The iconic Volkswagen Beetle is in its 3rd-generation now and has come a long way from its hippy-trippy flower-power days! These days, it has a lot of similarities with the Golf – one of the most reputable cars on the market.
The car comes in just 1 model, with either 6-speed manual or 7-speed Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) transmisison. Also included are Bluetooth phone and audio streaming, a 6.5-inch touch-screen infotainment system with USB and SD card ports, cloth seats, dual-zone climate control, an electro-chromatic rearview mirror, electric windows and mirrors, remote central locking, front and rear parking sensors, and a colour-trimmed dash.
There is a fair amount of optional trim including a sports package which throws in 18-inch alloy wheels, tinted rear windows, sports instruments and paddle shifters as well as leather, sat nav, a sunroof and an anti-theft alarm. The car already comes rated 5 stars on the ANCAP for its 4 airbags and electronic stability control, along with the normal electric safety tech installed.
The Drive
The turbocharged and supercharged engine gives you quite a bit of zip around town. As a testamen tto the good engineering from VW, you really don’t have to push the car much to get it up to the speed you need. Surprisingly, at low speeds, the car handles well too and it’ll be able to take you through different traffic conditions in the urban landscape without too much fuss.
The Beetle is good at soaking up the bumps on different surfaces too and we found the car stable enough over bumps and uneven road. Steering is a little unresponsive but consistent so while it might not be that fun in the driver’s seat, you should be able to take corners and turns quickly enough.
Road noise is slightly noticeable when driving on rough surfaces and at speed, but otherwise the engine and transmission silent.
The Interior
The Beetle is pretty colourful indoors and there are nice chrome and glossy back trimming too making it look pretty premium and upbeat. The seating position isn’t as supportive as we would like and like its predecessor, it can be quite tight for space even in front. But visibility is decent enough although you may need to squint a bit through the rearview mirror if you haven’t opted for a rear camera.
In the backseat, the seats are really more for the sake of filling in the space – we don’t see how normal sized people could sit back there without cramps. Headroom is also in high demand since the Beetle’s sloping rood slopes into that real estate.
Boot space clocks in at 310 litres. Folding the 50:50 split rear seats forward brings capacity up to 905 litres.
Overall
With its signature look, it’s easy to see why many people look at this VW when they consider buying a quirky car. The engine and driving quality is pretty well reviewed too so you can’t really go wrong here.
Original : Reviewing the Volkswagen Beetle
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Another very attractive and stylish Beetle. Godda love it.
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The Volkswagen Beetle is such an iconic car. I remember my grandpa used to have one when I was a kid - that rounded shape with the engine in the back was so unique. It was fun to ride around in with him. For a more in-depth look at the Beetle, check out the guide on Car Smite about the best and worst model years. It's really interesting to see how the car evolved over time. The early Beetles definitely had some issues but the newer models seemed pretty solid before being discontinued in 2019. Definitely a fun car with a fascinating history behind it.
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