The new VW Beetle: Video Review

The new third generation Volkswagen Beetle will certainly appeal to both the classic car lover and to the average Joe Soap - it’s also a lot less girly looking than the last one, which is good news.

If there’s one car that any true petrol head would love to have in his (or her) personal collection it’s got to be the original VW Beetle. It’s a classic car that finally brought motoring to the masses and, believe it or not, it actually has a strong history with Ireland.

The very first VW Beetle to be assembled outside Germany was built right here in Dublin. Sadly, the new Beetle isn’t being built quite so close to home, but it still holds a lot of the same DNA and characteristics that had the Irish swooning for the original back in the 1950’s. The sloped back and raised wheel arches make a reappearance, but they're not as bubbly as the second generation and they're certainly more appealing this time around.

I was lucky enough to get my hands on the new Beetle Sport 1.4TSi 160hp model in candy white with a black trim and it was a seriously stunning car to look at and to drive. It came equipped with retro 18" Disk Alloy Wheels, black and red Vienna Leather with heated front seats, a panoramic tilt/slide sunroof and the Fender Sound System Plus with iPod Connector. It does, however, only sit four.

We can see this being a hit with surfers...

All the extras make the new Beetle an extremely enjoyable and a downright fun car to be in, however, while the Beetle range starts at a very reasonable €19,995, this version costs €32,084 - with all those bells and whistles attached. For that price you could buy a top class VW Golf and a classic Beetle (once it was under ten grand). Without those bells and whistles the 1.4 TSi version costs €26,320.

If price isn’t an option and you’re looking to capture a bit of that classic Beetle character from the late 50’s and 60’s then the sports model is what you’re after. The latest Beetle is a great party car perfect for long trips and its Fender sound system makes you feel like you’re standing right beside a set of concert speakers.

We can all agree that the second-generation model was a bit of a Barbie car and you could only really get away driving one if it belonged to your missus. This one, however, is styled with a more masculine and sporty feel thanks to a few new touch ups like the two-tone paint job, the modern plastic trim on the inside and the cool red leather seats – not to mention the all-new lean, mean VW grille.

The 1.4 TSi engine has buckets of power and although it’s quite a wide and long car, it has stable handling and it’s not likely to slide out of your control even in wet weather. The 1.4 TSi version sits in Tax Band C which will see you forking over an extra €330 a year, but that’s not bad considering it’s a large car with a powerful engine.

If you’re looking for a car that’s a little different to what’s already on the market and if you like the idea of driving a reliable modern motor with a classic twist then the VW Beetle is definitely for you. However, you might want deep pockets if you want all those extras.