VW Beetle 1.4 TSI DSG: smitten by the bug

The Beetle wins you over not by nostalgia or old glories relived, but because it’s a properly fun and enjoyable car to drive.

When ACEI, Volkswagen’s Philippine distributor, started hyping up the release and eventual sales of the Volkswagen’s second-generation new Beetle, I wasn’t one of its fans. In fact, I was very critical about ACEI brandishing a very old hallow model to spruce up its impressive lineup.

What pull does a very old, antiquated model have on a new generation of buyers more keen on technology, efficiency and impressive build quality? It was, so I thought, a cheap ploy, a very obvious marketing gimmick to attract attention.

I’ve driven the Tiguan (hum-hum), Polo Notch (surprisingly fun), Touran (unbelievably impressive) and Touareg (devastatingly fast). So when the call came asking if I wanted to have another go at Volkswagen’s lineup, I decided to face what I detested the most: the Beetle.

To be fair, the Beetle itself isn’t quite bad at all. The platform is based on the Volkswagen Group’s MQB platform or Modularer Querbaukasten, a platform engineering matrix that allows all future Volkswagen models using a front- or four-wheel-drive system to have their engines (regardless of size and displacement), transmissions (manual, automatic or dual-clutch), front suspension, steering gear, pedal box and other engine bay ancillaries to be mounted all in the same position, regardless of vehicle width or length.

This leads to greater economies of scale on one end. And from a design/engineering point of view, also means that, since the basic platform will be utilized in a vast majority of vehicles, the Volkswagen Group will be able to hone and fine-tune the engineering and design of these basic components for increased performance, safety and efficiency.

No wonder Volkswagen remains as the second-largest car manufacturer in the world (second only to Toyota) and, crucially, is the most profitable car manufacturer in the world.

The second-generation new Beetle is massively larger compared to the original Type 1 Beetle of the 1930s, and even from its predecessor, which came out in 1998. But the 2014 Beetle benefits from something neither of its predecessors benefited from—technology.

While the original Ferdinand Porsche-designed Beetle was meant to be a people’s car (hence the name Volkswagen, which literally translates to People’s Car), and while the first Beetle was essentially cobbled together with parts readily available from the Volkswagen Group’s parts bin, this Beetle feels like a real premium piece of kit. It drives just like, dare I say it, an Audi, which is indeed a very good thing.

More on the driving bit later.

The classic Beetle retains all styling cues such as circular shape, sloping roof (lower than its predecessor for improved aerodynamics), round headlights and tail lights, short rump (where a useful boot with Helix HiFi system and subwoofer is located), and a duck-tail spoiler aping its loosely related brethren the Porsche 911.

The new Beetle comes with HID headlamps, LED daytime running lamps, and a powerful 1.4-liter TFSI engine, which technically translates to turbocharged fuel-stratified direct injection.

This is the way of the future. Direct injection reduces fuel consumption by as much as 20 percent, allowing the engine to run higher levels of compression because fuel is introduced later in the combustion process and cools the combustion mix.

The turbocharging bit means the tiny engine can produce power equivalent to a bigger, heavier engine, all the while carrying less weight and less losses due to the smaller displacement. Ford’s EcoBoost technology is similar in concept.

All told, the small 1.4-liter TFSI lump produces a prodigious 160 horsepower and 240 Newton-meters of torque driving the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

There’s traction and stability control as well as ABS brakes to keep things tidy.

Inside, the very supportive seats adjust well to a variety of large drivers, and is covered in a fabric very similar to the traditional Germanic/Volkswagen houndstooth fabric, something Europhiles and VW fans will be familiar with.

The handsome three-spoke steering wheel also tilts and telescopes so you can sit in a very low, race car-like fashion, or high up like a mini MPV. It’s thin in diameter with a D-shaped flat-bottom section, hinting at some performance potential as most modern performance and race cars have the same shape.

The instrument cluster is large, easy to read, and well laid out—the central display is the speedometer, to the left is the tachometer, and to the right is the fuel level. Underneath the speedometer is a multifunction LCD screen that displays digital speed readout, trip meter, fuel consumption and other fuel trip computer information.

The regular RCD 310 audio system has been criticized by my colleagues as lacking in punch and pizzazz, but with the optional Helix subwoofer, fitted when I got to drive this, the sound was impressive! Syncing with my mobile device via Bluetooth, though, was an epic fail as whenever I tried it, the RCD 310 wouldn’t recognize my Android devices. Thankfully, I still bring along an Aux-in cable all the time, saving me from hassle.

The doors are quite huge though; you need the parking space of an SUV or sports car to gain easy entry and exit through the long doors lest you bang them up beside parked cars or the wall, as was the case in my modestly-sized townhouse.

Once inside, the Beetle feels good, really good. Everything is within easy reach, and though there are a number of blind spots, visibility in and out of the Beetle is quite good, making it a really viable everyday beast of burden.

Crucially, the Beetle surprised me with its driving manners. It had big-car refinement, and handled amazingly as well—a terminal understeer on the limit, but with some trail-braking or last-minute throttle lift-off, the rear-end would rotate and quell some understeer, cornering much more confidently.

Obviously it’s not a sharp scalpel for carving corners, but it’s fun and enjoyable enough to tackle some winding roads or the odd foray onto the track. The increase in size has also made the Beetle a capable and confident long-distance tourer. I took the Beetle on a few drives down south with the missus, and we both enjoyed the Beetle’s refinement and comfort.

Despite riding on 17-inch rotor dual five-spoke alloy wheels with 225/50R17 summer performance tires, the suspension had just enough compliance to tackle our bad roads with ease.

Aside from the doors, one bad thing with the Beetle was on a ramp: You can’t preload the DSG transmission like you do a normal automatic or CVT transmission. The throttle input only reaches the transmission’s gears and front wheels when you thoroughly lift off the brake pedal despite prodigious throttle applications. You tend to roll backwards a few inches before the DSG transmission engages and pushes you forward.

Other DSG-equipped models have a hill-hold function that clamps on the brakes automatically for 4 seconds to allow you to safely move forward without rolling back. It made for a few nervous moments going up some steep car parks. You will need to use the handbrake to help you out here. Simple fix, but rather inelegant in such an expensive car.

Finally, here is a cute but well-polished, practical yet fun small premium car that doesn’t have the snobbish stance of premium German marques. The Beetle wins you over not by nostalgia or old glories relived, but because it’s a properly fun and enjoyable car to drive.

At P1.799 million, it’s not exactly cheap, but it is far more unique, far more enjoyable and far more exciting than your average supermini. I’m smitten by this bug. Young buyers who have no history with the Beetle should try it out.