The central command system is another major bonus, sure to give modern gadget buffs a bit of a tech-gasm. It includes proximity sensors to activate selected icons only when you reach for the screen, and the absolutely fantastic Apple CarPlay and Android Auto systems are on board, effectively upscaling major elements of your Smartphone display into the main screen. You see and manipulate media, contact and navigation functions as you would on your phone, and a tap on the steering wheel–mounted voice button calls Siri or Talk to Google into action. Very slick stuff. Want to know a sports score, to text your mom, or to check tomorrow’s agenda, action items, or bases you need to touch? Just touch the button and ask, and forget glancing at your phone and getting a ticket.
Mileage on my watch landed at 8.4 L/100 km, with plenty of speedy browsing of major highways. It’s a decent figure, given the available punch from the little engine, and your writer’s heavy foot.
Further, the jiggle inherent in many convertible cars is present here, though admirably minimized. Hit a bump, pothole array or set of train tracks, and it’s detected mostly by watching the rear of the car flex, out of sync with the front, via the rearview mirror. It’s minimal though, and nearly undetectable from the driver’s seat. Most drivers won’t even notice it.
Complaints? Interior plastics won’t give soft-touch aficionados anything to write home about, the climate and seat heater controls are starting to look outdated, and whether it was my phone, the Android Auto App, or the interface in the Beetle’s dash, initial setup of the system took about 10 frustrating attempts. Further, headlight low-beam performance after dark is just adequate, though the high-beams shine far and wide.
|
Warranty: 4 years/100,000 km; 6 years/110,000 km powertrain; 7 years/unlimited distance corrosion perforation; 4 years/100,000 km roadside assistance Competitors: |
End of the day, here’s a $28,550 car that attracts attention, curiosity and reactions like it costs five times more. Everyone stops and looks at the Beetle Classic Cabriolet, perhaps mostly at its wheels, with most saying they love it, and nobody going away without a reaction. As a unique, cute, functional and pleasing-to-drive convertible that’s comfortable for hours and hours of efficient, top-down cruising, it hits the mark for both feel and pricing.
Pricing: 2016 Volkswagen Beetle Classic Convertible
Base Price: $28,550
Options: None
Freight: $1,605
A/C Tax: $100
Price as Tested: $30,255
2013 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible
July 10, 2013
