VW Beetle Retro Design Appeals To Both Male And Female Owners: What A Ride!

Author's Rating:

Pros: Very convenient features, safety and acceleration; stronger engine

Cons: No sturdy bumper!

The Bottom Line: 
If you want to turn heads on the freeways and highways of America, get behind the wheels of a 2002 VW Beetle.

Author's Review
A few years ago, Volkswagen decided to retrofit this brand. Ever since, the craze has not stopped. From the moment these VW beetles started hitting the show rooms, many dealerships could not keep up with the demand. Based on the data provided by many local dealers, the 2001 VW beetles maintained steady sales despite the slowdown encountered by many other brands. It makes sense that the 2002 VW Beetle Turbo S is catching the attention of the young, image-conscious, retro-and-history-inspired consumers. Buying one of the 2002 VW beetles is like going back to something you love. And that's what the Volkwagen people were counting on. I had the opportunity to test-drive this hot vehicle. The following is my impression of this interesting little car among the land of the giant SUVs on our roads.

Do you want to talk performance or style? Whatever!

If there was anything that stayed with me after the ride, it's all the attention that I seemed to get from fellow drivers. When I pulled into a Sears parking lot to return some clothes that were defective, a gorgeous clerk who had seen me park the sports car became all inquisitive. Then, she started talking about one of her girlfriends who had been saving for two years to get one. I wondered whether she substituted this girlfriend's desire. I was very impressed with the speed of this turbocharged vehicle. In fact, this engine releases lots of acceleration power. I did not have to worry about skids or anything like that. This beetle comes equipped with Electronic Stabilization Program. In case of an emergency swerve or any crazy driver cutting you or pulling right in front of you, this program can keep the car under control. I did not come close to an emergency situation requiring me to see this feature in action.

Some of its competitors on the market can't come close to this turbocharged beetle. At a stoplight, I left a pulled away from a silver Chrysler PT Cruiser whose middle-aged driver did not seem to be up for the take. No matter what, he could not keep up with me. In a matter of seconds, this car can reach 48 mph. You will be surprised to find out that as you accelerate, a rear spoiler is raised above the rear window to give more stability to the rear end. As you slow down or stop, it retracts.

Let's talk about comfort: Interior and safety issues

Besides all the features you can find in a state-of-the art vehicle or sports car, let's look at some that make the 2002 beetle the car you must buy. If I was on the market to purchase a new car, I would definitely go for this one. It's far removed from the first models when they came out for the first time. This beetle is not like a powerless piece of junk on the road. It's affordable luxury, speed, performance and attention-grabbing! With leather-trimmed seats, you will get into a car that lets you see all your surroundings. The visibility is superb. I did not have any blind spots at all. I quickly checked the heating system and AC. Then, I wanted to listen to some music. The Monsoon Sound System is standard equipment. If you want more, the 6-disc CD changer can be mounted in the trunk as an option.

What else can you expect to find in this Turbo S?

If a late-generation car or 2002 vehicle does not the right quantity of head and neck protection gear such as airbags, it's not for me. In the 2002 beetle, you will find passenger side, driver side and side impact airbags. This is fantastic in case you run into something. From the spacious, carpeted trunks, let's now take a look under the hood. We will find that this little car has a 1.8-liter, four cylinder turbocharged engine which produces 180-horsepower. If you want performance, you will truly find it in this 3000-pound Turbo S.

This car has moved beyond the powerless, flower-power type of vehicles out there on the roads. It can be yours. It will stay yours. Some of the other features you will find are its keyless remote entry system, theft deterrent system alarm and engine immobilizer.

I strongly recommend this car to you if you want familiarity, comfort, state-of-the-art engineering.