The Unbeatable Beetle: A Volkswagen Icon

What makes an “icon?”

The Oxford Dictionary defines an “icon” as a person or thing that is greatly admired, loved, or revered. 

The Beatles. The Mona Lisa painting. Muhammad Ali. Albert Einstein. Whether an icon is a person or a thing, an icon is immediately recognizable and draws reverence.

When it comes to cars, it’s undisputable that the Volkswagen Beetle is an icon.  

Conceptualized in the 1930s, the Volkswagen Beetle can be considered as the longest-running and one of the most-recognizable car designs in automotive history.  The Beetle’s popularity remains strong without having to change its main design.

Movies featuring the VW Beetle are a testament to its celebrity status—it starred as “Herbie” in The Love Bug (1968) and in Herbie: Fully Loaded (2005), among many other movies, as well as books and cartoons. 

As I drove the 2016 VW Beetle, I discovered that what made this car achieve its iconic status is not only its look but the overall quality. 

The VW Beetle’s 7-speed DSG gearbox gives the convenience of an automatic, and the fuel efficiency of a manual. This type of transmission makes the VW Beetle world-renowned for its well-spaced gear ratios and smooth shifting. 

Two variants are available—the 1.4L TSI automatic with a 160ps twin-charged direct-injection engine, and the 1.2L TSI manual with a lighter and more fuel-efficient turbo-charged engine. 

The interiors of the VW Beetle give a feeling of nostalgia. The dashboard is a mixture of the classic Beetle and modern technologies. The speedometer, fuel gauges, glove compartment and seats have a retro look. Meanwhile, the built-in multi-function display, infotainment with eight speakers, and multi-function steering wheel are very high-tech. The audio-screen also serves as a “park distance control” indicator so that the driver can view obstacles while parking.

At first glance, the unmistakable curves and classic headlights make the VW Beetle immediately recognizable. But the Bi-Xenon headlamps reveal that this is a VW Beetle that has been modernized. 

Its safety features are fully enhanced to modern-day standards. The VW Beetle has a proactive occupant protection system that makes seatbelts automatically tighten and windows automatically close in case of a potential accident. This assures maximum functionality of the airbags—which are located in the front, side and curtain areas. 

An Electronic Stabilisation Program (ESP) detects critical driving conditions (like the risk of skidding) and keeps the VW Beetle on course. 

Mixing the modern with the features of the classic Beetle makes the 2016 VW Beetle just as lovable, just as dependable, and just as beautiful… and it remains to be, just as iconic.

The 2016 VW Beetle with a 1.4L TSI twin-charged direct injection engine.