When the redesigned Volkswagen Beetle debuted a number of years ago there were a lot of words used to describe it. Most of which were to do with cute, pretty, darling, girlie etc.
There was a place to put a flower at the front of the dash, it wasn't a very muscular-looking vehicle, but it did however, look surprisingly like the original Beetle.
It appealed to auto writers, beetlemaniacs, girlfriends, wives and curious children because they could now hit their friends twice when playing punch buggy as a new Beetle was worth two hits whereas the old one was worth only one.
The one thing the car didn't seem to appeal to was guys.
No self-respecting gear head wanted to be seen driving a cute car, never mind being a passenger in one.
The Beetle may have been popular with the ladies but I'm not so sure about the guys.
For 2012 Volkswagen has redesigned the Beetle, and while keeping with the general look and shape of the original car, this is not your girlfriend's Beetle.
Gone are the "it's so cute" comments, as is the flower holder, and in their place is a lower, more aggressive stance and wider wheel arches offering a more manly, muscular look, if you will.
Yes, it still looks like a Beetle, but as a guy it raises my testosterone levels more than the previous version ever did.
The car seems to sit a little lower than the old Beetle, but this could just be a deception due to the lower front chin grille.
There is also more of an Audi TT look to it, which is a good thing.
Inside, the cutsieness is gone and in its place is a more business-like interior, more akin to the Jetta.
Everything is laid out in a precise, German fashion and everything seems to fit together with precision. It is hard to tell that you are sitting in a Beetle judging by the layout, seating and dash, however the silver colour across the dash separates it from any Jetta, Golf or Passat I have driven.
Whether this was done purposefully to give the Beetle a personal look to separate it from the other vehicles in the lineup, or whether it was just part of the designer's fashion sense I guess we will never know.
The important thing is, you know you are in a Volkswagen and you know the quality is there.
The seats are more than comfortable with heaters for the heiny, and the thick steering wheel is squared off at the bottom offering a more sporty look and feel to the car.
The Beetle offers three driving modes, for those of us who have short attention spans.
Normal driving mode in full automatic is super smooth thanks to the DSG transmission, but if you want more control over the gear changes there is the manumatic mode via the thick shifter.
For those who want a bit more fun from the 170 horsepower engine the sport mode - which uses the full automatic mode - allows the driver to rev a bit higher before changing gears.
The new Beetle comes with your choice of a 2.0-litre turbo diesel option, the 2.5 litre I drove and the 2.0-litre turbo (probably in Gli form) with 200 horsepower.
The beetle is a coupe with only two doors, which are larger than normal allowing easier access to the seats into he back. These seats fold down for extra storage space when needed.
There is enough head room in the Beetle for those on the plus side of six feet, and the telescoping wheel helps those who have longer than normal legs and like to sit in the back seat when driving.
The outside rear-view mirrors are power and heated, there are two glove boxes, iPod jack and AUX input as well as one-touch up and down windows, Bluetooth, heated front washer nozzles, leather, 17-inch rims and a host of safety equipment.
Some people say the original Beetle morphed over the years into the Porsche we see today, and that may be so. But the Beetle we see today not only keeps with the looks and affordability of the original Beetle - in that you get quite a bit for the price - it is also a better Beetle both on the inside, the outside and under the hood.
Vehicle
VOLKSWAGEN
BEETLE
Vehicle type:
2-door coupe
Transmission:
6-speed manumatic
Engine:
2.5-litre four cylinder
Horsepower:
170 @ 5,700
Torque:
177 @ 4,250
Mileage:
10.7 l/100 km
22 mpg City
7.6 l/100 km
31 mpg Hwy
Price as tested:
$25,940
