Volkswagen Beetle Hatchback Review

Design and Engineering

Design and Engineering

 Good

Still looks fresh and dare we saw original (not the best choice of words to describe a blatant retro design, nostalgic is more appropriate) compared to today’s typical small passenger player as it did when it arrived here way back in the year 2000. The end of 2005 mid life facelift brought new bumpers front and rear and integrated indicator lights into the side mirrors.
Not so good

Volkswagen market it as the 'New Beetle' but as a typical model life span is about six to seven years before it is replaced, this now over ten year old model definitely isn’t new. The underpinnings are from the fourth generation Volkswagen Golf; however the current Golf is now up to generation six, further reinforcing the Beetle is aging. Luckily an all new model will arrive Down Under in 2011.
Interior and Styling

Interior and Styling

 Good

Almost as distinctive an interior as the concept car like exterior. We like the cool looking three spoke steering wheel that adjusts for both reach and rake, the large, supportive, comfortably firm front seats which feature height adjustment and thanks to a flip and slide mechanism, entry to the rear is easy (for a two door anyway). Storage is decent with a good sized glove box (illuminated too), front centre armrest with an integrated storage compartment, front door storage nets (but with a narrow opening) and backrest storage pockets.
Not so good

An interior layout compromised by the exterior design = poor packaging. One example of this is the vast amount of wasted space between the dashboard and the windscreen. The oversized windscreen pillars obstruct vision (causing an unfortunate blindspot) and the falling away nose creates difficultly when parking in tight spots (as you can’t really tell where the front of the car is). The rear bench is compromised. There are only two rear seats, the backrest is too vertical (so it’s not very comfortable) and headroom is limited due to the sloping rear hatch design. Rear cargo space is also poor at only 209 litres with the rear bench upright, however it does fold down (but not fully flat) to create a more useable 527 litres. Best to think of the Beetle as a not so sporty Coupe than.
Performance

Performance

 Good

Two four cylinder engines to choose from - a 1.6L petrol which produces 75kW of power and 148Nm of torque or a 1.9L turbo diesel with stats of 77kW and 250Nm. Both engines are available with a smooth shifting five speed manual with a well weighted clutch pedal. Fuel economy is about average with the petrol grade and impressively low with the diesel.
Not so good

The Beetle’s 1.6L petrol engine didn’t even make the cut in the latest Volkswagen Golf range. It’s behind the times (too slow) and we won’t be disappointed when it doesn’t turn up in next year’s next year’s entire new Beetle. Even the slightly better 1.9L turbo diesel isn’t near one of Volkswagen’s best engines. It’s just not enjoyable enough, frustrating as the Volkswagen Golf range has a number of far more impressive engines that could easily fit under the Beetle’s bonnet.
Ride and Handling

Ride and Handling

 Good

The ride remains comfortable on all bar the roughest surfaces; the steering is accurate and the handling is more than o.k. for the target market.
Not so good

Step out of a new Golf into the Beetle and you’ll think, not good enough. Even the steering, whilst well weighted, should offer greater road feel. Yes, the chassis does feel stiff, however the suspension is a more basic design than a number of competitors and this shows when pushing along a twisty road.
Buying and Owning

Buying and Owning

 Good

Standard safety features include six airbags and Anti-lock brakes as standard. A full size spare wheel is more usable than a space saver temporary wheel and what other car comes standard with a vase and a flower?!
Not so good

The petrol grade (branded as the Miami) disappointingly misses out on Electronic Stability Control, thankfully this important safety feature is standard on the TDI (diesel) grade. Neither grade comes with cruise control or an auxiliary input audio socket in.