Verdict
The 2012 Volkswagen Beetle is the third incarnation of VW's most iconic car and takes a step back to the 1938 original in terms of styling, plus a step forward from the New Beetle in terms of driving and practicality.

Expert rating: 3.5

Pros
• Better-looking than its predecessor
• Improved practicality
• More fun to drive

Cons
• More expensive than other 'style' or retro cars
• Space still limited
• Ride over-firm for some tastes

1. Exterior: 3/5
The new Volkswagen Beetle is now bigger and lower than its modern day predecessor and the once cartoon car style has been ditched for a coupe-like shape more reminiscent of the original 1938 vehicle. The rear is a strong reminder that the Beetle has a shared family history with Porsche. The design also reflects Volkswagen's desire to attract more male buyers.

2. Interior: 4/5
It probably won't do Volkswagen's chances of attracting male buyers any harm to have got rid of the vase which adorned the dashboard of the New Beetle. A pairing of glove boxes now dominate the dash, harking back to the first Beetle as does the mounting of instrumentation dials atop the dashboard which can be specified as an option. Unfortunately, some of the interior plastics are disappointingly hard.

3. Practicality: 3/5
Practicality is the price buyers pay for a slice of retro. The 310-litre boot falls somewhere between supermini and family hatchback and compares favourably with the 209 litres of the previous generation model. Flipping the rear seats forward increases this to 905 litres. The Beetle is a three-door car with just two rear seats and while they offer restricted legroom, rear access is very good and the coupe-styling means a big improvement to rear headroom.

4. Ride and handling: 3/5
The 2012 Beetle boasts vastly improved dynamics thanks to all-new suspension. Some might find this a little firm, especially those opting for the Sport version, but the trade-off is a much more involving drive than previously.

5. Performance: 4/5
There are three petrol engines: the 104bhp 1.2 TSI, 158bhp 1.4 TSI and the 197bhp 2.0 TSI or a 104bhp 2.0 TDI diesel. These will be available with DSG automatic gearboxes or five or six speed manual transmissions depending on trim level.

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6. Running costs: 4/5
The 2012 Beetle starts from around £15k, which is slightly pricier than its predecessor. However, the 105bhp 1.6-litre TDI version offers supreme economy, returning 65.7mpg on the combined run and 114g/km of CO2.

7. Reliability: 3/5
This is a new car but features engines and components from other VW models. Volkswagen finished 10th in a list of manufacturers according to customer feedback in the 2011 JD Power Survey while the previous New Beetle had a strong reputation for reliability according to the Reliability Index.

8. Safety: 4/5
All derivatives of the 2012 Beetle will come with two front and two side airbags, anti-lock braking (ABS) and electronic stabilisation programme (ESP). The New Beetle achieved a four-star rating following Euro NCAP crash testing, but we're expecting this version to score higher.

9. Equipment: 3/5
The Beetle comes in three trim levels: Beetle, Design and Sport. Standard equipment includes air-con, DAB radio, multi-function steering wheel, two front and side airbags, ABS and ESP. Design adds multi-function leather steering wheel and Bluetooth. Sport adds black wing mirrors and parking sensors. Optional extras include sat-nav, keyless entry and start, panoramic sunroof, bi-xenon headlights, parking sensors and dash-mounted gauges.

10. Why buy? 4/5
Because you love the style and history of the Volkswagen Beetle. A Golf may be more practical and other retro modern cars may be cheaper, but there's only one Beetle and it just got a whole lot better.