Latest VW Beetle 1.2 TSI driven

The latest Beetle sweeps in, triggering fond memories, with some new twists to boot.

IT WAS a re-acquaintance of sorts. Here I was with the latest Volkswagen Beetle in hand.

It brought back memories of the first car I had after joining the workforce more than 20 years ago.

It was a used Bug that had frankly seen better days. Despite the beat-up condition and the occasional ejection of black smoke from the tail pipe, the green-bodied Bug continued to serve me well for two years until I had to let it go for another German car.

Unlike many mass market and faceless cars today, the old jalopy held a certain appeal. Call it character if you will. The engine’s loud and in the back – the better to hear its heart beat – the seats provide the bare minimum comfort and the tall gearshift lever felt like a Jurassic throwback.

Despite such foibles, the car in its mechanical simplicity, endeared itself to the driver. It was light, agile and could go round corners like a champ.

Like the bunny in the Energizer TV ad, it just kept going and going. Yet it made few demands on its owner save for the regular maintenance.

And in its 2012 incarnation, the latest Beetle still has some of that retro appeal, coupled with a huge dollop of modern techno upgrades to stick it firmly in the 21st century.

The person buying into the whole Beetle plot would generally be style-conscious, individualistic and wants to be perceived as someone with a creative streak. The latest Beetle indulges in this respect. It looks a little less cute and more coupelike with a front end that’s wider, lower and longer. The windscreen is shifted further back and given a more rakish slant than before.

It has been said that the C pillar and rear part of the roof have been altered to transform the third-generation Beetle to what it is now. In fact, the back half profile harks back to that of the original Beetle, with headlights that pay homage by emulating the design in the distant past.

The Design trim line means the fascia panel of the dashboard is finished in body colour, which is white in this case. Fabric seats are all you get. And the girly effect of its predecessor is no more with the dashboard-mounted vase axed.

Bear in mind that the 2.0-litre version of the Beetle has just arrived with leather seats, more kit and an engine with more poke, the same one used in the much admired Golf GTI.

The latest Beetle still has some of that retro appeal, coupled with a huge dollop of modern techno upgrades to stick it firmly in the 21st century.

Above the usual glove compartment is another glove box that has a lid that flips upwards and is another ode to the original.

‘tis a car for four grown-ups and even with a 22mm longer wheelbase than before, the rear seats are decidedly only okay for short trips but not the most comfortable for the long sojourn beyond city limits. There’s reasonable headroom but the discomfort comes from less than generous legroom.

Front seats slide far enough forward to allow getting in and out of the rear without much of a problem though.

The tailgate opens high up to reveal a decent boot space of 310 litres for a car this size, with space expandable when rear seats are folded.

Many a German car hew to a stolid cabin theme and the VW passenger cell, likewise, is not a place to get emotional about even as one may point out the refinements and well-built quality.

The Beetle interior tends to be sober and, yes, business-like, with the design and controls looking as if they had been plucked from a similar template as the Golf, which by the way shares the same platform.

The Beetle is fitted with a 1.2 TSI engine that’s latched to a seven-speed DSG.

The official performance numbers are 105PS and 175Nm of torque, between 1,550 and 4,100rpm, allowing for a 0-100kph sprint in 10.9s.

Top speed is rated at 180kph, while fuel consumption is just 5.9 litres per 100km.

How’s the drive then, you ask?

VW has set out to make this a better car to steer and it quickly shows from the way it has taken advantage of its bigger dimensions and lower, wider footprint.

A charged engine to generate boost pressure has a marked effect on the small petrol direct injection powerplant that would otherwise be a sluggard. The car feels brisk on the go. Accelerate and the DSG responds with rapid gear changes either way to bring the car quickly up to speed.

This is matched to a firm suspension that handles road irregularities well, while still conferring a quiet and comfortable ride.

The car tackles the open road competently, feeling planted at triple digit speeds and maintaining that composure even when diving into corners.

At around RM140,000, this 1.2 TSI VW is the cheapest way to a modern Beetle.

If you hanker for more, an extra RM80,000 will snag the 2.0-litre version.