Test Drive: 2012 Volkswagen Beetle 2.5

By Kevin Harrison

Jon Voight turned 73 last week. Can you believe it? The man best known for his role in The Rainmaker in the 1990’s, his outspoken liberal political views and, most notably, for helping to spawn Angelina Jolie has actually been around for over seven decades. It seems like just yesterday he was playing Ben Stiller’s coal-miner father in Zoolander. He certainly has quite the resume.

Although as impressive as it is, the Volkswagen Beetle certainly has done a lot in its 73-year history as well. It’s the most manufactured car based off a single design (though the Porsche 911 could take second place easily). There were 21,529,464 Beetles sold worldwide and that was up until 2003 when that first generation body style officially went out of production. In fact, that body style was the star of my all-time favourite Disney movie (and probably the only Disney movie I’ve ever liked), Herbie. No one could beat the little Bug with the #53 painted on its hood, even though many Lancia’s, Alfa Romeos, Lamborghinis and Ferrari’s tried. Back then as a mini car nut, Herbie, and subsequently the Beetle, earned a special place in my heart. Even to this day when I see a Type 1 Beetle it puts a smile on my face.

I remember being fairly unimpressed with the ‘New Beetle’ which debuted in 1998. While the overall shape of the original was captured, it’s bubble styling cuteness was hard to overlook. It was clear that Volkswagen was after a specific market with the New Beetle and it was not me. Available in a wide variety of bright colours and even a daisy on the dash, the New Beetle become quite a hit with mostly women. Meanwhile I, and pretty much every male on the planet, was left wondering what Volkswagen had done with my beloved Herbie.

Well it seems Volkswagen has had a new train of thought with this all-new second generation New Beetle. Volkswagen realized that in order to achieve their goal of world domination, they had to make a vehicle that pleased both men and women alike.

Have they succeeded?

Description: http://cardriven.ca/wp-includes/js/tinymce/plugins/wordpress/img/trans.gifIn order to achieve that harmonious admiration for this New Beetle, Volkswagen had to add a lot more testosterone to the styling, all while not alienating its strong estrogen base. On top of that, they couldn’t strain too far from the original Beetle’s design as the New Beetle is largely a retro based model. So, how do you inject more testosterone into such a shape? Well Volkswagen started by lowering and flattening the roofline. They added a longer hood and wheel arches that look more like bulging muscles rather than cute love handles. However, if Volkswagen truly wanted to completely the muscular look, they would have made 17’s standard instead of 16’s. With that said, the more aggressive design certainly won favour from most of the males in my office. But what about women who grew so found of the previous design? Well apparently a good majority of them can’t tell the difference from the old one based on my very unscientific poll. So, unifying exterior design? Check.

The Beetle has always had a reputation for lots of headroom thanks to its dome shaped design and even with that lowered flattened roof that remains true in the new version. I suspect even the six foot eight inch Lebron James would feel comfortable in the Beetles insides. It’s also immediately apparent when you step inside is a feeling that the Beetle is actually quite wide. And that’s because it is. This combined with the headroom gives the Beetle and airy feel inside the cabin. All the controls are logically laid out and are of typical Volkswagen high quality, however the large amounts of coloured plastic on the dash and alongside the doors makes the Beetle feel more like a  utilitarian vehicle  than a premium vehicle. The rear seats offer adequate leg room, however this is where to roof starts to slope and when Lebron James would rather be playing hockey than sitting back there.

The Beetle actually comes with a flat-bottomed steering wheel which is normally reserved for Volkswagen’s performance injected models like the GTI or GLI. I was surprised by this considering the numbers on paper. My tester came with Volkswagen’s long-in-the-tooth 2.5 five cylinder engine which makes 170 horsepower and 177 pound feet of torque. While that is adequate power for the most part, it’s quite shy from what a performance vehicle should have. On top of it all, the Beetle takes about a decade to come to life from a stand still when you mash the throttle to the floor. However, once it reaches year ten, you can really feel the torque kick in. But while the torque can eventually get you going off the line, don’t expect to win too many drag races. This isn’t actually Herbie, after all. One thing this engine does accelerate at is highway driving. The engine is a bit loud in city driving, but it quietly and smoothly masters the road on the highway. While doing so, it’s returning about 7.8 L/ 100 kms. The Beetle’s outdated engine is a big reason why I question the flat-bottomed steering wheel, however to be fair I suspect you could get more out of this engine when equipped with a six-speed manual, and on top of that, you can also opt for Volkswagen’s much more desirable 2.0T.

Even though the 2.5 falls a bit short in engine performance, the Beetle actually handles fairly well and a big reason why is that it is based on the tried tested and true Jetta. With that said, the hydraulically powered steering wheels gives little feedback to the driver so throwing the Beetle into a corner can be somewhat unnerving with lots of wheel correction to be made while completing the turn. With that said, the Beetle 2.5 successfully blends decent handling with a smooth comfortable ride.

 But is it a car that honestly appeals to both sexes?


My guess is that answer probably relies on which variant you choose. While there isn’t anything inherently wrong with the 2.5, my guess is that women will favour this trim level over men due to its simplicity, it’s softer looks and it’s comfort level. Men would like go for the more aggressive 2.0T with the appropriate style and performance upgrades. In fact, rumour has it that a Beetle R will be gracing our shores and that would be the ultimate draw to get most men to even consider a Beetle. Women with gasoline in their veins would also appreciate this version as well.

So at the end of the day, yes I’d saw Volkswagen has succeeded in breaking down the stereotype of the Beetle being a car exclusively made for women. It may have taken Volkswagen 73 years to do it, but finally we may have a true “people’s car”.

Base Price: $21,975

Pros:

  • More aggressive styling
  • Good quality interior materials
  • Great highway ride
  • Slightly more performance oriented, with a good blend of comfort
  • Low base price

Cons:

  • 2.5 litre engine not the most refined engine in the world
  • Lots of lag from stand still
  • Little steering feedback
  • Interior plastics not consistent with traditional VW premium feel

Overall: 7.5/10

 

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