A big speedometer and tiny tachometer are in a circular gauge panel that glows indigo at night. This complements red lighting used for stereo and heating/air conditioning controls to minimize glare at night. It also looks neat. Sleek radio and heater controls are within easy reach and, but can be difficult to decipher and awkward to operate at speed.

We liked the techno look and found the interior materials to be quite acceptable in quality. It takes a little adjustment to get used to the seating position and general ergonomics. Volkswagen uses a unique set of seat adjustments that use a small jack-like handle to adjust height and an awkward knob to adjust the rake, but they work well once you've grown accustomed to them. It's similar to the way the seats work in all Volkswagens.

The outside mirrors are mounted well forward of the driver, which is actually a better position than that of many other cars which mount them too close to the driver. A huge dash area looms ahead of the driver, who cannot see the hood or anything else but road in front of the windshield. (This big dash area is no doubt part of the New Beetle's excellent crumple-zone design.) Beefy front A-pillars (the post between the windshield and side window) impede vision in tight corners. The sweeping roofline creates tremendous front-seat headroom, though it cramps people in back. In the old Beetle, the windshield was right in front of your face. Now the windshield is steeply raked and has been moved several feet forward.

Dual 12-volt power outlets and several cup holders make living with the New Beetle convenient. The glove box looks impressive, but its massive door belies the tiny, awkwardly shaped compartment. One-touch power windows are useful. But the rear windows do not open; so rear-seat passengers might feel a little claustrophobic on summer days.

The trunk is small, but the rear seats can be folded down to carry more cargo.

Our GLS 1.8T came with the optional leather seating surfaces. The seats are comfortable and attractive. The flat design of the seat bottom makes it easy to get in and out of the seats, but they don't provide sufficient side bolstering for driving quickly on winding country roads.