I recently had the opportunity to drive a 2002 VW New Beetle GLS for the weekend. My girlfriend’s 2000 Cabrio was in for service and the dealership was kind enough to give her the Beetle as a loaner car. And what a fun weekend we had with our pint-sized German cruiser.

It’s hard not to love the new Beetle. I tend to love fast, sporty cars (I drive a Ford Contour SVT) but driving the Beetle brings a whole new element into the driving mix – hilarious fun. Just looking at the stout, rounded little body of this car makes you smile. It’s the kind of car you drive and are sorry when you’ve reached your destination because getting there was half the fun.

On the outside the Beetle is a rounded, stubby looking adorable car. It retains the look and feel of the classic Beetle but with a smooth, modern flair. Our car was metallic green in color, which further accented the cartoon-ish exterior theme. From any angle the Beetle looks great. The interior of our car, complete with leather seats and the optional Monsoon stereo system, was a delightful place to be. Seats were comfortable and very gripping, and interior room was phenomenal - especially headroom. Gauges, although small, were laid out in a neat and readable fashion. The rest of the dash was pretty no-nonsense – simple, functional, and clean. The Monsoon stereo system provided excellent sounds as we cruised the highways. The optional moon-roof was very large and enjoyable, and its one touch dial control was a nice feature. Overall the build quality, fit and finish of the car were excellent.

With its 2.0 liter 4 cylinder engine, the Beetle certainly isn’t going to be the king of the stoplight drag race, but it can certainly scoot when you want it to. Our car was equipped with the automatic transmission, which seemed to be well paired with the willing little engine. The 115 h.p. engine pulls the 2900-pound car briskly from a stop, and when cruising on the highway power is even more impressive. The engine idles a bit high at highway cruising speeds, and could definitely stand to be a touch quieter under acceleration. No one will complain about the nearly 30 m.p.g. gallon that this car delivers though.

Handling is another one of the Beetle’s strong suits. It hugs the road well and negotiates lane changes quickly and responsively. But really push it and the car’s pudgy, rather tall stature contributes to some body roll and heaviness in the steering. The Beetle is definitely more comfortable during relaxed cruising than negotiating hairpin turns.

All in all, for it’s $19,000 price and high fun-factor, the VW New Beetle GLS is a steal.

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