Volkswagen has a long and storied history with many families, and mine is no exception. From a 1980 Rabbit to a 1973 Sun Bug and even a 1974 Thing, my personal VW journey began early. My parents expanded the family fleet with Beetles, a VW Van, a Squareback, a Quantum, a Dasher, and a couple of Rabbit Cabriolets. My sister even joined the Beetle club for a time. My connection ran so deep, I even spent time selling both new and used VWs during a break from college. Despite the family moving away from the brand in recent years, a fondness for VW, especially models like the Super Beetle from the 70s, for weekend drives and tinkering, remains.
So, what led the Fogelson family to stray from Volkswagen after such deep brand loyalty? A perceived dip in quality and value, coupled with some confusing product decisions like the Phaeton and the Touareg’s mixed messaging, pushed us away. However, the redesigned Beetle, particularly the Beetle Convertible, signals a potential return to form, aiming to win back lost customers and attract a new generation of enthusiasts to the showroom.
Volkswagen faced a significant design challenge when tasked with reimagining the New Beetle. The goal was to broaden its appeal, attracting younger male buyers without sacrificing the charm and inherent “cuteness” that resonated strongly with female drivers. The solution? Ditching the bud vase, sharpening the lines, integrating a Fender premium audio system, and adding sporty pop-up gauges. The result is a Beetle Convertible that feels both retro and contemporary, a nod to VW’s rich heritage with a modern twist. For the 2013 model year, VW applied this same masculine-yet-charming approach to the uber-cute Beetle Convertible.
From an aesthetic perspective, the Beetle Convertible is a resounding success. It stands out as the most athletic-looking Beetle ever produced. Its stance is lower and longer, sharper and more assertive, yet it cleverly retains that endearing “cute” factor. Connoisseurs of the classic Porsche 356 will notice a distinct similarity in the silhouette. With the top raised, the Beetle Convertible maintains a cool and understated presence; with the top down, it transforms into a truly beautiful open-air cruiser.
Stepping inside (or rather, experiencing the interior in its full glory with the top down), the Beetle Convertible lives up to the promise of its exterior design. The newly designed seats, featuring stylish ribbed stitching, evoke the look and feel of a sports car. Tasteful carbon fiber-look trim accents the simple and elegant dashboard, adding a touch of modern sportiness. A distinctive central eyebrow design element houses a chronometer, a boost gauge, and an oil temperature gauge, enhancing the sporty feel. Rounded rectangles and flowing curves dominate the interior, creating an informal and fun atmosphere throughout the dash and door panels.
Operating the convertible top is incredibly simple, requiring just the touch of a button. It can be opened or closed at speeds up to 31 mph. Forget about cumbersome latches; the entire process is automated. The top retracts in a swift 9.5 seconds and raises in 11 seconds. When lowered, the top neatly gathers behind the rear seats, just above the decklid. While a tonneau cover is available as an accessory for a cleaner look, it’s not essential. When the top is up, the Beetle Convertible features a glass rear window complete with an electric defroster for enhanced visibility. Wind noise is impressively minimal with the top raised, only slightly louder than a typical hardtop car. As expected, with the top down, the cabin becomes breezy and louder, part of the open-air driving experience. For those concerned about wind buffeting, especially for hairstyles, Volkswagen offers an accessory wind blocker. This easily installed screen minimizes wind turbulence when the top is down and conveniently stores in the trunk when not in use.
Under the hood, the Beetle Convertible packs a punch with the same 2.0-liter turbocharged engine found in the Golf and Jetta. This torque-rich engine delivers 200 horsepower and 207 lb-ft of torque, providing ample power for spirited driving. However, the front-wheel-drive configuration does introduce the issue of torque steer, particularly noticeable under hard acceleration. A firm grip on the steering wheel is necessary to manage the car’s tendency to pull to the side when the turbo spools up quickly. In the test car, the automatic transmission seemed to amplify this effect. A previous brief drive in a manual transmission Beetle Convertible suggested that modulating the clutch pedal helped mitigate torque steer. With the automatic, the best approach is a gentler throttle input, which slightly diminishes the fun factor. When driven with control, the Beetle Convertible is undeniably lively and enjoyable, with handling that lives up to its sporty aesthetics. The suspension and steering are a significant improvement over previous New Beetle generations. Convertible cars often suffer from cowl shake, but the Beetle Convertible exhibits virtually none. While removing the roof inevitably compromises some structural rigidity compared to the hardtop, the open-air driving experience is a worthwhile trade-off. The other compromise is trunk space. The compact trunk offers a mere 7.1 cubic feet of cargo capacity, and access is limited. Large suitcases won’t fit, suggesting that for serious luggage, utilizing the backseat with the top down might be necessary.
In the competitive convertible market, the primary rival to the Beetle Convertible is the MINI Convertible. For most buyers, the choice will likely come down to personal preference, as similarly equipped versions of both cars are priced very closely. The VW’s driver-focused instrument panel and genuinely usable back seat offer advantages over the MINI’s central speedometer and more cramped rear seating. Some buyers might also consider the Fiat 500c, although it’s technically not a true convertible but a stylish alternative with a retractable fabric roof.
Whether the Beetle Convertible will lure the Fogelson family back to Volkswagen remains to be seen. Currently, large dogs and convertible ownership don’t perfectly align for many of us. However, as a halo vehicle, the Beetle Convertible has undeniably placed VW back on my radar. If Volkswagen can produce a car as appealing as this, it certainly sparks curiosity about the rest of their model lineup and the direction the brand is heading.
