Car Reviews > Volkswagen > Beetle Driven > VW Beetle Driven Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Prices: £22,000 (estimated)
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Gearbox: 6-speed automatic, front-wheel drive
Power/torque: 197bhp/ 280Nm
0-62 mph: 7.5 seconds
Top Speed: 139 miles per hour
Economy: 36.7 miles per gallon
Emissions: 179g per kilometre
Equipment: 17-inch alloys, GPS, climate control, rear spoiler, electric windows, carbon look dash, XDS front differential, red brake callipers, leather multifunction steering wheel, ESP
On Sale: Spring 2012

The all-new Bug is sportier than ever – but does it live up to its prestigious heritage?

The all-new, revitalised Beetle is an utterly modern reimaging of the classic original VW Beetle that is nothing less than hugely impressive, especially when it comes to making a first impression. The much loved retro styling cues remain undisturbed, including that instantly identifiable profile, the flared arches and the round headlights, yet there is still a more 21st century, even somewhat harder edged, feel to them, which makes the new model a real stylistic rival to the likes of the Fiat 500 and the MINI.

VW has made it quite clear that it is hoping the new Beetle will get the attention of the new generation of young male drivers, and it seems likely to achieve this goal with this new Sport variant, which certainly looks the part with its bright red brake callipers, 17-inch alloys, and very neat roof spoiler. The sporty theme continues on the inside, with some very stylish touches such as the one of a kind deep dish steering wheel, the optional auxiliary gauges that are positioned over the carbon effect dashboard, not to mention the figure hugging seats, all of which combine to give the effect that this is a very special car to sit inside of.

The flagship petrol version, which is not actually released until sometime next summer, also has the turbocharged 2.0-litre power plant that some will already be familiar with from the Golf GTI. This helps make the new VW Beetle very quick off the mark, with a bhp rating of no less than 197 when sent to the front wheels via VW’s 6-speed DSG gearbox and a hugely impressive 0-62 miles per hour time of just 7.5 seconds and a maximum speed of 139 miles per hour. Those sorts of figures should be enough to silence any critics, even those who were bitterly disappointed by the performance of the previous vehicle.

The handling is also a vast improvement on that of the second generation VW, featuring for the very first time a multilink suspension at the rear, considerably stickier tyres and, at least on the more powerful models, an XDS differential at the front that alleviates under steering by instead braking the inside wheel.

The new VW Beetle makes sharp turns, and offers plenty of grip in the middle of corners, though there is a certain amount of disappointment from the fact that the feedback offered here is not quite up to the level that one would normally expect to find on what is basically a luxury hatchback. The ride also feels uncomfortably stiff, though this is likely to be a lot less noticeable on lesser versions that are on much smaller wheels.

These are small issues on the whole, which fail to detract from the fact that the new VW Beetle is a big step in the right direction. It is also much more practical, offering a much larger boot and plenty of room to seat up to four adults quite comfortably. Definitely the best looking and best handling Beetle to date.

by Autoweb