Volkswagen New Beetle 1.6

My review of the new shape VW Beetle (1.6).

I'm assuming there's one of three reasons you're reading this review. One, you're thinking about buying a new Beetle. Two, you've bought one and you're simply seeking reaffirmation of your decision - marketers call this post-purchase dissonance. Or hey,you're just randomly browsing. This review is intended to help prospective buyers, but Beetle owners may find reaffirmation and browsers some interesting VeeDubya factoids.

OK, I could tell you about my nostalgic fondness for the old Beetle, reminisce about the Beetle my Mum drove me to school in 1972 and generally take a long-winded route to what you really want to know. So lets cut to the chase and get down to what's good, bad and ugly (or not) about VW's reincarnation of possibly the most iconic automobile of the last century.

Forgive my break from prose to bullet points, but it's easier to digest.

What's Good About The New Beetle?
 Build quality is truly excellent. More so when considering the excellent value for money offered by even the basic package.
 VW has a deserved reputation for solidity, longevity and reliability - and it's all there in the new Beetle. Everything from the tight panel fit, to the pleasing chunkiness of switchgear and fittings to the smoothness of transmission and ride tells you this is a substantial car.
 What else can you buy for the money (my 1.6 cost £13k OTR with a load of extras) that matches it for presence, build, equipment and all-round performance? Not much is the answer, but I'll tell you what does at the end of this review.
 OK, the image. Is it a girlie car? Is it a toytown Noddy car? Is it a faddish retro warm-over? All curvy cuteness but with no real cajones! And I've gotta tell you, that's what my blokey pals first said when I told them what I'd traded in my MGF for. Well I think the shape is as lovingly reminiscent of the original as it is strikingly modern. And sitting purposefully on its ample 205" tyres and (as an extras on my Beetle) 5 spoke VW alloys and roof-bars, make no mistake this car looks far from fragile. And you know what? People smile when they see the Beetle, kids especially. So it's a car with character which blokes want just as much as girls. The Beetle is all grown-up with nothing 'Toys- R-Us' about it and the style is a future-proofed classic.
 From the driver's seat, the New Bug is extremely spacious with considerable headroom and controls laid out in a highly ergonomic fashion. Especially nice touches are the power release boot and petrol flap which make a pleasingly satisfying zippy sound when opened [try it, you'll see what I mean].
 Having adapted the current Mark 4 Golf running gear, and with four wide tyres at its extremities, the Beetle has an excellent grip on the road. It can be flung into corners with confidence.
 Performance from the 1.6 engine is adequate, although for those wanting more grunt the new range of turbo, V5 and TDI engines will hustle the Bug along at high speed. Were it available at the time of purchase I would have opted for the TDI, which I reckon will combine excellent economy with performance to match. This model is available in the UK from January 2002.
 VW has a class leading warranty and recovery package for peace of mind.
 With the new model coming onto the second hand market there are many bargains, and residuals appear relatively good. However, if buying your Beetle new, you will find a massive array of options from paint finishes to sound system and now engine choices. My Beetle came with the factory fitted winter pack which includes heated washers, mirrors, and even heated seats- nice touch!

And now for The Bad:

 The Beetle has a rear seat but don't expect adult passengers to travel long without bumping their heads off the sharply sloping roofline.
 The dashboard. It slopes away for an eternity- big enough to have a picnic on. Initially, this is highly disconcerting and of course makes judging distances when parking problematic.
 Performance from the 1.6 verges on the puny side of adequate. The engine is often found wanting in the top gears.
 VW have conveniently fitted an armrest between the driver and passenger seat. Great for resting your gear change hand when driving, but useless when trying to actually change down gears - it gets in the way.
 For a car that's tricky to park (reversing is also a challenge) VW have failed to fit protective strips on the large exposed door panels and on the colour coded plastic bumpers. For tight parking situations this is a must, so why don't manufacturers wise up?
 Despite my upgrading to a six changer CD unit (installed in the boot) the basic VW fit sound system is relatively poor and the speakers weak. There are speaker upgrades but you would expect a far better quality as standard.
 Fuel economy from the 1.6 engine is average. Disappointingly, though, there is no onboard fuel economy meter, which I had as standard in previous VW Golfs. Great for those of a parsimonious disposition.
 There are a number of LHD Beetles coming onto the second hand market in the UK. These were imported between 1998-99 before RHD models became available. Best avoid these cars as residuals are likely to be poor in the long run.

And the Ugly:

 OK, I don't like the plastic wheel trims supplied with the basic 1.6, precisely why I upgraded to alloys. And I can take or leave the flower vase.

But apart from that, this ain't no Ugly Bug!

You want alternatives? One springs to mind- the new BMW Mini is well worth checking out, but that's another review!