The "New Beetle" had returned to most First World markets in 1998, using the front-wheel-drive Golf platform, and became a huge hit. But it was getting long in the tooth after a decade with only minimal changes.

For 2012, the Beetle gets a badly needed redesign. The redesign loses the "cute" feel of the previous model, and gains a lot more retro character in return. The previous Beetle was shunned by men because it was too much of a "chick car," and this Beetle doesn't have that problem.

The interior, with body-colored dashboard complete with a small cubby hole, is definitely very retro. The gauges are much more legible as well. I like this far more than the interior of the previous Beetle, though I prefer the "chick car" exterior of the previous model.

Of course, the presence of leather, pushbutton start, cruise control, navigation system, and automatic transmission mean that this is a far cry from the bare-bones utilitarian Beetles of the hippie revolution era. At least the interior is not cheap, unlike the interiors of certain other modern-day Volkswagens (like the newest Jetta).