2003 Volkswagen New Beetle Convertible

Just when I thought nothing could top the cute quotient of the BMW Mini Cooper, here comes the Volkswagen New Beetle Convertible. During my week’s test drive of this drop-top Bug, heretofore unseen by public eye, men and women alike were eager to ogle. Always, the comment was, “Cute.” Although women said it with a great deal more enthusiasm and often in that special inflection normally reserved for small dogs and holiday sweaters.

BMW gets a little sniffy about the Mini being called “cute,” but as far as I can tell VW has no such problem. Women have accounted for a significant percentage of New Beetle sales, so “cute” works.

But don’t confuse this term of endearment with “frilly” or “silly.” This New Beetle Convertible is neither, and that’s why I like it so much.

The Good News
The Convertible follows the formula put forth in the regular New Beetle that combines economy, nostalgia, simplicity and fun. Designers were careful to make it look very much like the original Beetle convertible, especially with the top down. Instead of folding flat and disappearing into a boot like most of today’s ragtops, the Beetle’s heavy black top accordions back and forms a high shelf. It retains the same basic profile as its predecessor, but with a cleaner, more contemporary look.

The top operates either manually or semi-automatically. Mine had the latter, a marvelously simple affair that requires twisting one handle to release and latch, while a button does the rest. There’s even one button that drops all four windows at once. Convenient.

The “Mellow Yellow” soft lemon color of my test car, in contrast to the bright yellow popular with the hardtop, also evokes memories of yesteryear’s Bug Convertibles. But color, essence and philosophy are the only real similarities between this VW New Beetle Convertible and its predecessor. The structural integrity, quiet ride, simple luxuries, safety and certainly the powertrain are now all light years beyond.

When you open the doors, the windows lower slightly and then automatically realign back into the thick, lined roof to ensure a solid seal against wind noise. Extra reinforcements shore up the chassis and prevent the old convertible shake, and Automatic Rollover Supports sense an impending roll and deploy behind the rear seats to protect occupants with top up or down. Electronic Stabilization adds sophisticated stability control in tricky situations, and front and side airbags are standard.

Currently, the only engine available is the 2.0-liter 115-horsepower 4 cylinder, but the 150-horse 1.8-liter Turbo is soon to come. You can choose between a 5-speed manual transmission and a nifty 6-speed automatic Tiptronic, the first auto 6-speed for this class. It’s a lot of gears for 115 horses, but dropping into manual shift mode (i.e. Tiptronic) makes for some good fun.

Elsewhere, this VW New Beetle Convertible shines in all the same ways as its hardtop sister. It has great reflexes, a reasonable ride, terrific front headroom and the kind of thoughtful accessories and brilliant German engineering that work without being fussy. I love the way the seats fold forward and adjust and the solid feel of everything from steering wheel to turn-signal stalk. It also has a great 10-speaker sound system that doesn’t take a 13-year-old computer genius to program and marvelous heated seats, both optional.

Like I said about the hardtop, this Beetle has everything I want, and nothing I don’t.

The Bad News
Equipped with automatic transmission and this base 2.0L engine, this front-wheel-drive New Beetle is not zippiest ride out there. The same dollars can buy far more muscle elsewhere in this subcompact class. But, as I see it, this car isn’t about speed; it’s about charm.

There is nothing charming, however, about the backseat or trunk. Backseat passengers are relegated to a stiff, straight seatback and clipped headroom with the top up. As for the trunk, they shouldn’t have bothered: 5 cubic feet versus 12 in the hardtop. (And to think they put a release catch in the trunk so you could open it from the inside. Yikes!) There is an optional ski sack, which mine had, for $185. At least you could carry long loaves of bread through the trunk.

Gas mileage
EPA rated at 23 mpg city/29 highway

Price
Manufacturer’s base, $23,025;
Price as tested, $25,010

Is it worth it?
My VW New Beetle Convertible was the mid-range GLS model: not the fanciest of the bunch, but fairly pricey when you add the $900 Leather Package (which includes heated seats, etc.), $325 for Monsoon Sound system upgrade and that ski sack. Still, I really liked all the options and would be tempted to spring for them.

But you can get one of these VW Convertibles (incidentally the only one available now that the Cabriolet is history) for as little as $21,000 and change with manual transmission and no extras.

Like the hardtop, I think this New Beetle Convertible is a home run. Besides its obvious cuddliness, it’s well-built, economical and delightful to drive. The combination should lure plenty of new fans, as well as nostalgic middle-agers like me who remember the first open-air bug as a symbol freedom, fun and youth.

The VW Beetle Convertible is still cute, even if we’re not.

Beth Stein is a life-long car buff and free-lance journalist living in Nashville. She has reviewed new vehicles in print for 12 years as a weekly columnist for Nashville’s daily newspapers and on television for Road Test Magazine and Motor Trend Television. Currently, her reviews appear nationally on Car And Driver Television.