Beetle Juice
A 2.5-litre inline five-cylinder, 150-horsepower mill gives the New Beetle its juice. It's mated to a five-speed manual transmission unless an autobox is specified, in which case the automatic brings with it six cogs and a manual-shift mode. My tester was equipped with this unit, which performed quite pleasurably. As one might expect, the Beetle's powertrain holds no surprises, good or bad. Stepping on the gas nets sufficient output to hustle the Beetle through city environs and over mountain passes with ease. Yet nailing the throttle to the floorboard does little to distinguish the Beetle from most other compacts.
But hey, compared to the original Bug, the New Beetle is a rocket ship. Its six-speed autobox has sufficient range to place the 2.5-litre gas engine squarely in its powerband, which helps push the new Bug along with little complaint other than noise. Under full steam, the engine sounds a little too outspoken and coarse as it churns toward the redline.
Beetling Around
The "fun to drive" quotient is where the Beetle outperforms its competition, metaphorically speaking at least. It's hard not to find happiness in a sunflower-yellow Beetle, even if one is insecure about his masculinity. I certainly didn't feel testosterone-challenged behind the wheel. Well okay, maybe just a bit when two women walking dogs in my laneway giggled like precocious schoolgirls as I drove by.
Like the original Beetle, the New Beetle is extremely nimble and easy to maneuver, making corners a treat to dive into. While it's not the smoothest-riding compact available, handling competency is very good and road feel is excellent. Brake actuation is linear and predictable with emergency stops arriving in very short order. To their credit, Volkswagen has installed traction control and an electronic stabilization program as standard equipment. They also include front and side airbags in the mix as well.
Beetle Babble
Overall, the New Beetle provides acceptable comfort on the road. Unfortunately though, the absence of an adjustable lumbar support compromised seat comfort for me over the long haul. With a Canadian entry price of $22,780, the New Beetle is suitably affordable given the tremendous personality and character it beholds. And with a government fuel economy rating of 10.4 and 6.8 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres of city and highway driving respectively, the New Beetle is fairly miserly as well.
As my week with the poor man's Porsche draws to a close, I'm grateful for the time we spent together. The New Beetle has a way of cheering people up--those behind its wheel and those walking dogs in my laneway.
Nimble, easy to drive
Nostalgic and fun
Standard Electronic Stability Program and Traction Control
Cramped rear quarters
Noisy engine
Firm ride
Interior in dire need of makeover
Extraordinarily wide "A" pillars
photo:Rob Rothwell
A 2.5-litre inline five-cylinder, 150-horsepower mill gives the New Beetle its juice. It's mated to a five-speed manual transmission unless an autobox is specified, in which case the automatic brings with it six cogs and a manual-shift mode. My tester was equipped with this unit, which performed quite pleasurably. As one might expect, the Beetle's powertrain holds no surprises, good or bad. Stepping on the gas nets sufficient output to hustle the Beetle through city environs and over mountain passes with ease. Yet nailing the throttle to the floorboard does little to distinguish the Beetle from most other compacts.
 |
| The 2.5L inline-5 is noisy but helps to make the New Beetle fun to drive. |
But hey, compared to the original Bug, the New Beetle is a rocket ship. Its six-speed autobox has sufficient range to place the 2.5-litre gas engine squarely in its powerband, which helps push the new Bug along with little complaint other than noise. Under full steam, the engine sounds a little too outspoken and coarse as it churns toward the redline.
Beetling Around
The "fun to drive" quotient is where the Beetle outperforms its competition, metaphorically speaking at least. It's hard not to find happiness in a sunflower-yellow Beetle, even if one is insecure about his masculinity. I certainly didn't feel testosterone-challenged behind the wheel. Well okay, maybe just a bit when two women walking dogs in my laneway giggled like precocious schoolgirls as I drove by.
Like the original Beetle, the New Beetle is extremely nimble and easy to maneuver, making corners a treat to dive into. While it's not the smoothest-riding compact available, handling competency is very good and road feel is excellent. Brake actuation is linear and predictable with emergency stops arriving in very short order. To their credit, Volkswagen has installed traction control and an electronic stabilization program as standard equipment. They also include front and side airbags in the mix as well.
Beetle Babble
Overall, the New Beetle provides acceptable comfort on the road. Unfortunately though, the absence of an adjustable lumbar support compromised seat comfort for me over the long haul. With a Canadian entry price of $22,780, the New Beetle is suitably affordable given the tremendous personality and character it beholds. And with a government fuel economy rating of 10.4 and 6.8 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres of city and highway driving respectively, the New Beetle is fairly miserly as well.
As my week with the poor man's Porsche draws to a close, I'm grateful for the time we spent together. The New Beetle has a way of cheering people up--those behind its wheel and those walking dogs in my laneway.
 |
Nostalgic and fun
Standard Electronic Stability Program and Traction Control
 |
Noisy engine
Firm ride
 |
Extraordinarily wide "A" pillars
photo:Rob Rothwell
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