by Kevin Bradley

Created on: January 10, 2009

Although it has only been 10 years since the new Volkswagen Beetle was introduced, it seems that the luster has come off the trend of wanting this piece of history. The 60s and 70s were a time that the Beetle was en vogue and being off the scene in the 80s and early and mid 90s, it was a hot vehicle when re-introduced to the public in 1997.

Now there are other cars on the market that that are small and economical and are competing with the Beetle for those dollars. So obviously, some changes had to be made to distinguish the Beetle even more from its competitors. This includes new bumpers on the front and rear, new headlights and tail-lights on the outside and redesigned sun visors and instrument location and chrome trim.

As it has always been with the Volkswagen Beetle, space is the main concern. There is limited cargo space and small, cramped backseats, even though the backseat has been increased from the 60s and 70s version. And those looking for powerful cars will want something other than a Beetle. But they have made the engine more of a reason to get the car than not.

Since the base of the Beetle is taken from the Jetta and Golf, it's not a surprise that some of the additions were first implemented in those other vehicles. Namely, the gasoline engine choices have been changed to a 150-horsepower, 2.5 liter, five cylinder engine, which first appeared in the Jetta. And now standard is Stability control.

Starting in 2003, the new Beetle had a TDI diesel as an option, but on top of that, Volkswagen has added the DSG (Direct Shift Gearbox) transmission. This is an innovation that also comes with the Jetta; it's basically a manual six-speed without the clutch, leaving that to a computer. The result is a seemingly seamless transition from automatic to manual, even making the traditional manual transmission obsolete.

In terms of safety, the Beetle received four of five stars in terms of both front impact qualifications but a rating of Poor for it side impact capacity. But this is the same case for many smaller cars and although it isn't ideal, the side-impact safety level is comparative to its competitors. As for its road performance, the Beetle is a suitable car. Although not that powerful, it is sporty enough for those looking for a car that's deceptively quick. It is good enough for road trips and for cruising, there are more options that are just as appealing, the Mini Cooper being the most popular at this time.

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