Volkswagen Beetle

The recently launched Volkswagen Beetle is not your regular car. It’s an icon and is a celebration of the original Beetle which was on sale for more than six decades. It’s the crown jewel in Volkswagen’s history and is a car which gave the German giant recognition worldwide. Originally known as the people’s car, thanks to its reasonable price and low running costs, the new one though is anything but affordable. Priced at Rs 28.7lakh , the new car is more of an expensive accessory which is something you don’t need but rather something you want. At this price you can get many cars which are more practical and are better to drive, but these are not the reasons you buy a car like the Beetle anyway. It is a type of vehicle you will want for its retro appeal and the one which makes you feel special. So does the new Beetle feel special enough to justify its exorbitant price?

As far as looks are concerned VW has definitely put in a lot of effort and the new Beetle certainly looks very attractive and different. It will turn heads wherever you go and the design is flowing and is reminiscent of the original Beetle. The profile looks familiar with the rounded bonnet and the tapering roofline which help the car stand out from the traditional crowd. The circular theme is further complimented by the huge wheel arches, bug eye-like round headlamps and the curvy tail-lamps. Unlike in the old car, VW claims that the new car looks more masculine and male-friendly than before. Yes, the big rear spoiler and sharper lines make it look more aggressive but the overall appearance will still suit the fairer sex more.

Open the big wide doors and you are welcomed by a dashboard that has been styled to imitate the design of the one on the original Beetle. There is an old-fashioned glove compartment which is reminiscent of the original in the fascia and you also get a conventional box below it. VW has given exterior colour matching panels on the dash and doorpads which gives it a unique look. Thanks to the absence of the B-pillar and large windows, visibility is fantastic and this also makes the cabin feel wide and airy. The thin rimmed steering wheel is unusually big and rest of the controls fall to hand easily. The dashboard is placed quite high and in the centre a modern touchscreen system is housed.

Though the cabin have some retro elements the ambience doesn’t look that distinct and it doesn’t make you feel special like the Mini Cooper or even the Fiat 500 does. Although the quality is mostly good, some plastics lack the plush feel. We particularly didn’t like the plastics on the dash and door pads which lack soft touch and that all-important expensive feel. There are way too many bits that are lifted from regular VWs too, like the power window buttons, instrument cluster, air-con controls and even the infotainment system 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.

The Beetle for India is powered by a 1.4 litre direct injection, turbocharged petrol motor which also does duty in the Skoda Octavia and the Volkswagen Jetta. The motor is from VW’s EA211 engine family and the 1395cc motor develops 148bhp and 250Nm of torque. The high-tech motor is coupled to an equally modern 7-speed dual clutch automatic.

As soon as you step on the accelerator pedal the motor responds in a linear manner and the car feels very peppy. Peak torque comes in at a low 1500rpm and past that the mid-range is particularly strong and the engine will pull happily to its 6200rpm redline as well. The DSG box on this car has three modes – ‘D’, ‘S’ and ‘Manual’. In ‘D’, it is programmed to upshift at the earliest, maximising fuel efficiency, whereas in ‘S’, it will stay in the lowest gear possible. The problem with driving in ‘D’ is that when you need that burst of power, you are usually in a gear too high and have to wait for the gearbox to kick down. ‘S’ is more responsive, but it is the manual mode that gives you the most control, and is the most enjoyable.

It is in Sport and Manual modes that one can feel the true performance of the car – it will get to 100kph in just 8.9sec. Although these figures are very impressive, it can’t match its main rival, the Mini Cooper S, in this regard. The more powerful and lighter Mini reaches 100kmph over two seconds faster than the VW and this is why we think VW should have got the 2.0-litre Beetle to India.

While the engine is very quiet and smooth at low speeds and when you’re cruising, it does get a bit thrummy after 5000rpm, and it isn’t as smooth as say, the bigger TSI motor’s we have experienced in other VW cars.

What really impressed us was the fantastic ride quality on the Beetle. On the highway, the Beetle feels rock solid and the ride remains flat and consistent. At low speeds you can feel the stiffness in the way the Beetle deals with sharp bumps but it never feels uncomfortable. What also helps here are the high 60 profile tyres. What makes the bug even more India friendly is the generous ground clearance - not once did it scrape its belly even over highest of speed breakers. Being a German car the Beetle’s safe and benign handling doesn’t come as a surprise. The steering is accurate and well weighted but is rather numb and doesn’t bristle with feel. The gentle responses and the leisurely manner in which the Beetle turns into corners doesn’t make it overtly sporting either.

As a car the new Beetle works really well and except for the so-so cabin it is hard to fault this VW bug. But when you consider its ridiculous Rs 28.7 lakh price-tag, this is just not enough and it has to feel special too. As far as looks go, it certainly looks fantastic and its iconic bug shape definitely turned heads wherever we went. But what really disappointed us is the cabin, which in our eyes looks too generic, especially when you get the Mini Cooper in the picture. It doesn’t feel half as much fun to drive too. So for the money, you get a piece of history which feels thoroughly modern but nothing more.

The Beetle rivals 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.