Volkswagen Beetle Interior Review
Beetle's unique exterior styling is complemented by a unique interior design. A myriad of materials is used to give the Beetle a high-tech look. The upper dash uses coarse, hard materials accented by smoother, softer surfaces elsewhere. Curved, dimpled door handles look ultra-modern. Upper door panels use a matte version of the car's exterior paint. The steering wheel features brushed aluminum spokes and carbon-fiber-looking handgrips. A small vase keeps a small flower looking fresh or holds a plastic daisy.
A big speedometer and tiny tachometer are in a circular gauge panel that glows indigo at night. This complements red lighting used for stereo and heating/air conditioning controls to minimize glare at night. It also looks neat. Sleek radio and heater controls are within easy reach and, but can be difficult to decipher and awkward to operate at speed.
We liked the techno look and found the interior materials to be quite acceptable in quality. It takes a little adjustment to get used to the seating position and general ergonomics. Volkswagen uses a unique set of seat adjustments that use a small jack-like handle to adjust height and an awkward knob to adjust the rake, but they work well once you've grown accustomed to them. The outside mirrors are mounted well forward of the driver, which is actually a better position than that of many other cars which mount them too close to the driver. A huge dash area looms ahead of the driver, who cannot see the hood or anything else but road in front of the windshield. (This big dash area is no doubt part of the New Beetle's excellent crumple-zone design.) Beefy front A-pillars (the post between the windshield and side window) impede vision in tight corners. Beetle's sweeping roofline creates tremendous front-seat headroom, though it cramps people in back. In the old Beetle, the windshield was right in front of your face. Now the windshield is steeply raked and has been moved several feet forward.
Dual 12-volt power outlets and several cup holders make living with the New Beetle convenient. The trunk can be opened by key; we had trouble getting it to open using the remote key fob or interior release. The glove box looks impressive, but its massive door belies the tiny, awkwardly shaped compartment. One-touch power windows are useful. But the rear windows do not open; so rear-seat passengers might feel a little claustrophobic on summer days. The trunk is small, but the rear seats can be folded down to carry more cargo.
Our GLS 1.8T came with the optional leather seating surfaces. The seats are comfortable and attractive. The flat design of the seat bottom makes it easy to get in and out of the seats, but they don't provide sufficient side bolstering for driving quickly on winding country roads.
Volkswagen Beetle Road Test
As mentioned, it takes a little time to grow accustomed to the Beetle's unique seating ergonomics. Once adjusted, we were able to drive this car quite hard in corners. Steering response is quick and accurate, though at first you feel like you're driving the car from the back seat. The tires provide good grip and the suspension does an excellent job of keeping them in contact with the road. The Beetle feels quite stable in high-speed sweeping turns. It's smooth and stable under hard braking, though it doesn't stop as quickly as the Golf and other cars in its class. Handling among the different Beetle models is quite similar as the suspension is tuned to provide the same driving characteristics.
The difference lies chiefly in the engines. The standard 115-horsepower engine offers good response and should be perfectly suitable for most drivers. Others have reported they like the TDI diesel engine. Volkswagen builds some of the best small diesel engines in the world and this one is smooth, quiet and clean. It is slightly rougher in texture than the standard gas engine, which some people like because they say it reminds them a bit of the original Bug.
Those who enjoy the driving experience itself will appreciate the new 1.8-liter turbocharged engine. It lacks some response at the bottom of the rpm range, but once the revs are up it provides good acceleration performance. Step on the gas and the car begins to build momentum, then there's a whoosh of power. The Beetle 1.8T can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in less than 7.5 seconds, a quite respectable performance.
By comparison, torque from the base 2.0-liter engine comes on at relatively low revs and makes the car feel quite sprightly around town. You won't leave a trail of rubber taking off from a stoplight, but it will keep up with many of the cars in its class.
We prefer the 5-speed manual to the optional 4-speed automatic. That's the way the original Bugs were equipped and shifting gears is part of the driving fun. The automatic works well enough, but it makes the car slower off the line. Overall, the Beetle feels tight and responsive. The ride is smooth and sporty with out undue noise from the road or engine compartment.
Volkswagen Beetle Lineup
Five models are available: GL ($15,900); GLS 2.0L ($16,850); GLS TDI (17,900); GLS 1.8T ($19,000); GLX ($21,075).
GL and GLS are powered by Volkswagen's 115-horsepower 2.0-liter engine. GLS TDI uses a 90-horsepower 1.9-liter turbocharged diesel engine. The 1.8T comes with a 150-horsepower turbocharged 1.8-liter engine. The 1.8T is available in two trim lines: the GLS 1.8T and the fully loaded GLX.