2008 Volkswagen New Beetle Convertible Interior Review
Interior - What the Auto Press Says
The 2008 Volkswagen New Beetle Convertible's interior is hailed as attractive but lacks cargo room and can be a tight fit in the back, making it a strain to seat four passengers comfortably. Still, Kelley Blue Book says that "the New Beetle Convertible still offers one of the nicest interiors in its class."
Seating
The 2008 New Beetle Convertible comes with leatherette upholstered seats, with two buckets in the front. Front and passenger seating is height-adjustable and Option Package 1 adds a heated front-seat feature. Most reviewers find the seats notably comfortable and front seat space vast, but backseat space a bit more restricted. The New Beetle Convertible can fit four, but most reviewers say four is a tight fit. Kelley Blue Book says, "The seats are some of the most comfortable we've experienced, with excellent back, side and thigh support for both driver and passenger." Edmunds calls the seats "firm and well bolstered."
Car and Driver credits the "high arc of the roofline" with making "interior space [that] is plenty big, and access to the back seat [that] is easy." Consumer Guide reports that the New Beetle Convertible has "[f]ine leg room," and "towering head clearance even for six-footers." Yet, the reviewer goes on to call the backseat space "snug even for two preteens."
Interior Features
Auto reviewers conclude that the 2008 New Beetle Convertible has a good-looking interior. Consumer Guide finds that the cabin is filled with "high style, quality materials," adding that the interior features are "mostly user friendly." Reviewers from Kelley Blue Book particularly like the blue-lit instrument cluster, calling it "attractive" and "easy on the eyes both night and day." In sum, The Auto Channel reports that the appearance and quality "make the inside of the New Beetle a pleasant place to spend time."
Automobile Magazine echoes these findings, calling the interior "typical VW, with high-quality materials predominant," but also noting a complaint: that the dash is "one of the deepest ones going, with a large windshield almost impossibly distant from the driver."
Cargo
The 2008 New Beetle Convertible comes with a meager 5 cubic feet of cargo room. This is sparse in comparison to the standard Beetle coupe, which has 12 cubic feet of cargo space. Reviewers find this lack of space to be a drawback. Consumer Guide calls the trunk "quite small in size and opening, but usefully shaped," adding that it "holds more than expected with careful loading." Kelley Blue Book adds, "When down, the New Beetle Convertible's top rests high upon the rear deck, leaving room for a small trunk." Auto writers from Consumer Guide also find cabin storage "skimpy."
