2002-2005 Volkswagen New Beetle Turbo S

Pros :
- Still a head-turner.
- Tons of front headroom.
- Torquey and lag-free turbo engine.
- Excellent build quality.
- Attractive interior.

Cons :
- Girly image.
- Rear seat is tight for tall people.
- Noisy retractable rear spoiler.
- Pricey and impractical - sister model VW GTI makes more sense.
- Needs more to distinguish it from ordinary Beetles.

Interior :

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Press Coverage :
The Golf-platformed New Beetle gets a much needed boost in power thanks to the 1.8-litre turbocharged engine that already serves the GTI and Jetta, and the Audi A4 and TT. In the New Beetle Turbo S, it makes 180 hp and 173 lb-ft, similar to the output of the the GTI 1.8T and Jetta GLS. The Turbo S is distinguished from its lesser Beetle cousins by its unique front and rear bumpers, differently positioned foglights and front indicator lamps, dual stainless steel exhaust tips, 17-inch wheels with P225/45 H-rated all-season tires and a more mature interior with metallic trim. The flower bud vase is still standard. This car was designed with men in mind, and VW wants to reduce its dependence on women for New Beetle sales. The old Beetle had no such problems.
Standard features include keyless entry, anti-theft system, four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, clear-lens halogen projector headlights, heated power mirrors, power windows, sunroof, Monsoon Audio System, front and side airbags, ESP, cruise control and a speed-activated high mount retractable spoiler that comes up at high speed.
The 1.8L turbo is a capable engine with more torque than any of Honda's renowned 4-cylinder engines. Volkswagen used its expertise in turbos to reduce turbo lag to an unnnoticeable level. Unless driving with the gas pedal floored most of the time, most drivers will think it's a normally aspirated engine. Peak torque is available at only 1950 rpm and it stays at that level high up in the rev range. The standard six-speed manual gearbox is not the slickest ever made, but it is better than the five-speed box on most VW models. All this translates to good off-the-line performance, and the slightly stiffer suspension, with the help of that rear spoiler, keeps the car stable when cornering, although by no means is it a sports car. Only the front MacPherson strut suspension setup is fully independent, with the rear held up with a semi-independent torsion beam axle. Ride quality suffers very little with the stiffer suspension tuning. Brakes on this hefty 3000-pound Beetle also get an upgrade over the standard Beetle, helping in reducing stopping distances.
ModernRacer.com

Volkswagen Beetle sweeping roofline creates tremendous front-seat headroom, though less than the PT Cruiser and slightly less than the Mini Cooper. The Beetle's deep dashboard can make you feel like you're driving the car from the back seat. You cannot see the hood or anything else but road in front of the windshield. Beefy front A-pillars (the post between the windshield and side window) impede vision in tight corners. (This big dash area and thick A-pillars are no doubt part of the Beetle's excellent crumple-zone design.) Small sun visors have no hope of blocking the sun coming in through the giant side windows.
Volkswagen's seats are comfortable and attractive. The flat design of the seat bottom makes it easy to get in and out of the seats, but they lack sufficient side bolstering for driving quickly on winding country roads. The usual fore-aft and rake adjustments are provided, while a lever jacks the height up and down. Beetle offers more rear legroom than the Mini, less than the Cruiser. Both of Beetle's front seats flip and pivot up and forward, making it easier to climb into the back seats. They then flip back to the original seating position, a nice memory feature. Beetle's trunk is small, just 12 cubic feet, though the rear seats can be folded down to carry more cargo. Dual cup holders in front of the shifter are tucked under the protruding center dash that houses HVAC and audio controls. Beetle's interior is attractive and, like all Volkswagens, is nicely finished. A myriad of materials is used to give the Beetle a high-tech look. We love the painted metal trim at the upper edges of the doors, which matches the exterior paint. The upper dash uses coarse, hard materials accented by smoother, softer surfaces elsewhere. Curved, dimpled door handles look ultra-modern. The steering wheel feels good and features brushed aluminum spokes. The padded armrest on the redesigned center console is nice enough, but the storage compartment is small. The optional six-disc CD changer fills this space, eliminating one of your few storage cubbies.
Nctd.com

Character traits often associated with low-profile tires, such as a tendency to hop over expansion joints and crash over road imperfections, were largely absent in the Turbo S. The relaxed, friendly ride that so many have come to expect from this "cute" car was largely unaffected by the wheel and tire upgrade. Credit the suspension tuning, which VW officials told us was only "slightly stiffer" than lower-line Beetles, for the car's retained easy-going nature. While die-hard performance fans will likely find the Turbo S too flabby, most customers will appreciate the balance between improved handling manners and retained ride quality.
But even the fastest and most furious of import enthusiasts will appreciate the Turbo S model's powertrain improvements. Effectively pilfering the base Audi TT's drivetrain, Volkswagen has equipped this Beetle with a 180 horsepower 1.8-liter turbocharged engine and hooked it to a six-speed manual transmission. For those interested in displaying their Turbo S Beetle's power, disabling the ESP makes it easy to spin the tires freely all the way through first gear. If the term ESP is foreign to you, don't fret. The Turbo S is Volkswagen's first passenger car (sold in the U.S.) to offer the added benefit of the company's Electronic Stability Program. As the name implies, ESP utilizes a combination of steering and yaw sensors to detect when the vehicle is deviating from its intended course. Engine power, individual wheel braking and transmission tweaks are subsequently incorporated to bring the vehicle back on track. Certainly it can't break the laws of physics, but it may bend them in your favor at a crucial moment.
Our complaint list after spending two days in the Turbo S is remarkably short. Like the Turbo model, this one has a rear spoiler above the backlight that deploys at certain speeds. The spoiler on the Turbo S pops up at just over 40 mph and retracts when the speedometer drops below 10 mph. This results in a somewhat intrusive "whir-clunk" every time the vehicle slows to a stop after getting above 40 mph. We'd also like to see an improvement in headrest design. The large "doughnut" headrests in our test car proved uncomfortable and unsupportive. Volkswagen officials told us both items are already being looked at, with improvements likely in the near future.
Edmunds.com

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History:
2000-2003 Volkswagen New Beetle GLX 1.8T
1,781 cc / 150 hp / 162 lb-ft / 2958-3007 lbs / 0-60 mph 8.5 sec.