The 2009 Volkswagen GTI hatch has the same basic appearance as the Rabbit, though its appearance details--including a racier front end and larger, showier wheels--indicate that it's considerably more performance-focused. Overall, however, the model is a clear styling evolution of the previous Golf and Golf GTI models. Last year, the tuner influence deepened as VW reduced the ride height about two-thirds of an inch on the two-door and four-door models. For 2009, however, the high-performance R32 model has been dropped.