Motoring-Malaysia: Test Drive: 2019 Volkswagen Beetle 1.2 TSI Sport "Bug" Edition
Not many cars end up being icons. These cars have something inherently unique about them that they end up being revered after a period of time. Some gain such a reputation by their performance. Some by their style and some manage to do both. On one end of the scale, there are those icons like the Porsche 911. A car renowned for its performance and also its styling. It has become one of the benchmarks for a performance car and its silhouette is immediately recognisable. There are also cars like most Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati. The mere whisper of their name sends motorheads weak in the knees. These are performance icons. But the great thing about motoring is that iconic cars are not just limited to the supercars and the coupes. We also have iconic cars that started off as affordable cars. We have the Fiat 500, the Mini and the Volkswagen Beetle.
These cars have styling and shape that is instantly recongnisable and somehow, these cars are also those that invoke memories of the good old days where a car meant a lot more than what it is today. And their design would seem to be evergreen in its outlook. Drive one of the cars mentioned above and you will still get warm looks and glances. And so car manufacturers have realised this and you now see newer cars, having the same basic shape as the icons but made anew and modern for this day and age. I got to drive one of these icons recently - The Volkswagen Beetle 1.2TSI Sport. The Beetle 1.2TSI is the second generation new Beetle. It takes after the original long lived version of the People's Car. It looks better than the 1998-2010 version and you get all of the retro touches like the original. The bulbous shape and the body coloured interior complete with a glovebox on the dashboard like the original.
The thing that I like about this current Beetle is the fact that it does not look like a car that only a girl could drive. The previous model was more feminine and upright in styling. This one is wider and lower. It still keeps the styling cues of the original but the translation from paper to metal is so much better than previously. Even Volkswagen stated that the reason why the Beetle looks like this is to attract more male buyers. I think they have hit the nail here as I somehow don't feel like I have the need to apply nailpolish or mascara and carry a handbag. Volkswagen Malaysia currently brings in the Beetle in 1.2liter form at the moment. Both are powered by the same turbocharged 1.2liter TFSI engine that makes 105ps and 175Nm torque. This drives the front wheels via a 7 speed dual clutch gearbox.
The difference between the Design and the Sport variants is that you get the standard equipment upgraded with some additional 'sporty' bits. It also gets LED daytime running lights in Sport. Oh. The version I tested had sporty stripes and the word 'Bug' written on the tailgate and on the stickers on its side too. Aptly so. This is the Beetle Bug Edition. The extra bits include genuine Volkswagen Bug side sill, side decals, body stripes and Bug logo for an extra RM6,000 over the Beetle Sport price mentioned above. What's it like to drive? Now the Volkswagen Beetle, codenamed A5, like most modern Volkswagen is based on a shared platform. It currently shares the same architecture as the current Volkswagen Jetta and the Mk 6 Golf. Inside you get the body coloured panels (in plastic), a leather wrapped steering wheel and typically legible instrumentation that is nice to the touch. The sports seats in this Sport variant are simply a very nice place to put your behind on.
It has a ribbed leather finish that you'd also find in the Scirocco. Together with the adjustable tilt and reach steering, one could get properly comfy in them. The controls are light and easy to use and visibility is good because of the upright windscreen and airy glasshouse. As this is a two door 'coupe' (with a rear hatch), getting in an out requires the front passenger/driver to get up from the seat which tilts and slides forward. Getting in an out is fairly easy as the space for doing so is pretty big. Even big boys like me can easily get in an out without suffering from a twisted spine or muscle sprains. On the move you find that the Beetle 1.2 feels like a Mk 6 Golf TSI in terms of how it rides and goes over bumps. The suspension, multi links up front and a torsion beam at the rear (only the 2.0 version gets a multi link rear suspension) works fine on the highway, sweeping B roads and where things are smooth and flowing.
