In creating the New Beetle, Volkswagen did a stunning job of capturing the essence of the old Beetle in both form and function. Since then, the New Beetle--which was introduced in 1998--has undergone some minor exterior tweaking but little else, leaving its interior design and architecture to stale as the competition leapt ahead with cleaner executions and ever-improving materials.
Inner Beetle
In principle, I like the New Beetle save for its interior. Yes, ergonomically it's comfortable enough but please, less plastic expanses and fewer diminutive audio buttons would be a start. And while at it, have the interior design team provide proper armrests in the door and power window buttons that don't appear stuck-on as an afterthought. My left elbow constantly slipped from the bulge in the door panel poorly mimicking an armrest, and just try to hit the power window switch using only intuition--it's dreadful. Rant over.
After accepting the inherent interior foibles, I was impressed with the vehicle's headroom and the excellent visibility provided by the tall sheets of glass making up its fishbowl greenhouse. Sadly, the grand sight lines are compromised by extraordinarily-wide "A" pillars. Care must be taken when turning to ensure nothing is hidden behind their girth.
Despite its shortcomings, the quirkiness of the Beetle's living space will endear it to most if not all owners, as will its fun factor. Buyers seeking practicality and efficiency over style and nostalgia will likely pass on a Beetle. This front-engine, front-wheel drive version of Germany's famed folks-wagon is completely modern but it's no Honda Fit when it comes to cargo space and frugality.
Unlike the Bug of yore, today's Beetle is a hatchback with a folding rear seat. This combination offers reasonable room for Rover and a couple bags of Rover food, making the New Beetle far more versatile than the original bug. Human adults of larger proportion will need to engage in torso origami to fit within the rear confines. The back of my head was pressed against the rear windscreen when I sat in the rear while my knees pressed firmly against the back of the front seat--and I'm slightly under the 6-foot marker.
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| The New Beetle received a mild facelift in 2006. |
Inner Beetle
In principle, I like the New Beetle save for its interior. Yes, ergonomically it's comfortable enough but please, less plastic expanses and fewer diminutive audio buttons would be a start. And while at it, have the interior design team provide proper armrests in the door and power window buttons that don't appear stuck-on as an afterthought. My left elbow constantly slipped from the bulge in the door panel poorly mimicking an armrest, and just try to hit the power window switch using only intuition--it's dreadful. Rant over.
After accepting the inherent interior foibles, I was impressed with the vehicle's headroom and the excellent visibility provided by the tall sheets of glass making up its fishbowl greenhouse. Sadly, the grand sight lines are compromised by extraordinarily-wide "A" pillars. Care must be taken when turning to ensure nothing is hidden behind their girth.
Despite its shortcomings, the quirkiness of the Beetle's living space will endear it to most if not all owners, as will its fun factor. Buyers seeking practicality and efficiency over style and nostalgia will likely pass on a Beetle. This front-engine, front-wheel drive version of Germany's famed folks-wagon is completely modern but it's no Honda Fit when it comes to cargo space and frugality.
Unlike the Bug of yore, today's Beetle is a hatchback with a folding rear seat. This combination offers reasonable room for Rover and a couple bags of Rover food, making the New Beetle far more versatile than the original bug. Human adults of larger proportion will need to engage in torso origami to fit within the rear confines. The back of my head was pressed against the rear windscreen when I sat in the rear while my knees pressed firmly against the back of the front seat--and I'm slightly under the 6-foot marker.
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| The yellow New Beetle always finds a way to make people smile. |