Excalibur’s Phil Darlington reviews the 2012 Volkswagen Beetle
7/10
Verdict: It may not be a 911 Turbo, but it offers better looks, a smoother ride, and more sportiness than its predecessor. With its new squashed beetle look (pun intended) and sharper looks it is sure to attract more of the gearhead market.
7/10
Performance: the Beetle in the sport line trim, which we tested, had the 2.0L TSI engine with a 6-speed DSG gearbox. This may seem like a bit of a copout for car purists who insist that a manual transmission is the only way to go, but the DSG gearbox has reset the bar for automatics. With the lightning fast shifts and a Golf GTI engine, the car has a very sporty feel. The suspension did feel softer in the Beetle and the whole car felt like a softened down version of the GTI.
8/10
Comfort: The softer suspension isn’t a bad thing. For day-to-day driving it makes bumps a little less tortuous to the spine and the seats, in true VW fashion, were very comfortable.
9/10
Safety: Aside from the usual front airbags, the Beetle also comes with driver and passenger head and throat airbags. The car feels solid and has been given a “very good” rating for safety by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
7/10
Looks: The old Beetle wasn’t much of a looker. The new one looks like its been flattened and the interior feels like sitting in the Golf GTI. This helps its appeal to people who like the idea of a Beetle but may have previously shied away because it was a bit… flowery.
6/10
Cost: the Sport line starts at $29,000, which is not in the cheap end of car prices, but you do get a lot for your money. Fuel consumption is slightly higher than the Golf GTI but nothing too game-changing.
