When the Volkswagen Beetle re-emerged triumphantly in 1997, sales of the car surged. When those sales started to slip, some new attributes were added; the Turbo S, which was introduced in 2002 and a convertible version were added in 2003 to try to spark sales of the old brand.
In 2004, more changes occurred, and the GLX was eliminated, the wheels were redesigned, telematics became a part of all versions, and brand new was a 100-horsepower 1.9 liter TDI. There was also an MP3/CD player in the dashboard alongside front airbags, front headrests and head thorax airbags. So in most ways the 2003 version is very similar to the 2004 Beetle.
The cons of the Beetle are the same as they’ve always been, including two doors, a cramped backseat area, compact design and not very much storage space. But if one isn’t in the market for a Beetle then this isn’t of any consequence. Simply put, nothing else is like a Beetle and therefore someone looking for this automobile will just accept these imperfections – it is all part of the appeal of owning a Beetle.
As it has been pointed out by many, the Beetle is itself a version of the smaller Volkswagen Golf and Jetta, although the Beetle stands alone in terms of its original design. The bubble dome roof is a signature for the Beetle and the newer version incorporates this as well. But as mentioned earlier, this design feature leaves little headroom in the rear and will fail to win over new customers who hold no nostalgic love for the Beetle design.
In terms of engine size, the GL and GLS have a 115-horsepower, 2 liter engine and a 150-horsepower, 1.8 liter turbocharger four cylinder is available with the GLS Turbo. Both can be bought with a TDI engine and a four speed automatic transmission is optional, meaning that a five speed manual is the standard. A plus is that the engine is very quiet and as a consequence, the Beetle doesn’t emit any road sounds.
Some of the other optional features are a cold weather package, Tiptronic operation, an Electronic Stability Program and a Wind-blocker. As in the previous versions, the Turbo S has more exterior variety from the others. The convertible is also available in the 2004 range.
The Volkswagen Beetle is a car that is not for everyone; in fact it’s only appealing to people specifically looking for a Beetle. But the old is elegantly brought to the new as this car is just as appealing as the 60s and 70s incarnation.
About the Author
This 2004 Volkswagen Beetle review can also be read on helium.com as it was originally submitted there to build up a more diverse author portfolio.
