The new Bug is basically a new VW Golf with some awesome plastic surgery. That makes it a perfectly acceptable, very nice little car.
But, it's the new Bug. When you walk up to it, you get giddy. Everyone who sees it has the same experience. It's different and it's fun, plain and simple. VW did a great job designing this next-generation Bug. People were stopping us on the street, pulling up next to us and smiling. This car makes people happy, and that alone affords it our recommendation.
The new VW Bug is an absolute babe magnet. If you had this car and a puppy...well, you'd need a stick to beat the babes away. In fact, it's not only a babe magnet, it's also a hunk magnet, an old person magnet, kid magnet, geek magnet...you name it. You can't help but smile and stare when you see one driving by.
This is a wonderful car for two people. VW has placed the front seats right in the middle of the hump of the classic VW body design. So the folks in the front have tons of headroom. That also makes it safer than most small cars, because the driver is right in the middle of the car.
On the downside, the rear seat is terribly cramped. Anyone over about five feet, nine inches will have a tough time being comfortable back there. If the people in the front are willing to put their seats forward enough, you might be able to slouch and get somewhat comfortable. Otherwise, we'd recommend you forget about the back seats. Leave the back for your dogs!
The new Bug has some great touches--for example, a simple speedometer in the middle of the instrument cluster--with great purple lighting. They've even brought back those old straps above the front windows, just like the old Bugs.
The new VW Bug has two major downsides. First, the A pillar--that front structural member that runs between the roof and the body alongside the windshield--is dangerous. It's too wide, and VW has placed it too far forward. This problem was created when VW placed the seats in the middle of the hump, effectively moving the A pillar forward, from the point of view of the driver. If the driver is making a turn--particularly a left turn--it's difficult to see if anything is in your way. Another drawback to having the A pillars so far sloped out? The dashboard is about five feet deep. We wouldn't be surprised to hear of people losing luggage, small children and pets in that forward space. Heck, there's room there for a bookshelf.
Second, the underhood area is extremely tight. This was a compromise to make the shape of the car "Bug-like." This car is going to be very difficult to service. Moving the A pillar back also would have corrected this problem, by creating more room in the engine compartment, but it would have taken away from the good looks and babe-magnetism.
Who should buy this new Bug? If you're at a time in your life when you don't need to worry about making room for kids, or if you're just looking for some fun, basic transportation, then take a look at the new Bug. Or, if you've decided to get a small car, and want a particularly safe one, this car is also worth considering.
The VW Bug has certainly benefited from a 20-year hiatus. VW has done a wonderful job. It's instantly recognizable as a Bug, but it's also been beefed up and modernized. This car has all kinds of things that the old Bug never had--like body integrity, for starters. And air conditioning. And a much safer design. Finally, as you've probably heard, the new Bug comes with a bud vase. What more could you possibly want?
View cars.com model report on this vehicle.
