Volkswagen New Beetle Car Review in India

After the success of the Jetta and the Passat in India, Volkswagen has launched the New Beetle in the country. This iconic car made its world debut in 1938. It was initially called the Kafer, the German word for "beetle", from which the popular English nickname originates. Since August 1967, Volkswagen began using the name Beetle for this brand.

The Beetle, affectionately called the Bug, came into being when Adolf Hitler ordered Ferdinand Porsche to design a "people's car". Erwin Komenda, Porsche's chief designer, was responsible for the design and style of the car. When the car was launched, critics had predicted a complete failure for the Beetle because of its peculiar styling and less powerful engine, but the car proved the critics wrong and went on to make history.

The original Beetle had the longest production run of any vehicle ever from 1938-2003. The Beetle has revolutionized the world by being the best selling single design car in history with a sales record of more than 21.5 million units.

The New Beetle was introduced in 1998 and it drew heavy inspiration from the exterior design of the original Beetle. Unlike the original Beetle, the New Beetle has its engine in the front with front wheel drive and luggage storage in the rear.

In India, the New Beetle comes in a single variant. The Volkswagen New Beetle is powered by a 2.0L 4-cylinder In-line petrol engine. The engine is coupled by a 6-speed automatic gearbox that provides smooth manoeuvring of the car. The engine can churn out a power of 115 bhp at 5400 rpm and a torque of 172 Nm at 3200 rpm.

The engine delivers excellent acceleration and high engine performance. The car can sprint from 0-100 km/h in a cool 8.7 seconds and can touch the top speed mark of 180km/h.

The classic car complies with the stringent Euro IV emission norms. The New Beetle is economical and gives a decent average mileage of 10 km/l.

With its immortal rounded contours, the Volkswagen New Beetle is an unmistakable designer object on four wheels. The body is galvanized giving reliable protection against rusting and computer-aided production makes precision fit of all body parts and wind noise is therefore negligible. The front independent McPherson Strut with spring coils and independent suspension on the rear end with pressurized gas shock absorbers delivers a smooth ride.

The two-door, four-seater hatch makes a style statement with its exterior design. With body-coloured bumpers and the bulging door handles along with the roof mounted antenna impart a smart and sporty look to the car. The 16-inch alloy wheels with full wheel covers give a peppy look to the New Beetle. The beady headlamps commands attention and the circular tail lamps add grace to the rear fascia. The bonnet with the Volkswagen emblem is an example of outstanding workmanship. The bonnet conveys a feeling of optimism as you will feel that the car is greeting you with a smile.

Inside the New Beetle, the shape of all the switches and controls is in line with the latest ergonomic findings and user-friendly. The interior of the Beetle welcomes you with the sports interior styling and the legendary flower vase. Starting from the blue illuminated instrumentation system has the speedometer, tachometer, odometer, tripodometer, fuel gauge and gear indicator for convenience of the drive. The clock and temperature display above the rear view mirror compliment the interior design. Comfort is further enhanced by the front centre armrest with integral storage box that also has a provision for a CD changer. The MP3 compatible "gamma CD" radio with Aux-in can produce good quality sound and increase the driving pleasure. There is also a provision for an iPod in the front centre armrest. The height-adjustable front seats bring an optimal view to the driver.

With nets on the centre console and inside the trunk and pockets on the reverse of the front seats, there is always sufficient space for storage. Moreover, comfort never makes a compromise in spite of being a two-door car. The easy entry function gets the front seats slide forward to make access easier for rear passenger.

Other functional features include remote keyless entry, full power accessories, heated front seats, 3-spoke tilt/telescoping, height adjustable power steering wheel with audio controls, power exterior mirrors, front seats has heating feature on, two-speed windshield wipers with 4-speed, adjustable intermittent wipe feature, heatable windshield washer nozzles, mirror control pad with joystick control, cup holders and cigarette lighter in front console, fully-carpeted lined luggage compartment, warning lights, front reading lights, coat hooks on doors and many more.

The Volkswagen New Beetle comes fully-equipped with safety features like front and side-impact airbags, active front head restraints, central locking, anti-lock brakes, tyre pressure monitoring system, stability control, ABS with EBD, Electronic Differential Lock (EDL), Electronic Stabilisation Programme (ESP) and anti-theft warning system.