Our review car was a special '70s Edition that was fully loaded with tech and featured this handsome Toffee Brown Metallic paint. The interior is trimmed in beige leatherette, and chrome dish wheels finish off the look.
Power and torque meet the road via the front wheels. The 18-inch wheels are shod in enough rubber to smooth out the Beetle's ride while still offering responsive handling.
The roof creates noticeable blind spots at the rear corners of the vehicle, but the large rear window makes parallel parking easy enough. Fortunately, I didn't spend too much time with the Beetle's top up.
The top doesn't really fold away. Rather it collects neatly in a pile at the back of the passenger compartment. I'm not a fan of this look, but more importably the roof somewhat inhibits rear visibility.
Our tester came with a cover that can be used to clean up the appearance of the stowed top. However, I found fitting the cover to be more trouble than it was worth.
With the top up, driving over downtown San Francisco's lunar-surface roads, I was disappointed to hear the top's weather seals creaking against the glass windows. This tells me that VW has allowed a bit of chassis flex in the tublike Beetle Convertible.
The Fender audio system is still one of the best-sounding affordable premium audio systems I've tested. Feed it rock with a thumping kick drum and listening to music becomes a tactile experience.
The RNS 315 infotainment system is simple and easy to understand. Touch sensitivity and physical controls are redundant, giving drivers the choice of two interaction methods.
Available audio sources include USB/iPod playback via the MMI connection, an SD card slot, an auxiliary analog input, AM/FM radio, SiriusXM satellite radio, and a single-CD player.
Bluetooth hands-free calling is also standard on the Volkswagen Beetle Convertible '70s Edition. Contacts in the synced address book are accessible via voice command at the touch of a button.
Despite its flaws, the 2013 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible and I were fast friends thanks to the awesome stereo and relaxed top-down driving characteristics. I also liked the way the approachable Beetle made strangers feel comfortable walking up and asking about the car.
