Inside, the Beetle Convertible offers realistic seating for four, although the rear seatbacks are uncompromisingly upright. I didn’t spend any time back there myself, but while it doesn’t look like the best place for a road trip it seems perfectly reasonable for city trips; certainly my teenage kids didn’t complain about the stints they spent in the rear seat, and the shortest of them is 5’8″. I can attest for the front seats, which are very comfortable, and leather upholstered in my Highline test car (Comfortline cars get leatherette). Trunk space is good for a convertible, which is to say not exactly great (it’s 201 L, if you like to measure trunk space by cartons of milk). But it’s certainly a lot roomier than the trunk in Volkswagen’s Eos hardtop convertible, and we were able to fit a week’s worth of groceries back there with a little fiddling. On the other hand, when I took the kids to music lessons only one guitar would squeeze in – the other had to ride in the back seat.
    2013 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible. Click image to enlarge |
The interior does get high marks for its nicely detailed, premium feel. The dashboard is styled to recall the 1960s-era Beetle, with a body-coloured insert spanning the dash and flowing into body-coloured door panel uppers. There’s even a small secondary glove box with its cover exactly where the 1960s Beetles had their glove box lids. Below this, concealed in the lower dash, is a more usefully sized glovebox. The precision-looking triple gauges put all the basic information required by the driver right where it belongs, while a screen in the middle of the dash handles infotainment duties.
Comfortline cars get a good array of equipment including the aforementioned leatherette upholstery, 16-inch alloy wheels, Bluetooth, cruise control, a pair of 12-volt power outlets, trip computer, alarm system, ambient lighting, an eight-speaker AM/FM/CD audio system with MP3 capability and iPod connectivity, flat-bottomed leather-wrapped steering wheel, split-folding rear seats, and of course all the basic gear such as climate control, power windows and power locks.
    2013 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible. Click image to enlarge |
The Highline trim ups the ante with its leather upholstery and other features including 17-inch alloys, fog lights, keyless entry, push-button start and multifunction steering wheel. My test car was also fitted with Volkswagen’s $1,290 Technology Package, which includes a 400-watt Fender audio system with subwoofer, Sirius satellite radio, and a touchscreen navigation system.
 2013 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible. Click image to enlarge |
Priced starting at $30,170 including destination fees for the Comfortline model, and climbing to $33,135 (destination in) for the Highline trim, the Beetle Convertible offers not just a cheeky attitude and a skyful of open air motoring fun, but also compelling four-seat convertible value. Because while there are plenty of two-seat convertibles out there such as the Mazda MX-5, or bigger four-seat convertibles like the Mustang and Camaro, or expensive four-seat convertibles like the BMW 1 Series and 3 Series, there are few fun and affordable four-seat convertibles in the market sweet spot occupied by the Beetle. The Mini Cooper convertible and Fiat 500C both come to mind, but remember we’re talking four-seaters here, and if I was the one riding in the back I know I’d pick the Volkswagen.
Pricing: 2013 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible
Base Price: $28,775
Base Price (Highline Trim): $31,740
Options: $1,290 (Technology Package)
Freight: $1,395
A/C Tax: $100
Price as tested: $34,525
Competitors:
Mini Cooper Convertible
Fiat 500c
Volkswagen Eos
Ford Mustang Convertible
Chevrolet Camaro Convertible
Buyer’s Guide:
Buyer’s Guide: 2013 Volkswagen Beetle
Crash test results
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)
