I rented a new VW Beetle and right away I will tell you about the aspects which are five star. The looks of this car is stunning. The aluminum alloy wheels are a nice standard touch. The radio is great with a CD player and MP3 compatibility.

The price, while not too high is still very decent and for the features in general, I would give it four stars. VW could have charged more, but they keep their price point fair. The seats are very comfortable and at this price, I also give front and back seat cushioning four stars.

Other features include:

List price of just over $18,000 dollars USD
14.5 gallon tank
2.5 liter engine
150 horsepower rating
Automatic transmission
20 miles to the gallon city
29 miles to the gallon highway
Two door, four seats, trunk

What I didn't like:

The 2.5 liter engine on this under 3,000 pound car is incredibly sluggish and noisy while getting up to highway speed. It's a bear to try and merge onto a highway entrance.

The doors feel flimsy, as does the hood and the trunk. The doors don't allow a backseat passenger to get in and out of the car with ease and the mechanism which allows the front seats to let that passenger get in and out is awkward.

This car is not a travel car since the trunk is disappointingly small like its backseats. From the outside, it is a lot bigger than its predecessor "bug" of old, but does not offer a big feel in the backseats or trunk. On the upside, there is plenty of roominess in the front seats, but so much that the back seats suffer.

Unlike some small cars, this car does not have windows that go down in the back.

This car does not have a key entrance into the passenger side nor the trunk and the only way to open the passenger door is to reach over or push a button/lever that is too small. While it's easy to learn how to pop the trunk open, there is no clearly marked control to pop open the hood.

While visibility is poor all around, it's probably due to the heavy build of the beams that hold the roof on which seem very sturdy, but that is no consolation when you can't see while you are backing up. The only time the visibility is acceptable is while driving down a wide, rather empty highway. Looking straight on, the visibility is good, but a car should have good visibility all around.

Overall Impression:

Taking in some of the great aspects of this car, and weighing it in with all the negative points I encountered in renting this car for two weeks, I give this car three stars. I fully expected I would be enthralled and give it four or five stars, but with its shortcomings, I have to give this car only three stars. It's not the worst car on the market, but it's no VW Jetta.

What I would do to improve this model:

While I don't think this car in its incarnation can get five stars from me, a few improvements would make this a four star car and get my approval to a friend.

At the very least, improve visibility. Not being able to see while backing up is a recipe for a fender bender.

By all means allow key entrance, at least, into the passenger side of the car.

Get a slightly more powerful engine as this 2.5 liter, 150 horsepower engine makes this particular car feel like a golf cart.

I do know that making the backseat more roomy would require a huge re-design. While no key entrance into the trunk or backseat windows are deal breakers, VW could have spent more time on the practicality of this car instead of making something that merely looks so great and impresses many people. In the two short weeks I rented this car, two people came up to me and asked me what I thought. I told them if they wanted a VW, get another model, but not the Beetle.
Amount Paid (US$): 30/day
Condition: New
Model Year: 2008
Model and Options: 2 door, automatic, 2.5 liter engine, Radio/CD/MP3