Crash Test Rating
Source   NHTSA
MPG (up to)
21 City / 29 HWY
Horsepower
170
Seats
5
Front angle medium view.

Positive Owner Reviews

accountCircle Christian B
It is great on gas mileage and looks very attractive on the eye.
Nothing is really wrong with my car, it is just an older car so there is some performance issues, but other than that, it's fine.
accountCircle Adrianne L
Super fast VW Rabbit 5 speed
My car is fast. It's only a 2.5 liter but it goes. The hatchback is very convenient and has a lot of storage. The seats in both the front and back are very comfortable. I have even slept in the backseat with no issues. The lighting inside the car is okay but could use a few more lights. The only things I don't like about my car are the issues with the tires and rims that I've had. I also don't like the huge blind spots the car has. It was very hard to see and get used too.
accountCircle Megan M
Zippy, stylish and roomy little hatchback
I love this car. It is a roomy four door hatchback. It's roomy and the back seats fold all the way down creating a large space to haul and move things. It has been a reliable vehicle that I have not had any problems with. It is a zippy little car, and one complaint would be that it doesn't get that great of gas mileage for how small it is. I love the heated front seats and the blue color of the interior dash lights.
accountCircle Kendall R
Green rabbit, aging but comfy.
I love my vehicle. However, oil occasionally leaks and the tire lights come on in the winter and refuse to go off. Now that the car is getting older the windows are slow to roll down and sometimes the driver's door will not unlock with the electronic key. The comfort and function of the car is great though. It has heated seats and the hatch back with collapsible back seat allows me to transport a lot of stuff.
accountCircle Derek S
It's a great smaller family car. It's able to carry a lot of stuff and fits 4 people comfortably.
My 2008 VW Rabbit has been great. It's roomy and able to carry a lot of stuff in the hatchback. It's going on 10 years old now and still running great.
accountCircle Melanie O
A compact hatchback with plenty of storage, a great sunroof, and sleek design.
My vehicle is pretty spacious for it is size. I have had a 6'2'' male in my car and he had plenty of legroom. Extremely reliable. I have had no issues with the battery, transmission, or anything. The sunroof is amazing and I love the simplicity in the design of the car.
accountCircle OMAR A
Good gas mileage and very comfortable to drive.
I love how spacious it is and the engine is great.
accountCircle Sara K
Compact yet spacious, reliable, efficient, and sturdy
I love the storage it offers while also remaining compact. I love how consistent it's been throughout much use. Great gas mileage.

Negative Owner Reviews

accountCircle Jamie R
2008 VW Rabbit is great mechanically, but has electrical issues.
My car has a 2.5L inline 5 cylinder engine and an automatic transmission. It has sport mode, which increases performance. I mostly use it for passing. Around 30 mpg highway. I have had it for several years. I have not had any trouble with the engine or transmission. I have had to replace each headlamp bulb at least twice. It is common for the 2008 VW Rabbit to have electrical issues. Thevl electrical issues the my car has are as follows: various window control issues, hatch sometimes will not open using switch on door, fob, or latch, car tends to lock itself, when locked with button on fob driver door can be open and alarm sounds, interior lights sometimes dim with radio use. Other issues- poor radio reception, car has very low ground clearance, plastic protects the undercarriage, aforementioned plastic breaks off easily. I am pleased with the car's mechanical performance. Electrical issues are annoying. Not enough ground clearance for the town I live in.
accountCircle Ben P
Great long lasting ride. Reliable to get you anywhere you need to go.
The rabbit is a good vehicle for getting to where you need to go without draining your wallet with the gas money. It has been a pretty reliable ride through the years I have had it. Now it has over 100,000 miles and it still running great for me. That being said I am a college kid and have put it through some harsh conditions and it still runs great. Driven many long trips with this car are well and it still holds up. Hard to control in the snow because of the 2-wheel drive. Have to watch out for standing water because it can take the car in any direction.
accountCircle Ruri H
That it has decent mileage for being an older car and can fit quite a bit of luggage.
I like that the car has great gas mileage and that I can fit a lot of stuff in the trunk. As the car gets older there has been issues with the suspension and the calipers which fell under warranty but the dealership did little to fix the car.
accountCircle Corissa F
My car specifically or Volkswagen in general? I would probably say the issue with finding a mechanic. Perhaps other areas are easier to find decently priced VW mechanics, but Northern Indiana is not a good locations for that.
For the most part I do like my vehicle, My make dislike is the trouble it takes to find a mechanic who works on Volkswagen. Because there are less mechanics in my area willing to work on Volkswagen the options I do have are more expensive. The only other thing I do not like is that my front passenger seat has a wheel that needs to me twisted in order for the seat to lay down for the passenger to rest. It is very annoying trying to crank the wheel around when you are trying to lay down. I would prefer a lever or automatic switch like what I have for the driver's seat.

Volkswagen Rabbit Models

Models also known as Trim Levels, are used to identify a vehicle's level of equipment or special features.

car
S
170 HP 25-25 MPG 5 Seats
Photos may not match model

2008 Volkswagen Rabbit Owner Reviews

4.17
24 Reviews
close Write Review
5 stars 33%
4 stars 50%
3 stars 17%
2 stars 0%
1 star 0%
accountCircle Derek S on March 25, 2021
It's a great smaller family car. It's able to carry a lot of stuff and fits 4 people comfortably.
My 2008 VW Rabbit has been great. It's roomy and able to carry a lot of stuff in the hatchback. It's going on 10 years old now and still running great.
accountCircle Jennifer M on February 1, 2021
Madewell, small but safe making it easier to drive.
Dislike: headliner coming off. Like: size, shape, look, comfort, ease of use, style, engineering/quality.

Pros from Owners

likeFilled Sean M.

For the money, it is, mechanically, a well made vehicle. Beyond wear and tear items, the car has only had to go to the dealer once for a mechanical issue in 200,000 miles. It has held up well to daily driving.

likeFilled Richard D.

Long-lasting engine. Good mileage. Lots of cargo space. Easy to turn. Gas lock controlled from inside the car. Can park easily. Headroom. Accelerates nicely. Comfortable bucket seats. Outside mirrors that defrost.

Cons from Owners

dislikeFilled Sean M.

For the solidness of the mechanics/body, the interior is a let down. The fabric on the roof started coming off about year five of ownership and the fabric on the door panels started coming off around year eight. Of course, both of these were outside of warranty.

dislikeFilled Richard D.

Brakes maintenance. Emissions failure. Blower (heat and cool) fails. Radiator overflow bucket leaks. Tires need to be replaced often. No roof rack. No sun/moonroof. No backing up mirror camera-mounted and beeping.

Ranks #12 Small Cars by Owners

The 2008 Volkswagen Rabbit has an average owner rating of 4.26 out of 5 which ranks it #12 of 29 other Small Cars.

1
car
5
2
car
4.56
12
car
4.17

Ranks #8 Small Cars by Fuel Economy

The 2008 Volkswagen Rabbit has a combined MPG of 34 which ranks it #8 of 30 other Small Cars.

1
car
36 MPG
2
Tie
car
35 MPG
8
Tie
car
29 MPG

Is The 2008 Volkswagen Rabbit A Good Car?

Yes, fast acceleration and handles pretty well in the snow. It is pretty reliable and has never left me stranded.
Matthew S.
Yes! I bought it brand new in 2007 and have had it for 12 years with no major issues. It still runs extremely well, and everything still works.
Angela R.
It is a great car. Handles well, decent gas mileage for older model car. Plenty of power when needed. Quiet interior, well made. Very little complaints.
Aurora C.

How Reliable Is The 2008 Volkswagen Rabbit?

It is reliable for the most part. I have had to get struts and the alternator replaced. It doesn't have any problems other than the fact that it has high mileage and is old.
Matthew S.
The only issue with this car was the cruise control not working. It works intermittently, but I never use it enough to care about that.
Angela R.
Very reliable. The most common problem I have come across is the headliner fails across almost all models.
Aurora C.

Is The 2008 Volkswagen Rabbit A Good Value?

I got the car for around 2,500 so that's a pretty good price. It is good value because I have driven more than 2,500 worth of miles.
Matthew S.
Now, this car costs about $3,000.00, because of it is age and relatively low mileage, I'd say that is a great value.
Angela R.
5500-2500. I overplayed for mine considering it is exterior condition, but that is the fault of my own naivety. For a used car of its age it is an excellent value.
Aurora C.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the vw rabbit 2008 oil type?

Answer: The VW rabbit 2008 oil type iS5w-30. Your oil needs to be changed eventually. Every 5,000 to 10,000 miles is a good rule of thumb. If You don't change it, there will be problems with the engine. Having high...

What's the 2008 vw rabbit wheel bolt pattern?

Answer: Across the 2008 Volkswagen Rabbit lineup, a total of four different configurations are offered. However, only one tire and wheel is used consistently -- this is the P195/65R15, which sits on a rim measuring 15...

Answers are provided by third parties. We do not guarantee accuracy of responses

Safety & Reliability

NHTSA Logo
NHTSA Crash Test

Overall

Front

Rollover

Side

*National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
IIHS Logo
IIHS Crash Test

Moderate Overlap Front

Side

Roof Strength

Driver-side Overlap Front

Not Rated
*Insurance Institute for Highway Safety