I enjoy driving smaller vehicles so right off the bat this car was fitting for me. I love the updated look from the older model Beetles. The inside of the car is very roomy. It looks much smaller than it actually is. I have not had any mechanical issues and I bought my car used. The heat and air always work on par. The air is cold and the heat is hot! It defrosts very well during cold weather. My car is cleared of ice within 5 minutes of defrosting. The traction could be a bit better, but then again, I could use new tires. The car is low to the ground, so be aware of curbs when parking. I have knocked my front bumper off by parking too close to the curb in parking lots. The car has a funny smell that everyone who gets in notices right away. They describe it as smelling like 'crayons'. I read that This is due to the padding that VW uses in the upholstery. I myself don't smell it, but then again, I drive the car everyday. I am probably just used to it. But its not a big deal. MY biggest beef with this car is the cup holders. They are crammed up under the heat and air control and you can only properly fit a 12 ounce can in one. And even that has a hill spillage chance when putting it in and taking it out because even with something so small, you have to tilt it to fit in the cup holder. That may not be an issue to some, but I do eat and drink in my car, and even if I am just getting some fast food to take home, I cannot put the drinks in the cup holders. I end up holding the drink in between my legs and that can interfere with steering. So, besides that annoyance, I like this car a lot. Personally, I enjoy the newest models more. The 2013-2014 models have actual cup holders that are useable. As well as many more features. I will likely end up trading in this 2005 for a 2013 or 2014. So if you deciding between this or a new Beetle, go new. Bugs are over priced anyways, so for about 10k more you can get so much more AND a very sleep frame..