2009 Volkswagen New Beetle Convertible Silver-Red Review

Cruising down the streets in a Volkswagen New Beetle Convertible without making heads turn is quite a challenge. Despite the years and the "woman’s car" stigma, this cute little drop-top still boasts an aura of popularity.

Cruising down the streets in a Volkswagen New Beetle Convertible without making heads turn is quite a challenge.

The New Beetle has one friendly mug, that’s for sure. Plus, the exaggerated curves, the balloon-like fenders and my tester’s silver body/red top combination mean drivers have a tough time flying under the radar. Further defining the Silver-Red special edition are all the premium amenities one usually finds in a top-of-the-line New Beetle.

The overall design has shown little evolution over the years (some say it’s getting pretty old and dated). Volkswagen instead chose to make slight powertrain upgrades so as to appeal to performance (!!!) and fashion enthusiasts alike.

Remarkable looks
The New Beetle is a polarizing machine with regard to styling. Even the interior manages to draw stares despite some obvious flaws. The top of the dashboard is seemingly endless, the controls are user-friendly and the instruments feature cool-blue illumination. Overall, the layout is modern and pleasant to look at.

On the other hand, the cup holders are located at the very bottom of the center stack and even a small bottle of water hardly fits in them. More importantly, manipulating the shifter becomes awkward with the armrest folded down.

The New Beetle somewhat makes up for these shortcomings with 6-way adjustable heated front seats that make a good driving position fairly easy to find. Granted, the big knob that controls the reclining seatbacks is still a pain to use, but the addition of a ratchet crank and tilt/telescopic steering wheel is more than welcome.

If you have a large family, needless to say this car is not for you. Rear passengers don’t have enough legroom to stretch and, unless they’re small children, their heads will probably hit the rear window when the soft top is up.

The top of the dashboard is seemingly endless, the controls are user-friendly and the instruments feature cool-blue illumination.