2013 VW BEETLE SPORTLINE: We have a bit of a tomboy here

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This article was published 01/03/2013 (4940 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Nick Tragianis: Ah yes, the Beetle.

I remember when I was in Grade 5, I prepared a presentation comparing it to the Mini Cooper as part of a project. The Beetle used to be one of my favourites, but as the years went by, the initial appeal of its design wore off.

That’s arguably the most notable improvement with VW’s latest punch buggy. It still retains the car’s iconic shape, but its evolution in design is more modern, thanks to the lower and wider stance it wears.

It took a bit of getting used to, though, especially after testing the Golf R. The R is a gorgeous party animal in a short skirt you’d meet at a club, ready to do wild things at any given moment. On the flip side, the Beetle is the girl next door — quiet, shy and quite cute. And after spending more and more time with her, you begin to appreciate the Beetle’s unique quirks and merits.

Jodi Lai: Whereas the previous-generation Beetle was a decidedly girly car (flower vase and all), the newest one’s manlier stance, sharper lines and more aggressive look speaks otherwise. As a lifelong tomboy, I think this Beetle has a wider appeal to more people.

With our Sportline’s turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, awesome Fender sound system, aggressive-looking painted rims and a sharp-looking spoiler in the back, I’d say our girl next door put on a leather jacket and pulled a Sandy Dee on an unsuspecting Danny Zuko. She could be ready to party, but she’d probably be more comfortable going to the museum or having a picnic in the park.

NT: Humiliate me on a public level if you will, but I didn’t get that reference at first, so I’ll talk about the Beetle’s driving dynamics. Its 2.0-litre, four-cylinder mill is identical to the one found in the Golf GTI. It sends 200 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque to the front wheels via a slick-shifting six-speed dual-clutch gearbox, also lifted from the GTI.

In normal Drive mode, shifts are smooth and quick, but when our girl next door dons her leather jacket, she’s in Tiptronic mode, where the driver can shift through the six gears using either the shift knob or the steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters.

There’s also a Sport mode, which holds the gears longer for more spirited driving without having to shift through gears, but I find shifts in that setting to be choppy and jerky.

JL: Grease. Hello? Young people these days.

Anyway, although its performance was quite spirited and its GTI parts evident, no one buys a Beetle to go BMW-chasing in their spare time, so I considered the very German performance a welcome bonus.

The more likely reason someone would buy a Beetle is they need a quirky car with personality that can do things like run around town and get groceries. Our new Beetle is bigger than its predecessor, and although it’s unnoticeable from the outside, it’s entirely evident on the inside. The bigger-than-expected trunk is capable of swallowing a whole week of groceries, and sitting in the back seat is no longer cruel torture unless you’re in the NBA. Another quirk about the Fender audio system, though, is that a nice subwoofer takes up some precious trunk real estate.

NT: Real estate is a hot commodity in today’s economy and in the Beetle’s trunk, but the saving grace is that the subwoofer is part of a superb 400-watt audio system. It’s not made by Bose, harman/kardon or Dynaudio, like in the Golf R — it’s made by Fender, the same Fender that made guitars for Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton. It sounds great regardless of how you choose to listen to music, whether it’s a CD, MP3 player, iPod or satellite radio.

The Beetle was also equipped with the Technology Package, giving it the same Bluetooth-enabled RNS 315 navigation unit found in other VWs. Unfortunately, the Beetle’s unit was a little slow and unresponsive at times.

Although adorned with hard plastics throughout, the design and layout of the dash is very unique and quirky. Did you know the Beetle has a kaeferfach? Do you even know what a kaeferfach is? I bet you didn’t, Jodi, but it’s that storage compartment on the dash above the glove box.

The whole interior is filled with little throwbacks and quirks reminiscent of the original punch buggy, like the thin, leather-wrapped steering wheel. Trim along the dashboard and doors is not a sea of black, but brushed silver, gloss black and faux carbon fibre.

JL: I tried really hard to love the Beetle. It’s fun to drive and is undeniably cool, but I found the interior annoyingly un-ergonomic. For instance, the armrest covers the cupholders, the doors are heavy, long and far back, and I had to contort my arm to reach the faraway seatbelt. Because of its funky shape, the blind spots were also huge, which wasn’t helped by the tiny side mirrors and little rear-view mirror.

If you can get over these quirks and learn to love them as part of an overall quirky package, though, the Beetle really is the sweet girl next door.

— Postmedia News

THE SPECS

— Type of vehicle: Front-wheel-drive compact hatchback

— Engine : Turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder

— Power: 200 hp @ 5,100 r.p.m.; 207 lb.-ft. of torque at 5,000 r.p.m.

— Transmission: Six-speed dual-clutch automatic

— Brakes: Vented discs (front); solid disc brakes (rear)

— Tires: P235/45R18

— Fuel consumption (L/100 km): 9.9 city, 6.5 highway

— Base price/as tested: $30,425/$32,390

— Destination charge: $1,365