We say The Beetle loses its roof - along with some practicality, handling and all-round appeal.Performance The two-door model comes with typically strong engines from the German manufacturer. None of the engines are particularly powerful but the 1.9-litre petrol is the best with a 0-60mph sprint time of 9.0 seconds.Emissions The most efficient engine in the range is the 98bhp 1.9-litre TDi unit which returns 50mpg and emits 151g/km in CO2. That’s decent mileage but CO2 emissions are poor, revealing the age of the car.Driving The Beetle Convertible is an out and out cruiser because of its soft suspension setup that absorbs bumps and potholes but it’s a lumbering car around corners. There’s lots of bodyroll and it takes a while to settle down. Easy to drive but hardly exciting.Feel Engines can be noisy, but the Beetle is pretty well refined, even with the roof down. That’s in part because of its soft suspension set-up.Space There’s only space for four in the Beetle soft top and with the roof down, the boot space is severely limited at less than 201-litres. Visibility is also poor out of the car because of its strange shape.Equipment Alloys, CD player and remote central locking are standard. Folding roof is standard on all but base spec.Price Pricing for the Beetle Convertible ranges from around £15,000 to £23,000 which is quite expensive for a car that prioritises style over substance. Running costs will also be expensive on all models.Quality The interior is decent on the Convertible with solid materials that are well laid out. Unfortunately the centre console, design and layout all look outdated and drab, especially in light of the car’s funky image.Safety Four airbags and ABS are standard at base spec.Pros The Beetle Convertible’s strong point is its name. Without it and its opinion-splitting looks, it’s difficult to imagine many people plumping for one. Its engine line-up is ok.Cons The Beetle Convertible is extremely expensive for an impractical car that doesn’t handle as well as the golf convertible that its so closely linked to.Alternatives Nissan Micra CC Peugeot 206 CC, MINI One Convertible, Citroen C3 Pluriel, Daihatsu Copen, Mazda MX-5, Mitsubishi Colt CZC
