wheel drive
• Hits dealerships: Fall 2009

Volkswagen has updated its compact hatchback for 2010, giving it smoother exterior styling, updates to the cabin and a newly available diesel engine. It also marks the return of the name “Golf,” which had been ditched for the past few years in favor of “Rabbit.”

Smooth exterior styling was already one of the defining elements of the outgoing Rabbit, but the new Golf looks even slicker. The most significant exterior change is to its face, which has new headlights that are much more integrated into the grille than before. The grille itself is wider, and the lower portion of the front bumper has been restyled. In back, new taillights closely resemble those from VW's Touareg SUV.

The Golf will be offered in 2.5 and TDI trim levels. The base 2.5 hatchback is powered by a 2.5-liter inline-five-cylinder engine that makes 170 hp. The optional diesel engine in the TDI makes less power —40 hp — but produces a boatload of torque (236 pounds-feet at 1,750 rpm). Fuel economy figures haven't been released, but the gas engine's should be similar to the Rabbit's — which got between 29 and 30 mpg on the highway, depending on the transmission — while the diesel engine will likely be somewhere around the Jetta TDI's estimates of 40-41 mpg on the highway, and maybe even higher.

The cabin has a lot of updated surfaces, including new door interiors, a new center control panel, a new steering wheel and new gauges, but somehow it still looks a lot like the Rabbit's; the changes are rather subtle. That's not as much of an issue as you might think, though, as the Rabbit had one of the nicer interiors in its class.

More photos below.

VW R32 Discontinued for Now

We have some bad news for all you Volkswagen R32 fans out there: Thomas Wegehaupt, spokesman for Volkswagen, has informed us that there will be no U.S. version of the R32 for the 2009 model year. It’s an odd move given that the redesigned R32 was on sale for less than a year. The R32 is a VW Rabbit- (or Golf-) derived model that’s been extensively reworked to include a V-6 powertrain and all-wheel drive.

Part of the reason behind this move could be that a redesigned 2009 Golf was just unveiled at the 2008 Paris auto show and is headed to the U.S. sometime next year. We might get a new R32 based on the 2009 Golf but that will most likely be a year or two down the line. Until then, if you’ve been holding out for a better time to get this hot hatch, your time is running out. Doing a quick inventory check on Cars.com unveils a total of 276 R32s spread across the nation. They start at $32,990, but there’s a maximum of $2,000 cash back on them through Oct. 31. 

VW to Make Next Rabbit a Diesel

Volkswagen has diesels running all over Europe, but it only recently reintroduced diesels to the U.S. after a short hiatus, in the form of the 2009 Jetta TDI. Now, the next-generation Rabbit will also get a diesel option, according to Autoblog Green. Of course, we’ll have to wait until fall 2009 before that happens.

GTI fans will be happy to learn that this faster version of the Rabbit — which still hasn’t been unveiled — will hit the U.S. before the standard Rabbit, sometime next summer.

But most eyes will be on the Rabbit TDI. The same diesel engine returns 29/40 mpg in the larger Jetta TDI. The cars’ current shared gasoline power plants get identical mileage. The current Rabbit weighs about 150 pounds less than the Jetta.

VW Rabbit TDI coming in fall 2009, Tiguan not likely anytime soon (Autoblog Green)

Related
2009 VW Golf: The Next Rabbit

2009 VW Golf: The Next Rabbit

• Competes with: Nissan Versa, Subaru Impreza, Toyota Matrix
• Looks like: A more sophisticated economy car
• Drivetrain: 158-hp, 1.4-liter TSI four-cylinder engine with DSG transmission
• Hits dealerships: TBD

VW revealed the next-generation Golf or, as the company renamed it for the U.S., the Rabbit. The new design is a slight evolution of the current generation, which was recently reintroduced to the U.S. market in 2007. Sales haven’t been setting the world on fire, mainly due to the car’s mileage.

In a time of increased interest in fuel-efficient cars, the Rabbit’s 22/29 mpg city/highway doesn’t beat a lot of small entrants. The Nissan Versa gets better mileage at 26/32 mpg city/highway, for example. Plus, the Rabbit costs a few thousand more than most Japanese hatchbacks.

The main reason for the subpar mileage for the 2008 was its engine; it was the same inline-five-cylinder found in the Jetta, teamed to a five-speed manual or six-speed atomatic. The 2009 will not be produced with the inline-five. VW hasn’t announced which engine will make it to the U.S. from its array of thrifty diesel and gasoline power plants, but we’d guess it will be the top-of-the-range 1.4-liter four-cylinder — which uses both a turbocharger and a supercharger — good for 158 hp and roughly 37 mpg. A DSG — dual clutch transmission — replaces the standard six-speed automatic.

The interior also gets a really nice upgrade with a completely new gauge cluster and center stack of controls that look to be very high-quality, which VW is known for.

There is no word on when the new Rabbit will reach the states, but VW has confirmed it will go on sale in North America following its release in Europe later this year. Check out more photos below — including a few 2008s for comparison purposes — and let us know if you think this Rabbit will compete in today’s gas-sipping car market.

Volkswagen Recalls 340,000 Jettas, GTIs, Rabbits

On Friday, Volkswagen announced it was recalling 340,000 cars due to faulty headlights. Jetta, Rabbit, GTI and R32 cars from the 2005-2008 model years are included in the recall. As of today, any owner can bring their car in to get the problem fixed.

Faulty headlights can be a hazard in night or daytime driving. No injuries have been reported, and concerned owners can call 1-800-822-8987 for more information.

Volkswagen Recalls 340,000 Cars (CNNMoney)

2008 Jetta and Rabbit: More Power, New Trims

We always like it when the base trim level for a car gets an upgrade — it’s often the model more people buy. Such is the case for Volkswagen, whose 2.5-liter five-cylinder has been retooled for 2008. Output jumps from 150 to 170 hp in the Rabbit and Jetta, while the New Beetle keeps the old 150-hp version.

The extra power should give the Jetta some much-needed oomph, as the current base model is a bit underwhelming. The lighter Rabbit, in contrast, is already something of an unlikely athlete. But hey, we won’t argue with extra power — especially when it comes with better gas mileage. With the EPA’s revised ratings system, Volkswagen reports that both the 2008 Jetta and Rabbit get 21 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway with an automatic, versus 19/28 for automatic-equipped 2007 models (using 2008 EPA calculations). The EPA reports slightly different mileage figures for the Jetta, as well as that it now uses premium fuel. Volkswagen says it can run on regular gasoline.

There’s one more amusing detail: Both cars shed their old trim levels for new ones — the Rabbit is now the Rabbit S, and the Jetta dons S, SE and SEL badging. In the alphabet soup of trim levels, even this phenomenon is rare — the Blue Oval uses nearly identical delineations for the Fusion, Focus and Edge. A Fordian slip, so to speak? Weigh in below.

2007 VW Rabbit Shown