2000 Volkswagen Beetle GLS TDI
Flower Power Forever
story by Reese Knoll
photos by Eric Schofield

Yes, it’s true that the new Beetle has been hitting the streets for several years now but you just can’t seem to shake the charm that it has.  The car has so much personality, a certain type of charisma, hell – if you look at if from the front, you’d swear it was smiling at you!

Having driven several of the New Beetle’s and having fallen in love with them gave us something to look forward to when we heard that a brand new Beetle in GLS TDI trim was going to be delivered.

The New Beetle is truly a modern car.  Comfortable seats, a willing engine, good fit and finish and a retro design that just kicks ass!  But this particular test car was a TDI model – turbo charged direct injection DIESEL engine!  Huh?  Oh yes, I said DIESEL.

The thing that initially occurred to some staffers was that a well built diesel engine can run a very very long time.  The other thing that occurred to staffers was that finding diesel fuel was getting quite a bit harder around our part of town.  So what’s the charm in buying a TDI version of Herbie?

Let’s make sure you understand the differences between the various Beetle models.

Other than the obvious difference in the fuel requirement, the TDI is a remarkable little engine.  It is a 1.9 liter, SOHC 20-valve 4-cylinder engine which produces 90 horses.  Though the horsepower is significantly lower than the other engine options, the torque is greater at a much lower RPM rating.  This little bug isn’t the fastest car off the line recording 0-60 times which consistently averaged 10-11 seconds.  But the additional torque came in handy during passing situations at highway speeds.

The drawback to the TDI is that the engine is fairly rough riding.  You could feel the engine vibration in your feet through the brake pedal and heaven forbid you pop the hood to look at the guts while the motor is running.  The engine block vibrated so badly that we had trouble reading the TDI badge on the engine cover.  But then again… it is a diesel engine so being smooth is not its main intention.

Interior-wise, the TDI version is identical to the other trim lines.  Functional cabin, sharp clean lines, unique modern look, really cool flower vase and a "hot" lighting scheme – purple with crimson needles.  As delightful as the New Beetle is, the design still poses some problems.  The headroom in the back seat is severely lacking and is only adequate for short passengers and storage capacity is quite poor.  We were unable to squeeze a 17” monitor into the trunk and had to sit it in the front seat to get it back to the office!

The strongest selling point to choosing the TDI Beetle over the other trim lines was that the gas mileage was out of this world!  After having driven several fuel thirsty cars over the last year, the TDI Beetle blew us away with an epa rating of 42 city / 49 highway.  Take a close look at the data sheet that came with the car and observe the estimated annual fuel consumption - $383.00.  Unbelievable!

The standard equipment list is quite impressive for such a reasonably priced automobile.  ABS braking system with disc brakes all the way around, front and side impact airbags, heatable driver and passenger side mirrors, AM/FM cassette stereo with 6 speakers, variable interval windshield wipers, power windows with automatic operation from the driver’s side (pinch protection), eyeglass holder integrated into the headliner and the surprising inclusion of a height adjustable TELESCOPING steering wheel!  All in a car that lists at $17,900!

The VW New Beetle certainly isn’t the most practical car in the world.  It’s not the fastest, it’s not the best handling and it certainly doesn’t offer the most storage space.  It’s all about expression.  It’s the look, the feel, the PERSONALITY that the car exudes.  

The 2000 VW Beetle GLS TDI is a great car for the person who wants incredible fuel mileage out of a car that will probably run forever.  And with the charm, warmth, and amenities of the New Beetle GLS TDI, it’s likely to stay in your garage for many years to come.  Flower Power Forever.

Telescoping wheel!		Tight on storage.		Attractive & functional interior.

Styling	Amenities	Ergonomics	Power	Handling	Comfort	Roominess	Cargo Space	Fun to Drive	Bang for Buck	TOTAL
10	9	7.5	7	7	7.5	6.5	6	7.5	8.5	76.5