2004 Volkswagen New Beetle Cabrio Review

Specifications

Masterful A Rolling Fashion Statement

Its not exactly convertible season anymore. With those darned cold fronts and low pressure systems moving in sunny days are seldom felt. But, the week that I tested the New Beetle Convertible Turbo, Mother Nature must have been on my side. That week, the sun was out, the air was warm, and of course, the top was down!

Much like my experience with the Sebring Convertible, the week started out on the damp side. Monday was the pits, but Tuesday was a blitz (of sun). I couldnt wait to “go topless,” and cruise down my local Rodeo Drive with my girlfriends in bikinis. Ok that never happened, but it would have been fun. Instead I remained fully clothed and very grateful for the lovely weather.

The New Beetle Convertible, much like the sun, has quite a flare. This particular yellow Harvest Moon Bug featured a 1.8-L DOHC 20-valve intercooled turbo I-4 engine with SMPI, producing 150 horsepower at 5,800 rpm, and 162 lb-ft of torque at 2,200 rpm. It also had some pretty shiny 17″ rims wrapped around P225/45R17 tires. It also came with the optional 6-speed automatic Tiptronic gearbox - a 5-speed manual is standard equipment. While I would have enjoyed a manual shifter more, the overall combination of engine, transmission, wheels and tires was pretty hot!

Enhancing the Beetles heat are some pretty cool features. Standard equipment in the convertible are halogen headlights and fog lamps, an outside temperature display, front bucket seats, power windows, remote power door locks, driver and passenger door bins, body-colored door mirrors and bumpers, front and rear cupholders, manual air conditioning and cruise control.

The lack of one essential feature left me quite disappointed though, a CD player. When I first entered I thought it was hidden, but after looking for quite some time it was apparent that what comes standard in a Toyota Echo Hatchback is extra in the pricey VW. I was baffled. Rather the Beetle Convertible comes standard with an AM/FM stereo cassette player and a premium Monsoon system encompassing 10 speakers. How am I supposed to get premium sound quality out of a tape? Besides, can you even buy tapes anymore? Sigh. Im sorry, I just couldnt get over the fact that a car which costs $20,000 plus, does not come standard with a CD player. But life did go on, and the radio sounded mighty fine with the Monsoon system.

More important than the lack of CD player is the driving experience, which in the Convertible, was excellent. It has a stiff suspension, giving the Bug a sports car quality, unlike the Sebrings soft, luxurious suspension. The handling was so good that I often forgot that I was in a compact convertible and pushed its limits in the winding corners on my seaside commute.

This is when the safety features really came in handy. I noticed that the Electronic Stability Program (ESP) came into action when I pushed the mellow yellow meanderer to its limit. The limit I am talking about is not speed but cornering ability. Since it is a front wheel driver car, it tends to understeer. The Bosch designed traction and yaw control system uses sensors in the ABS brakes to almost completely alleviate over and understeering symptoms, with some very noticeable intervention however, keeping the car on the right side of the road. The standard front and rear disc brakes with that same ABS system made stopping very efficient and safe as well. In addition, this little car just zooms around. Even though the Beetle Convertible only offers a mild turbo, meaning its 150-hp is not as apparent under acceleration as its siblings 180-hp 1.8T (Turbo) engine, I found it quite excitable. Whats more, it doesnt add harshness when a little more speed is desired.

When going topless, I experienced the VWs system to be a little more complicated than the Sebrings system. The process entails pushing a button/lever which then releases the handle. The handle then needs to be turned until the latches are released. Then the handle needs to be pushed back in. After that, the electronic top drop button, located on the centre console, needs to be pushed and the roof goes down. The same process applies when the top goes up; only the steps are obviously repeated in reverse.

Included with the convertible was a top cover or tonneau, used to prevent dust/bug buildup and to protect the retractable roof. At first I found it to be quite bothersome and, as it was difficult to get on, seemed as though that it was too small. The first time I took the top off my boyfriend was with me. We attempted to put the cover on but it was a no go. Even he couldnt get the clips to clip into their spots, and he is by no means a feeble individual. Eventually, after about 5 minutes of wiggling and overwhelming force, they finally snapped in. If I were alone I dont believe that I could have fitted it on, rendering it a completely useless waste of trunk space - which was already less than useful at 5.0 cu ft.

Adding insult to injury, when clamping the roof back into position the twisting handle had to be perfectly positioned in order for it to hook back in place. This process required great pulling force to get the top low enough for the handle to reach the latch. Whether attempting to affix the tonneau or yanking on the latch to close the top, it took a variety of techniques and attentive practice in order to accomplish either process in less than five minutes.

I might sound a little harsh, but I didnt always have a 64″ hunk helping me out, or enough time to drop the top if I was in a hurry, and wanted “natural” air conditioning. On the plus side, I did find a way to get the tonneau on a little smoother; place the cover on one side at a time. Put the right or left half on first, then place it over the opposite side and clip it in. It still required my full body weight to snap tight, but a little sweat assured me that it would not pop off. Re-latching the soft-top just took a little practice, and again, all my hard muscle. Other than that, its smooth, albeit windy sailing.

So when the top is down, is it cold this time of year? If you ask me, yes. However, I have absolutely no tolerance for frigid weather. In comparison to the Sebring, there is not nearly as much wind blowing through the interior. But wind still gets through.

The folded roof also impedes rearward visibility, at least as badly as when the top was up. I found backing up was difficult due to exceptionally wide “C-Pillars,” or when the top was down, the top sitting well above the trunk. On the other hand, when the top was down my blind spots were very easy to see.

Despite the lack of a standard CD player, and the hassles I experienced putting the top up and down, the New Beetle Convertible is an awesome ride. Its hip, its cool, and when I went to the mall all the ladies coveted it! Its amazing what a high fashion statement will do to wash away frustrations.