Despite being larger than the original Beetle, the new Beetle shares the same distinctive shape and outline. Once regarded as stylish and cool, Beetle has however lost much of its original lustre; the cartoonish exterior seems more amateurish than charming. The interior styling also lacks character for a car that supposedly should excel on style. That said, Beetle's styling is still its strongest asset. Based on the same mechanical underpinnings as the fourth-generation Volkswagen Golf, which drove rather indifferently, Beetle handles modestly. Using a dated chassis also means that Beetle lacks the on-road sophistication of certain rivals, serving up plenty of body roll, limited grip levels and dull responses. Beetle rides comfortably enough thanks to its soft suspension, but rougher surfaces can bring about a crashy ride. Refinement is overall decent, with little wind and road noise at cruising speeds, although the engines are noisy when revved hard. There are ample seating and steering column adjustments for most drivers to get comfortable. Visibility is poor, while the rounded ends make judging Beetle's extremities, and thus parking, harder than usual. Beetle's cabin may lack styling flair, but there is little to complain about the quality. The solidly put together and well-finished dashboard features fine-grade plastics. Beetle shares a number of switchgear with other Volkswagen models, meaning that all the controls feel very substantial to use. The underlying mechanicals are proven and should remain reliable. Two petrol engines are available: 1.6-litre with 101 bhp and 148 Nm; and 2.0-litre with 114 bhp and 172 Nm. Both engines are paired to a six-speed automatic gearbox with Tiptronic. On the roads, the 1.6-litre proves to be more than capable for daily driving, and should provide sufficient pace for most of Beetle's target audience to negate the need for the 2.0-litre. Despite being larger than the original Beetle, the new Beetle is practically only a two-seater. The front driver and passenger enjoy loads of room, but the curvy roofline impedes rear headroom heavily, making the rear cramp and claustrophobic for adults. The boot is also small by class standards, so the rear seats will need to be folded for more luggage space. The 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre have decent fuel economy, returning 12.7 km/litre and 10.9 km/litre respectively. Expect higher servicing and repair costs compared to Japanese rivals, however. Resale values get a boost from the Volkswagen badge, but do not expect depreciation as mild as Volkswagen Golf's. The modern Beetle that we have on our hands is nowhere near as charming or characterful as the original Beetle was. Beneath the distinctive Beetle styling lies a very average car that is dynamically indifferent and impractical for more than two. Unless you are a die-hard Beetle fan, and can afford the relatively high price, we would recommend you more competent and practical yet cheaper alternatives. Beetle is well-equipped, including standard equipments such as 6-disc CD/MP3/radio player with 6 speakers, front and rear fog lights, ParkPilot, power windows, power side mirrors with turn indicator, 16-inch alloy wheels, leather steering wheel and leather upholstery. Standard safety equipments include Anti-locking Brake System (ABS), driver and front passenger airbags with front passenger airbag deactivation, and combined curtain and side airbag system for the front. 189 grams/km and 222 grams/km of carbon dioxide emissions mean neither engine is “green”. And the fact that Beetle is fully imported and effectively only carries two (meaning more pollution per occupant) rank Beetle even lower on the environmental friendliness scale.