Complaints by model year
Each bar is one model year. The most recent years are still collecting complaints.
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026
New York safety inspections
Share of first inspections failed on safety, by model year. Older cars fail more as miles build up, so compare each year with the average car of the same year. Best against its own year: 2006.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections, initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Year by year
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 0 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 | 0 |
| 2011 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009 Rabbit | 62 | 2 |
| 2008 Rabbit | 23 | 2 |
| 2007 Rabbit | 54 | 2 |
| 2006 Rabbit | 13 | 1 |
| 2005 | 0 | 0 |
| 1985 | 1 | 1 |
| 1984 | 1 | 1 |
| 1983 | 1 | 1 |
| 1982 Rabbit | 5 | 1 |
| 1981 | 1 | 3 |
A model year gets its own page when it has enough data for at least three sections
Most common problems
- Service brakes46
- Electrical system30
- Electronic stability control (esc)27
- Air bags18
- Steering17
- Power train17
- Vehicle speed control13
- Seats13
NHTSA ODI complaints, all model years
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 27 Rabbit vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died, and 15 people died inside them. These are counts, not crash rates: a model with more cars on the road shows up more often, and people killed outside the vehicle are not counted here.
| Model year | Vehicles in fatal crashes | Deaths in the vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 13 | 5 |
| 2007 | 10 | 7 |
| 2006 | 2 | 2 |
| 1981 | 2 | 1 |
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain) · how we count
Fuel consumption by year
Official Canadian test results for 3 model years, best variant per year. Combined consumption ranges from 10.4 L/100 km.
| Year | Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Rabbit · Compact · Regular gasoline | 11.9 | 8.6 | 10.4 |
| 2008 | Rabbit · Compact · Regular gasoline | 12.0 | 8.3 | 10.4 |
| 2007 | Rabbit · Compact · Regular gasoline | 11.9 | 8.5 | 10.4 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
In New Zealand
1 Rabbit cars are on the New Zealand register; 0% arrived as used imports.
| Model year | Registered | Sold new in NZ | Used imports |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
New registrations in Europe
3 new Volkswagen Rabbit cars registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland between 2010 and 2022, from the European Environment Agency's CO₂ monitoring of every new car. In 2022 the largest markets were Spain (1).
| Year | New cars | CO₂ g/km |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1 | 130 (WLTP) |
| 2014 | 1 | — |
| 2010 | 1 | — |
Averages are weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value (NEDC until the WLTP switch). European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
Recalls
8 campaigns cover the Rabbit.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Volkswagen Jetta A5 Sedan, 2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen, Eos, GTI, Rabbit and Audi A3 vehicles, and 2010 Volkswagen Golf A6 vehicles. The Antilock Brake System (ABS) control unit may fail during ABS or Electronic Stability Control (ESC) activation, possibly causing a loss of vehicle control.
VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2010 JETTA, NEW BEETLE, NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE, MODEL YEAR 2009 JETTA SPORTWAGEN AND MODEL YEAR 2007-2009 RABBIT VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.5L ENGINES. THE JETTA, JETTA SPORTWAGEN, AND RABBIT VEHICLES MAY HAVE A SMALL PLASTIC TAB LOCATED ON THE WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID RESERVOIR THAT MAY CHAFE AGAINST AN UNDERHOOD FUEL SUPPLY LINE. THE NEW BEETLE AND THE NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE VEHICLES MAY HAVE A FASTENING CLAMP ON A HYDRAULIC HOSE OF THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM THAT MAY BE LOCATED IN AN IMPROPER POSITION WHICH COULD CAUSE CHAFING AGAINST AN UNDERHOOD FUEL SUPPLY LINE.
CERTAIN VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." SOME VEHICLES MAY NOT HAVE HAD A REQUIRED CAP INSTALLED WHICH DISABLES THE HEADLIGHT HORIZONTAL AIM AND SOME VEHICLES MAY CONTAIN A CAP THAT DISABLES THE VERTICAL AIMING SCREW.
FRONT SEAT BELT RETRACTORS MAY NOT PROPERLY LOCK DURING SUDDEN HEAVY BRAKE APPLICATION OR IMPACT DUE TO THE INTERFERENCE OF TWO POSITIONING TABS. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: THE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RETAIN THE DRIVER OR PASSENGER SUBJECTING THEM TO POSSIBLE INJURY IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT.
THE THROTTLE SHAFT OF THE CARBURETOR MAY CRACK AND EVENTUALLY BREAK AT THE THREADED HOLE FOR THE THROTTLE PLATE CONNECTION DUE TO EXCESSIVE VIBRATION OF THE THROTTLE SHAFT. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: IF THE THROTTLE SHAFT BREAKS, THE THROTTLE WOULD NOT RETURN TO ITS IDLE POSITION. THIS COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL AND AN ACCIDENT.
A LOCK NUT WHICH SECURES THE TIE ROD TO THE INNER BALL JOINT OF THE STEERING SYSTEM MAY NOT HAVE BEEN SECURELY FASTENED ON SOME OF THE INVOLVED VEHICLES DURING ASSEMBLY. IF THIS CONDITION EXISTS AND THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN ALONG POOR ROADS FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, THE TIE ROD COULD SEPARATE FROM THE STEERING ASSEMBLY.
THE LEFT AND RIGHT OUTER TIE ROD ENDS OF THE STEERING SYSTEM MAY HAVE CIRCUMFERENTIAL CRACKS DUE TO AN IMPROPER MACHINE SET-UP IN THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS.
ON SOME VEHICLES, THE PRESSURE COULD INCREASE INSIDE THE FUEL TANK FROM HIGH SURROUNDING TEMPERATURES WHEN THE FUEL TANK IS MORE THAN HALF FULL.
NHTSA recalls