Volkswagen New Beetle First Drive Review

It’s a modern take on the classic Volkswagen Beetle ‘The people’s car’. When launched way back in 1938 in Germany, this car was meant to provide a fast, yet affordable means of transportation with running costs mirroring that of a motorcycle. Little did Ferdinand Porsche (who developed the Beetle) know that over time it will turn into such an icon . Volkswagen sold the type 1 Beetle for over six decades till 2002, managing to sell a total of over 21 million units making it the fourth most successful brand in car history.

Unlike the old bug, the third generation Volkswagen Beetle is anything but affordable. In fact, like the Mini Cooper, the new Beetle is more of a style statement now; it is a want more than a need, and an expensive one at that. Like other iconic cars, the new Beetle will be bought more as a statement made by its classic styling over any other factor.

At first glance, VW seems to have done a much better job when compared to the second generation car which was previously on sale in India. The design of the new Beetle is more flowing now and is reminiscent of the original. The profile looks familiar – the rounded bonnet and the tapering roofline helps the car standout in the more sharply dressed crowd. The circular theme is further complimented by the huge wheel arches, bug-eyed headlamps and the curvy tail-lamps. VW claims that the new car looks more masculine than before and the only sign of that is the big rear spoiler which breaks the whole smoothened look. The new Beetle has substantially grown in size too with it being 84mm wider and a massive 152mm longer than its predecessor.

Step inside and you’re greeted by a dashboard that has been styled to replicate that of the original Beetle. The dashboard is high and houses a modern touchscreen system. There is an old fashioned glove compartment reminiscent of the original in the fascia and you also get a conventional box below it. The thin rimmed steering wheel is unusually big and the rest of the controls fall to hand easily. Although the quality is mostly good, some plastic lack the plush feel that you come to expect in such an expensive car. Though the cabin have some retro elements it lacks the nostalgic feel which the Mini Cooper or even the Fiat 500 has in spades. There are way too many bits that are lifted from regular VW’s too, like the power window buttons, instrument cluster, air-con controls, and even the infotainment system which is exactly the same as the Jetta.

The front seats are well contoured with good lateral support and are comfortable over long journeys. The visibility from the driver seat though, is hampered by the high mounted dashboard which might pose problems for shorter drivers. Although the Beetle has grown in dimensions, space at the rear is still best for kids. Boot space is quite reasonable at 310 litres and the rear seats can be folded for added convenience.

We went to drive the new Beetle in VW’s homeland Wolfsburg in Germany. We drove the car in both convertible and hardtop forms and with 1.4-litre and 2.0-litre TSI engine options. As India will only get the 1.4-litre TSI unit in hardtop form, we will concentrate only on that variant. The 1390cc direct injection turbocharged unit is good for 147bhp. Although this motor is sufficiently powerful it has to lug around more than 1.3 tonnes of weight. The motor responds nicely past 1500rpm and pulls well right upto 5200rpm after which power starts tailing off. Performance is more than adequate and the strong mid-range helps the new Beetle make quick progress. The 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox has quick yet smooth shifts and it helps you make full use of the power available. While the new Beetle is not lacking in power, a larger motor would have made the car even more desirable.

In terms of ride and handling the new Beetle is a bit of a mixed-bag. We drove the car on mostly smooth surfaces around Wolfsburg , but still we found the ride to be fidgety over anything but the most perfect surfaces. Once we got onto the Autobahn things did improve but still it lacked the sophistication and composure one expects in an upmarket, well-engineered vehicle. In terms of handling you get the typical German car feel which has loads of grip and exhibits safe handling characteristics. The light and precise steering helps you place the car around bends and body roll is well contained. The weak point of the Volkswagen new Beetle, though, is the absence of feel in the steering.

In its third generation, the Beetle appeals as a stylish and a well thought-out recreation of the original. It looks pleasing, feels well-built and is modern too. But where it lacks is in terms of interiors which doesn’t have the special feel, so important in such a car. Even the ride is stiff and although powered by a 147bhp engine, the Beetle’s rivals like the Mini Cooper S offer more; how does 180bhp in a much smaller body sound? Moreover, at a price tag of around Rs 30 lakh, it won’t have an edge in terms of pricing either. The new Beetle then continues to be for those looking for something unique, something with history and something that’s unnecessarily expensive.

The Beetle will rival the Mini Cooper which is priced in between Rs 28.5 lakh to Rs 31.5 lakh and the Fiat 595 Competizione which costs Rs 29.85 lakh.