Poor Man's Audi TT

Author's Rating:

Pros: Stylish, quality construction, interior space, engine, design features

Cons: Back seat a little tight

The Bottom Line: 
Quality car. European/German fun-to-drive. Peppy. Safe. And nothing looks like a Beetle!

Author's Review
A friend of mine just got a 2002 New Beetle and I had to have a look. I've driven mostly Fords, have had a terrible experience with the new Ford Escape, and am enjoying a BMW 3-series. So, cars are always on my mind!

Overview
My friend's Beetle is a 2002 GLS, equipped with the 2.0 gas engine, automatic, leatherette seats (non-leather but very leather-like!), and the Monsoon 6-CD system. He got one of the new colors for 2002, a metallic Blue that almost looks purple in the shade - very rich color, with the cream leatherette interior. When you look at a Beetle, you can't help but smile as the car looks as 'cute as a bug'!

The Interior
The front passengers enjoy incredible leg room and head room in the New Beetle. The New Beetle is a lot larger than the old Beetles! With the long stretch of the dashboard, the interior feels very spacious. German-engineering is in the details. Continuing with the round motif, every design element in the car was round, semi-circle or circular. Cup holders are sturdy, grippy units that remind me of my BMW cup holders - but the VW smartly positions them usefully! (In the BMW, you can't put a drink the cup holder and shift gears!) The dash pod is round with a clever rendition of VW's blue/purple guages. All the gauges are integrated into this very big round dial. The steering wheel is also very thick and sturdy - obviously, this car has been engineered to convey feelings of safety and quality.

The front seats tip ingeniuously out of the way to reach the back seats.... To my surprise, I, at a meager 5'9", had no problem sitting upright in the back seat behind a 6'4" driver who had set his seat back. I wouldn't want to sit in the back seat for a very long ride, but it was comfortable enough - so, the Beetle's rear seats should be good for kids and shorter adults with no problem.

The rear hatch opens up to a good size trunk - back seats can fold down for even more trunk room.

Performance
The 2.0 engine, even with automatic, was very peppy! Driving along the Pacific Coast Hwy, we were surprised that the Beetle was quietly handling 80+mph with no wind noise and no effort. Handling was similar to my BMW 3-series though I liked the Beetle's seats better!

Overall
I have not looked at Volkswagen's in years. The rusty Rabbits of the 80's with their theft-prone stereos sort of ruined their reputation for me for the longest time. When the new Beetle was introduced in 1998, I thought the car was a novelty car with no practical use.

However, having driven the new 2002 Beetle, I am very impressed! I've heard the car described as a poor man's Audi TT - and if you look at an Audi TT, they do look like a flattened Beetle - and I'm convinced. I can just imagine how much more fun a Beetle might be with the Turbo engine and a 5-speed manual.

German-engineering. A Best Buy from Consumer Guide. Great safety features. And great crash-testing. This car puts Volkswagen back on the map for me for my next car....