DESCRIPTION

Pros:

• Exterior styling is now stronger and more masculine looking
• Efficient engine choices
• Interior has premium looking and soft touch surfaces
• Added utility with hatchback and folding rear seats

Cons:

• Costs extra for additional compartment above standard glovebox that won't hold more than a few pencils and your cellphone

Ruling: The 2012 VW Beetle is handsome, fun to drive and entirely worth consideration.

The third generation Beetle is targeted to on sale in the U.S. fall of 2011. Two models will launch: the Beetle and the sport-oriented Turbo. The following year, the Beetle will be offered with a fuel efficient TDI Clean Diesel engine.

Placing the original Beetle and the 21st Century Beetle next to one another, it’s clear that the lines of the rear sections are nearly identical, but the overall look is stronger, more dynamic, and more masculine.

“The Beetle is now characterized by a clean, self-confident and dominant sportiness. The car not only has a lower profile; it is also substantially wider, the front hood is longer, the front windshield is shifted further back and has a much steeper incline.", as explained by Klaus Bischoff (Volkswagen Brand Design Chief).

The 2012 Beetle is 71.2 inches wide (3.3 inches wider), 58.5 inches tall (0.5 inches lower) and 168.4 inches long (6.0 inches longer). The new focal point is the C-pillar. The development team also increased the car’s track widths and wheelbase. The changed proportions give the Beetle a powerful and dynamic appearance.

A new feature is the rear spoiler that is standard on the 2.0 Turbo and is integrated into the design. The top surface of the rear spoiler is black, while the underside is painted in body color.

Inside, three round gauges are arranged in front of the driver (tachometer, speedometer, fuel gauge), providing all key information at a glance. A multifunction display is integrated in the speedometer, which is housed in the central position in the binnacle. The steering wheel is specially designed with optional painted accents in the spokes depending on the equipment line. An optional auxiliary instrumentation package consisting of an oil temperature gauge, a clock, and a boost pressure gauge, can sit above the audio/navigation system.

The trunk is significantly larger, offering 15.4 cubic feet of space, compared with the New Beetle’s 12.0 cubic feet: with the seats folded, the capacity increases to 29.9 cubic feet. A split-folding rear seat—new on this Beetle—and a wide opening trunk lid ease loading and unloading.

The 2012 Beetle will offer two engines and transmissions: the 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine, producing 170-hp and 177 lb-ft of torque, is mated to a six-speed automatic and the 200-hp 2.0-liter TSI® turbocharged four-cylinder engine with the acclaimed D