Volkswagen's 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 lack sufficient side bolstering for driving quickly on winding country roads. The usual fore-aft and rake adjustments are provided, while a lever jacks the height up and down. My right knee came into contact with the corner of the center console, but adjusting the seat rearward solved this. Your passenger may encounter the unfriendly tracks while groping around for the fore-aft adjustment. 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.

The back seat of the convertible is fine for adults on short trips. Shoulder and hip room are cramped, more cramped than in the hardtop Beetles. There's decent rear headroom, more in the convertible than in the hardtop. There's a reasonable amount of space for feet and legs in the convertible when the front passengers cooperate. Hardtop Beetles offer more rear legroom. Beetle hardtop offers more rear legroom than the Mini, less than the Cruiser. Both of Beetle's front seats flip and pivot up and forward, making it easier to climb into the back seats. They then flip back to the original seating position, a nice memory feature.

Beetle's trunk is small, just 12 cubic feet, though the rear seats can be folded down to carry more cargo. The convertible's trunk is even smaller, just 5 cubic feet. Mini Cooper and PT Cruiser offer more cargo capacity.

Dual cup holders in front of the shifter are tucked under the protruding center dash that houses HVAC and audio controls. That arrangement appears to preclude tall drinks, but the cup holder platform cleverly swivels to the right to make room for that grande cappuccino. Your companion will have to hold his or hers, however.

Beetle's interior is attractive and, like all Volkswagens, is nicely finished. A myriad of materials is used to give the Beetle a high-tech look. We love the painted metal trim at the upper edges of the doors, which matches the exterior paint. GL and GLS feature new interior cloth, a tightly woven upholstery that's resilient and sporty, yet soft to the touch. Leatherette (vinyl) and leather are also available. The upper dash uses coarse, hard materials accented by smoother, softer surfaces elsewhere. Curved, dimpled door handles look ultra-modern. The steering wheel feels good and features brushed aluminum spokes. A small bud vase keeps a small flower looking fresh or holds a plastic daisy.

Beetle gets several running changes throughout the 2003 model year, including: moving the clock and temperature display to the base of the center mirror for easy-to-read driver information; an integrated turn indicator on the side mirrors; pinch protection for models with a power sunroof; and a redesigned center console with storage and a padded armrest. A dealer-installed, six-disc CD changer, vertically installed in the center console, is a new option for GLS, GLX and Turbo S models.

The padded armrest on the redesigned center console is nice enough, but the storage compartment is small. The optional six-disc CD changer fills this space, eliminating one of your few storage cubbies. The glove box looks impressive and has a small shelf at the top for the owner's manual, but its massive door belies the tiny, awkwardly shaped compartment. The center console looks like it may show dirt and wear over the long haul when ordered in the light colors.

A big speedometer and tiny tachometer are in a circular gauge panel that glows a rich, deep blue at night. This indigo lighting complements the 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 on the protruding center dash, but can be difficult to decipher and awkward to operate at speed. Below are controls for adjustable seat heaters and the anti-skid system.

The power top, like the rest of the car, is nicely finished. It has a soft cloth lining that looks and feels good. It seems to filter noise well. Beetle is a quiet convertible at speed. The light-colored lining on our convertible was beginning to show dirt in what would be the C-pillar area where it folds down, though our car was a pre-production model. The map light on the convertible is mounted on the mirror, awkward to reach and easy for your co-driver to knock the mirror askew when trying to press the switch. Convertibles come with a glass rear window with a defroster. Rearward vision is compromised with the top down, blocking sightlines down low. You'll be viewing windshields rather than grilles. Raising the seat reduces this.

The convertible's power top is easy to operate. (A manual top is also available.) Twist a lever, press a button and it opens in just 13 seconds. Press a big power window switch and all windows lower at once. Suddenly, you're in a better mood. Turn on the seat heaters if it's chilly. Our convertible came with sunscreen, a nice gift from Volkswagen. Pressing the button for the power top raises it in just 13 seconds, though it takes a little practice to get it latched without a momentary struggle.

An optional wind blocker ($250) turns the convertible into a two seater. It's a nicely designed piece and easy to remove, but reinstalling it is a challenge and can scratch the interior if you're not careful. Also, you'll need to store it at home when not using it because, once removed, it won't fit in the car. We didn't drive the Beetle enough at high speeds with the top down to be sold on the need for the wind blocker (it was winter). It certainly isn't needed at low speeds. Our recommendation is to pass on the wind blocker and purchase it later if you decide you'd like to reduce wind turbulence at speed and find you rarely have back-seat passengers.

Convertibles boast a special 10-speaker sound system with two 220-millimeter subwoofers in the front, two 160-mm woofers in the rear, four tweeters and two mid-range speakers. The placement of the speakers helps maintain high-quality stereo sound even while competing with wind buffeting. Three 12-volt power points are provided, in the front and rear seating areas and in the trunk.