Kiplinger's Names New Beetle 'Best in Class'

[ASurroca]

02 December 2005
KIPLINGER’S NAMES NEW BEETLE ‘BEST IN CLASS’

New engine, stability control contribute to high mark

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – The 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle has been named the best car under $18,000 by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance. The car, which was refreshed for 2006, received the top scores in its class, and the magazine acknowledged the enhanced engine and standard stability control.

The 2006 New Beetle comes standard with a more powerful new 2.5 liter, five-cylinder engine that creates 150 horsepower. Another significant technical update is standard traction control with Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP).

Styling changes for the 2006 New Beetle include bolder, slightly sharper bodylines, especially at the wheel wells and bumpers that are tailored for a more modern overall impression. New details include a larger, more oval headlight treatment, new taillights, and new bumper designs; inside, the freshening involves a new instrument cluster design with chrome applications to the instruments and also the air vents.

The New Beetle evokes times past yet remains timeless, still stirring the emotions and communicating with owners, drivers and everyone who sees it. The 2006 New Beetle remains distinctive, unique and recognizable, but with a more powerful appearance and a more powerful base engine.

Founded in 1955, Volkswagen of America, Inc. is headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It is a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany. Volkswagen is one of the world’s largest producers of passenger cars and Europe’s largest automaker. Volkswagen of America and its affiliates employ approximately 3,000 people in the United States and are responsible for the sale and service of Audi, Bentley, and Volkswagen products through retail networks comprising in total more than 900 independent U.S. dealers.

source: Volkswagen of America press release

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[dnyed]

That's so nice to hear something nice for a change. Kudos to VW!

[ASurroca]

I'm a bit proud to say, I predicted something like this a while back, I think on a VWVortex thread... Basically, while the Bug was aging, a fresh exterior and (most importantly) nixing the pitifully outdated 115 hp 2.0l for the 150 hp 2.5l I5 would help bring the Beetle at least close to class-leading.

Looks like it worked.

[kcfoxie]

Originally Posted by ASurroca

I'm a bit proud to say, I predicted something like this a while back, I think on a VWVortex thread... Basically, while the Bug was aging, a fresh exterior and (most importantly) nixing the pitifully outdated 115 hp 2.0l for the 150 hp 2.5l I5 would help bring the Beetle at least close to class-leading.

Looks like it worked.

Must. resist. upgrade. temptations.

[NBC]

Resistance is futile LOL
Us desire it.... my little percious.....

He he he

[maxforce]

Originally Posted by ASurroca

I'm a bit proud to say, I predicted something like this a while back, I think on a VWVortex thread... Basically, while the Bug was aging, a fresh exterior and (most importantly) nixing the pitifully outdated 115 hp 2.0l for the 150 hp 2.5l I5 would help bring the Beetle at least close to class-leading.

Looks like it worked.

I would hardly say pitiful. Some might say that the body design is pitfully outdated also. I do not understand; gas keeps going up and we still keep wanting more HP and bigger cars. I know the bug is no bigger but look at the Civic, Jetta, Passat, Corolla, and Nissan's line and on and on. these are the little cars that took the market away from the big three and now that just keep getting fatter and fatter. Max

[joe1347]

Along with replacing the dreadful 2.0slow with the 'pretty good' 2.5L, it's too bad that VW also didn't upgrade (the NB) to the newer MKV suspension. An upgraded interior also would have been welcome with more soft touch surfaces.

For these two reasons alone (antiquated suspension and hard plastic-laden interior), I went for a MKV Jetta instead of getting another New Beetle. Granted, I still stayed in the 'VW family', but the current New Beetle is starting to get a little dated to my mind and I would have a tough time recommending it to anyone over a MKV Rabbit or Jetta.

I'm certain that this type of comment has been posted before - but as one of the first New Beetle buyers in the USA - I wish VW would have upgraded the New Beetle with the entire suite of MKV related improvements. A New Beetle with the 2.0T, DSG transmission, GTI interior, and GTI suspension would have been especially appealing. With the somewhat poor sales of the previous gen Turbo S, I suspect that VW didn't think that the limited sales volume of a new Turbo S style Beetle would be able to justify the development cost. But many of us didn't go for the old Turbo S Beetle because of the lack of an automatic transmission. The availability of the DSG, mitigates that previous limitation.

[kcfoxie]

Originally Posted by joe1347

But many of us didn't go for the old Turbo S Beetle because of the lack of an automatic transmission.

It was a sports car. No real sports car comes in an automatic, and many others feel this way. The car didn't have that bad of a sales method -- it was sold out for the first 4 to 6 months of production, but it was only 180HP which is really pitiful when the new GTI puts 200 at the wheel. I agree a MkV model would be good, but that'll come in time. They had some reason to keep the old chasis around, the car as a whole is still the #3 seller behind the Jetta and GTI. However, I totally disagree with the idea of more plastic on the inside. We have a Jetta with those soft touch buttons, and they're all peeling very badly after 16 months of ownership. Yes, the dealer will replace them but much like the soft-grip handles of the beetle I'd rather them be a hard plastic that does not peel. VWs lost me as a returning buyer, I'll gladly buy any model prior to 2000, but it's going to take a really amazing re-design and a really high performance and high economy diesel, or diesel hybrid, to bring me back to having 10 to 12 airbags (that all deploy in an accident and immediately total the vehicle out as a complete loss) and an ODB-II computer-based emissions check (here in NC anything pre-96 gets a visual inspection and that is it).

I understand your viewpoint, but I strongly disagree with certain aspects of it. As a whole, I agree, it should have been updated with the MkV platform but the MkIV platform started w/ the Beetle and they wanted the GTI to be the car you think of when you think MkIV. Lets see if Dune, Ragster or another concept comes forth as a MkV car.

[dunno513]

Originally Posted by kcfoxie

It was a sports car. No real sports car comes in an automatic

Try telling the owner of a Bugatti Veyron that they didn't buy a sports car Of course it is a DSG, but most manual lovers call it an auto

[kcfoxie]

DSG is evil. I like having the stick in my hand.

[joe1347]

Originally Posted by dunno513

Try telling the owner of a Bugatti Veyron that they didn't buy a sports car Of course it is a DSG, but most manual lovers call it an auto

Thanks for the DSG comment. After driving (and now owning) a 2.0T Jetta with a DSG transmission, I've pretty much lost interest in ever getting a car with a manual transmission again. Granted, I needed the manual transmission with the 2.0slow engine on my 98 NB. But, it certainly doesn't seem like the newer VW engines need a manual transmission - especially with the DSG as an option now.

Again, it's too bad VW didn't offer the 2.0T/DSG combo on the New Beetle along with the better MKV suspension.

[Breez]

Originally Posted by kcfoxie

Must. resist. upgrade. temptations.

LOL I know, I have yet to drive the 2.5 or any of the VWs 2.0T... I have done this for a basic reason... to resist

[Breez]

Originally Posted by joe1347

Again, it's too bad VW didn't offer the 2.0T/DSG combo on the New Beetle along with the better MKV suspension.

DSG, 2.0T in a New Beetle

/me drools

[iScott]

Originally Posted by dnyed

That's so nice to hear something nice for a change. Kudos to VW!

Ain't that the truth. I swear, I think Consumer Reports really has it out for NB's. Never read anything good written about them by CR.

[MichelleRoze]

Originally Posted by kcfoxie

DSG is evil. I like having the stick in my hand.

Bwahahaha! Sorry....that's funny...

After going from Automatic to 5 spd....I would never go back to an automatic, even if it was a DSG. Besides, VW's 5 spd is bullet proof!

Glad to hear though that the beetle got some good reviews finally.

[noR]

DSG's so different from "automatic".

I agree with both sides of the "dont want an auto" debate.

But the DSG uses clutches; not viscous coupling; So I'm all for it now.

It shifts faster than I can lift my foot off the clutch pedal; I'll take it.

[DZLBUG]

Originally Posted by dunno513

Try telling the owner of a Bugatti Veyron that they didn't buy a sports car Of course it is a DSG, but most manual lovers call it an auto

The "DSG" that is in the Veyron shares absolutely nothing in common with the DSG in any VW. Comparing the two would be like comparing a little Cesna to Concorde or an Airbus A380. They are an automated manual with no clutch pedal, and those planes have wings. The similarities end there.