We drive the Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet
08 October 2007
Price as tested: £20,247
Range price: £14,372 - £20,247
Insurance group as tested: 9A
Insurance group range: 6E – 13D
Date tested: August 2007
Road tester:
Auto Trader Ten Point Test rating: 75%
The original Volkswagen Beetle is one of the most iconic cars of all time, famous for being the product of a particular period of German history. Adopted by peace activists in the sixties it also starred in a range of Disney films as a never-say-die race car.
Volkswagen’s second incarnation is a different beast. It’s bigger, bolder, more solid and with the engine positioned in the front instead of the rear.
But it preserves the cuteness of its multi-million selling predecessor and even retains the diminutive vase by the steering wheel – keeping the free loving symbol of the sixties alive. We borrowed a Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet for a week to see what it was like.
Looks | Looks Inside | Practicality | Ride and Handling | Performance
Running Costs | Reliability | Safety | Equipment | X-Factor | Rivals
There aren’t many cuter-looking cars on the market than the Volkswagen Beetle with its roof down. The flared wheel arches house a set of funky 16-inch alloys with the elliptical front and rear lights staring back at you. When driving the Beetle we received some interesting looks from male drivers expecting to see a lady behind the wheel.
9/10
As with all Volkswagens, the interior is full of hardwearing dark plastics and leathers. The centre console isn’t too inspiring with a plain-looking CD player and heating switchgear, making it look quite dated. The dials behind the dash were a different kettle of fish with the fuel and rev counter dwarfed by an enormous speedo. Our model had comfy leather seats - which have a hefty premium of £1,640.
7/10
Not a strong point for the Beetle Cabriolet. The rear seats are so small and cramped that most adults would struggle for comfort. The boot’s capacity is just 201 litres which is similar to rival cabriolets but much smaller than the average hatchback. This prevents large supermarket trips.
5/10
The Beetle is built for cruising rather than its handling prowess; which is apparent from the amount of body roll around bends. It’s a comfortable machine though, soaking up lumps and humps on the move. The steering isn't as sharp as other convertibles we've driven, but it unlikely to worry its style-conscious buyers. The car is relatively free from the shaking which can affect some convertibles too.
7/10
5. PerformanceWe drove the 2-litre version – one of four petrol engines available – which was mated to an automatic gearbox. With a 0-62mph time of 12.9 seconds, it's no performance car, but once up to speed, it can easily maintain a motorway cruise. Sadly the auto 'box is not one of the VW Group's fine DSG units, but a slushy one which is slow to shift gears. Other engine choices include a insurance-friendly 1.4, a 1.6 and 1.8 turbocharged petrol units and a 1.9-litre diesel. Naturally the larger units are more adept at higher speeds, with the smaller engines more at home around town.
6/10
The 2-litre Beetle Cabriolet we tested manages an average of 30.7mpg, while emitting 222g/km of carbon dioxide. This means regular trips to the filling station and an annual road tax bill of £205 – the same as a big BMW 530d Estate. The rest of the range manages an average fuel economy around the 40mpg mark, while the 1.9 turbodiesel will cover 50mpg.
7/10
Volkswagen is renowned for its reliability and the Beetle doesn’t buck the brand’s trend. Based on the super-solid Mark IV Golf, the Beetle has a reliability index rating of 71, which is better than average. The materials all feel hardwearing and if there are any problems within the first three years / 60,000 miles you’ll be covered by the manufacturer’s warranty.
9/10
Another plus point for the Volkswagen Beetle Convertible. Standard features include anti-lock brakes, electronic stability programme, electronic differential lock and traction control. There are driver and passenger airbags, door side impact protection, curtain airbags and a rollover protection system which, in the case of the car rolling, will eject bars from the rear backrests to provide protection. In the EuroNCAP crash test programme, the Beetle Cabriolet was awarded four stars.
9/10
Standard features include a CD player, front and rear electric windows, power steering and sexy 16-inch alloy wheels. And you even get a flower vase. But it was missing steering wheel sound controls – something found on most £20,000 cars but not even an option on the Beetle. The hood is electrically-powered but we had troubles opening it without it sounding a warning noise when we thought it was open properly. The model we tested has an on-the-road price of £20,247. But with the leather seats (£1,640), 
six-disc CD system (£425) and wind deflector (£240) the price escalates to more than £22,500. And if you want other extras found standard on many rivals such as cruise control and air conditioning you’ll have to pay extra.
6/10
Everywhere we drove the Beetle women would gorge in awe at the cute cabriolet, while men would anxiously peer through to see who was driving. It’s an ‘ah!’ car for females, but a ‘ha!’ car for men. It’s not a practical car, but who cares – if you’re looking at a Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet, practicality isn’t top of the list of requirements.
10/10
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