2006 Volkswagen New Beetle Convertible Test Drive

Virtually everyone knows the New Beetle, whether they're old enough to remember the original or not. Top up or top down, the shape is so recognizable that the model name doesn't appear anywhere on the car -- it doesn't have to. But within the Beetle's bubble are a host of changes for 2006: Styling updates, a new engine and a new single-model lineup. What hasn't changed is the fun-in-the-sun factor. $22,750 base price, $26,855 as tested, EPA mileage 22 MPG city/30 MPG highway.

When the New Beetle first appeared, the public went crazy; ditto for the New Beetle Convertible. Both were excellent tributes to the original Volkswagen Beetle.

Now it's 2006 and the New Beetle is no longer a novelty -- but, in a sense, it's become an icon in and of itself. VW probably could have taken some fairly big liberties in updating the Bug, but they exercised restraint: The head and taillights are new and the edges of the fenders have been flattened. The idea is to make the look a bit more masculine. Does it? Beats me, but then again I'm not exactly the world's most manly man. I thought the New Beetle convertible looked good before and I think it looks good now.

One of the things I like best is the convertible top. VW went to great lengths (and expense) to design a top that kept the trademark shape when raised and mimicked the classic Bug when lowered. It's a fancy bit of engineering that cements the New Beetle's character, as do the body-colored interior panels and big round speedometer. Even the trunk lid looks (and opens) like the original Beetle's engine lid. The trunk itself small, but it'll hold groceries for a week or luggage for a weekend. And yes, there's still a flower vase on the dashboard.

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The New Beetle's driving position is comfortable but weird. You sit a good two feet back from the windshield; at first it's like driving from the back seat. But the seat is height adjustable and the steering column moves up and down as well as in and out, so virtually any driver can get comfy. As for the eensy-weensy back seat, the less said the better. You can get two adults back there, but they probably won't like it much.

On the plus site, the convertible top is, well, tops. My tester had the optional power-operated top, and using it couldn't be much easier: Pull down and twist the release handle, push and hold the switch between the seats, and electricity does the rest. Reverse the procedure to put the lid back on. The whole operation takes about ten seconds, and it's quick and easy enough that I found myself putting the top down for even the shortest drives.

Lockable storage is a convertible must-have; it allows you to park with the top down. (That way the thieves don't have to cut through your top when they want to steal your stereo.) The New Bug is lacking: there's a lock on the glovebox and the trunk release switch on the door can be disabled, but there's no lock on the center armrest and all the other cubbies are open.

Visibility is another one of the New Beetle's' foibles. With the far-away windshield and rounded shape, the driver can't see any of the hood, so front visibility for parking is a wash. With most convertibles, rear visibility is lousy with the top up and great with the top down. With the New Beetle, it's the opposite: The glass rear window is generously sized, but the top folds into a big pile behind the rear seat that virtually eliminates the view out back.

Under the skin, the Beetle is similar to the Golf and shares its front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout. There's good news and bad news under the hood. The good news: The wheezy 2.0 liter 4-cylinder engine that (barely) powered the old New Beetle is gone. The bad news: So is the racy 1.8 liter 150hp turbocharged engine. Both are replaced by a buzzy 2.5 liter 5-cylinder engine putting out 150 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque. It's nowhere near as much fun as the 1.8T -- few engines are -- but it gives the 3,258 lb. convertible more than adequate acceleration, even with the optional 6-speed automatic, something that couldn't be said for the old 2-liter. Too bad about the super-frugal TDI turbodiesel: It's available on the hardtop New Beetle but not the convertible.

What does the future hold for the New Beetle? Hard to say. The New Beetle uses what's known as VW's "A" platform; its mechanicals are similar to the other A-platform cars, the Jetta, Golf (now Rabbit) and GTI. But while the '05-and-newer Jetta, '06 GTI and '07 Rabbit (Golf) use a new fifth-generation version of that platform, known as the A5, the New Beetle soldiers on with the A4. That's not a bad thing; the New Beetle is still a sharp performer, though clearly performance isn't its primary goal. It just indicates that VW isn't willing to put the money into a complete redesign. Chances are the New Beetle will soldier on in its current form for a few years to come.

To which I say: "So what?" The New Beetle convertible isn't about having the latest-and-greatest in technology. It's about sunny days and slow, meandering roads. It's about little kids waving and total strangers smiling. It's about kicking back and not taking life all that seriously.

The New Beetle convertible is what it is. Volkswagen can leave it alone for the next decade, or they can keep on tweaking it. Nothing short of a total redesign will change this car's character.

And that's just fine with me.