On hot or wet days, cruising around with the canopy up in the new Beetle Cabriolet is a lot more comfortable than in the old one, as it has better insulation and a more pliant ride.
But both models offer the same limited rearward visibility, as they have very wide “C-pillars” and rather narrow rear windscreens.
The roof of the latest Beetle Cabrio, however, is stowed more neatly when it is open, as opposed to the previous model’s “stacked” roof, which is more stylish but hampers rear visibility.
Performance-wise, it would seem that the last-gen Beetle Cabriolet, with its more powerful naturally aspirated 2-litre 4-cylinder, is more fun to drive than the newer model, which has a “tiny” 1.2-litre engine.
The 115bhp and 172Nm produced by the 2-litre lump looks decent on paper. But once you’re behind the wheel, the car’s relaxed character comes to the fore.
It takes the older Beetle a leisurely 12.9 seconds to complete the century sprint, so you’ll need lots of patience, especially when merging with expressway traffic. Its 6-speed automatic gearbox, though relatively smooth, is slow by today’s standards.
Although the newer Beetle has a smaller motor, its turbocharger enables it to produce 105bhp and 175Nm. Coupled to VW’s ubiquitous 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, this convertible does the century dash in a slightly quicker 11.7 seconds.
Obviously, speed is of little importance to a Beetle Cabriolet driver. But he or she might be concerned about fuel consumption, and in this regard, the latest model also has the edge on its predecessor.
Volkswagen claims it’ll cover up to 16.9km/L, or 6.1km further per litre of unleaded.
The new Beetle Cabriolet offers improved driveability, a longer cruising range, a cushier cabin and a more impressive audio system.
But just like the previous model, you’re going to either love or hate its styling.
Then again, strong designs really do tend to polarise opinions.
New Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet 1.2 (A)
ENGINE 1197cc, 16-valves, inline-4, turbocharged
MAX POWER 105bhp at 5000rpm
MAX TORQUE 175Nm at 1500-4100rpm
POWER TO WEIGHT 75.3bhp per tonne
GEARBOX 7-speed dual-clutch with manual select
0-100KM/H 11.7 seconds
TOP SPEED 178km/h
CONSUMPTION 16.9km/L (combined)
CO2 EMISSION 139g/km
PRICE INCL. COE On application
Old Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet 2.0 (A)
ENGINE 1984cc, 16-valves, inline-4
MAX POWER 115bhp at 5400rpm
MAX TORQUE 172Nm at 3200rpm
POWER TO WEIGHT 80.5bhp per tonne
GEARBOX 6-speed automatic with manual select
0-100KM/H 12.9 seconds
TOP SPEED 181km/h
CONSUMPTION 10.8km/L (combined)
CO2 EMISSION 223g/km
PRICE INCL. COE Not applicable
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