There are many things you expect to find in a compact car, like acres of hard plastic inside, a sewing-machine engine under the hood, and only the barest of safety features and mod-cons. But banish these notions from your mind, if only for a moment, as you’ll find exactly none apply to this car.

The current Rabbit debuted in Canada and the U.S. for 2007, some two years after Europe, where it is still known as the Golf. This is the fifth generation of Golf, mkV in German, and it’s now bigger, roomier and faster than before, while still retaining the combination of sportiness, solidity and practicality that has made it a hit around the world for decades. And while the reversion to the Rabbit name for North America is no doubt questionable, it in no way detracts from the appeal. And if the name really bothers you, just yank the "fast" rabbit emblem off the hatch and throw it away.