Changes to Volkswagen's Beetle are in trim for 2017, as this modern interpretation of an icon gets more aggressive-looking bumpers across the range, and a limited-run Pink Edition trim which, thankfully, eschews the #PinkBeetle designation used in the U.S., which holds the dubious distinction of being (to our knowledge) the first car whose trim designation contains a hashtag.
Done up in fuschia metallic paint, the Pink Edition comes standard with bi-xenon headlights and LED taillights and licence plate lighting. Like it or not, the pink theme carries over into the cabin, with pink instrument panel accents and plaid seats that are a pink riff on the upholstery found in the GTI hot hatch.
As retro-inspired cars go, the Beetle is one of our favourites, though its styling doesn't stand out anywhere as much as that of the New Beetle when it arrived in 1998. It may be less practical than a Golf, but there's still a perfectly useful interior underneath that catchy styling.
While American buyers can get the Beetle with the 2.0L TFSI engine from the GTI/GLI, north of the border this curvy coupe only comes with an entry-level 1.8L TSI four-cylinder that delivers 170 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. What we do get that our American friends don't is a five-speed manual transmission, which can be optioned to a six-speed automatic.
Coupe trim levels start with the Beetle Trendline, whose $19,990 price includes the manual transmission, 16-inch steel wheels with full covers, eight-way manual front seats, backup camera, Bluetooth, five-inch infotainment touchscreen, air conditioning, power locks and windows and heated side mirrors with turn signal repeaters.
Next up is Classic trim, which adds 17-inch alloy wheels and tires, App-Connect smartphone integration, automatic headlights, 6.3-inch touchscreen audio and infotainment interface, cruise control, auto-dimming rearview mirror, heated front seats and washer nozzles, leatherette seats and door panels, rain-sensing wipers, satellite radio, eight-speaker stereo and leather-trimmed steering wheel, parking brake lever and shifter.
The Pink Edition comes in at $26,890 and brings 18-inch wheels, dual-zone climate control, 400-watt Fender stereo, blind spot detection with rear traffic alert, fog lights, passive keyless entry, park distance control and a panoramic sunroof.
Finally, there's the Dune, which imagines the Beetle as an light-duty off-roader. Its $28,890 price adds a lifted suspension, unique 18-inch wheels and a raft of cosmetic items that include different bumpers, wider track, protective side mouldings, curry yellow interior trim and a 23-mm front stabilizer bar.
