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VOLKSWAGEN'S NEW BEETLE - TDI Reviewed by Colin Hefferon  Still a red hot fashion statement VW's New Beetle is hot. While it's cooled off somewhat in the past few years since its introduction in Canada and the US, it's still a must-have fashion object in many other parts of the world -- except Germany. Apparently, they can't give them away there. But that's another story. The New Beetle kept a number of styling cues from the Old Beetle, including its rounded, "June Bug" shape and even the hippie's favored flower vase. It also maintained its famous air tight doors. Anyone who's ever owned an Old Beetle will remember when they had to open the window a crack so the doors could be closed without slamming. The New Beetle's exactly the same. In fact, it's the only car I've driven in this series that is so tightly-built. A Golf by any other name The funky shape, the flower vase, and the airtight doors are, however, about the only areas in which the New Beetle resembles its predecessor. Under the skin, the car is pure current-generation Golf; Volkswagen's sophisticated, super-successful compact sedan. It has superb handling, powerful brakes and a functional, yet very comfortable interior with (gasp!) air conditioning and power everything. Equipped with the 1.8T (turbo 150hp) engine, which it shares in North America with the Audi A4, it is also a little rocket, capable of turning very fast 0-60mph (0-100kmh) times: in the low 8-second range, which is about the same as, say, the Chrysler 300M or the BMW 528. Even equipped with a base 2.0 liter (115hp) engine, the New Beetle is plenty quick and, of course, gets great gas mileage. The New Beetle I drove last week was equipped with Volkswagen's excellent 1.9 liter (90 hp) turbodiesel engine which is reputedly one of the best automobile engines in the world and may well represent the future of the automotive powerplant. The major car companies in Europe all have sophisticated, new turbodiesels ready to bring to market in their full range of automobiles, including ultra-luxury sedans like the BMW 7-series, the Audi A-8 and the Mercedes Benz S-class. These new powerplants have been engineered to give comparable performance to gasoline engines but with significantly reduced emissions (including CO2 emissions) and much improved fuel economy. Apparently, they've also made huge strides in controlling the clatter from these larger, more powerful diesels. Performance at the fuel pumps I really liked the diesel in the New Beetle; it gives perfectly satisfactory acceleration for 99% of the driving I do. Because of the very nature of a diesel engine, however, the turbodiesel suffers somewhat at the top end compared with the gasoline Beetle. That should not be a problem in North America except perhaps in Montana where, I understand, the police ticket you primarily for driving beyond your ability (i.e., for stupidity) rather than for exceeding an arbitrary number. The turbodiesel Beetle is not a performance engine in any sense of the term. So, for those times when you "just gotta hear rubber burn," rent a Mustang GT or a Z-28 Camaro for the day. Believe me, after you've filled the tank on one of those puppies after a few hours of hard-charging, you'll be grateful for your diesel Beetle. The turbodiesel-equipped Beetle is primarily about miles-per-gallon: It really shines at the fuel pumps. Frankly, given the price of gasoline in Vancouver these days, I was looking for a bit of a break at the pumps after testing the Grand Cherokee 4.7 V-8 and the Audi S4 in quick succession. The turbodiesel Beetle gave my wallet a rest. It was great. I appreciated it, my VISA card liked it, and the environment got a break, as well. Incidentally, speaking of fuel cost, we might as well just save our complaints because it promises to get even more painful after the US elections in November. The price of fuel's going nowhere but up after election day. We might have occasional respites, like we had during some of 1999, but generally it's heading north. I know gas prices have been easing these past couple of weeks but I wouldn't be at all surprised if $1.90 or even two dollars per gallon becomes the norm across America. (Canadian prices have been there for some time already.) When the pain gets too great for you, consider trading the Expedition or the Tahoe on a New Beetle. If you're really hurting, check the diesel option. Roomy up front, less so in back But enough about fuel economy and performance. What's the New Beetle really like? Well, for starters, it's loaded with thoughtful touches like power windows and a radio that works when the engine is shut off (as long as you leave the key in the ignition). The New Beetle also has plenty of front seat room. Rear seat room is somewhat limited if the guys in the front seats are not prepared to hunker up a bit. In general, though, the cabin's spacious, helped by an extraordinarily high ceiling. I had at least 8-inches from the top of my head to the headliner. While there's excellent visibility in every direction, you can't see the four corners of the vehicle, which might be a problem for some people the first time they're behind the wheel. Try before you buy. The New Beetle is roomy inside but unusually compact outside. In fact, it's one of the shortest cars available in North America. At only 161 inches in length, it's about the same length as a BMW Z-3 or a Mercedes-Benz SLK sports roadster. Surprisingly (to me anyway) it's 8 inches shorter than DaimlerChrysler's PT Cruiser (a hot new rival in the cutest-car stakes) and even, for goodness sake, 2-inches shorter than Toyota's new sub-compact Echo -- which makes it an ideal city car. No squeaks or rattles Fit and finish in the New Beetle is topnotch. There were absolutely no rattles or squeaks in my test car (which has over 10,000 hard journalist miles on the clock). Over bumps and other road imperfections, the only noise that enters the cabin is a re-assuring "thunk" which suggested to me the suspension was having no trouble whatsoever handling the four-inch-deep potholes we managed to find on a street just off Vancouver's Point Grey Road... which has possibly the highest priced real estate in Canada. Potholes and monster houses? Go figure. The New Beetle's made in Mexico but true to its Teutonic roots, the interior tends towards the no-nonsense. Blacks and grays are relieved somewhat by interesting alloy highlights. The seats are terrific with easy to operate manual controls which include height and seat cushion adjustments. But as the owner of a New Beetle, you'll need a quick answer for this frequently asked question, "What's with the three-acre dash?" Actually, there's a reason for the two-and-a-half feet or so between the base of the windshield and the instrument panel: The New Beetle, being based on the Golf platform, must retain that car's seating location. However the curving slope of the New Beetle's windshield puts the base far ahead of the Golf's more upright glass. Hence, the huge expanse of tray. Which reminds me, what's any Beetle review without a hair-raising, can-you-top-this tall tale about the Old Beetle, a car which made up in reliability, economy and quirkiness what it lacked in handling. Quirkiness? All right, try this: It floated! The Old Beetle actually floated. How many cars can you name that float? Besides the Amphicar, that is. Old Beetle had its handling quirks Most of the apocryphal Old Beetle stories seem to be set in the late '60s or early '70s. Mine happened in, as I recall, 1967 or '68 and involved a 1958 Beetle I owned at the time. A friend and I were driving up Highway 400, an expressway north of Toronto, on a very windy day in late November. It was raining, of course, and there was a nasty chill in the air. Naturally, the temperature inside the cabin of the Beetle was just above freezing itself, even with the heating vents wide open. I had the gas pedal flat on the floor, trying to overcome the effects of a very, very slight grade and a strong headwind. We were doing maybe 50 mph, tops. As we emerged from under one of the overpasses, a gust of wind actually spun the car in what I recall as a full 360 degrees. In fairness to the car, we were going from a dry road under the overpass to an icy road after we emerged. This would challenge a lot of cars, even today. What was remarkable about that era and that incident was that we had enough space on the road to flat-spin and not hit any other car. The Beetle barely slowed its forward progress. At least, I remember it that way 30-years later and we simply continued along, no wiser, I'm sure, but considerably warier. (Hey! Gimme a break! We were teenagers.) Needless to say, all of this rear-engine quirkiness has been engineered out of the front-engine, front-wheel-drive New Beetle, which is now ranked among the best-handling cars in its market segment. Where buying is a privilege Although the British automotive press reported earlier this year that they can't give them away in Germany, most other markets for the New Beetle, including North America, are still very strong. Anticipation has been so high in Malaysia, for example, that an auction for the privilege of buying the first one was held. The winner gave over $5-million US to charity. He was then allowed to pay almost $38,500 US plus VAT for the privilege of owning the first New Beetle on his block. Lucky beggars that we are, those of us living in the US or Canada can get one fully loaded for a heck of a lot less than that. Minus the auction. Photos © Volkswagen Vancouver-based Colin Hefferon regularly tests and reviews new vehicles. Though an automotive enthusiast by nature, Colin takes the perspective of the average car owner. Which, after all, is most of us! Colin Hefferon is the road test editor for About Cars where more of his car reviews may be found. |
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