New drivers to the New Beetle offered up a mixed bag of commentary last month. Four staffers grabbed seat time in our screaming yellow Bug, and while most of us agreed on several points, we voiced different opinions on others. Just goes to show you, you can't please all of the people all of the time.

For example, this month we all likened driving the New Beetle to piloting a fish bowl. Visibility is outstanding, but all that glass results in a lack of privacy, especially acute since the car still turns heads (surprising considering how jaded denizens of Los Angeles can be). Want to preserve your anonymity? Get limo tint for the greenhouse. One driver also noted that the side glass is so tall that the sunvisor is rendered ineffective at blocking the sun's rays at certain times of the day.

Additionally, we love the lighting, VW. The super-duper kick-ass red and blue dash illumination enticed some of us to go out of our way to drive the Bug at night just to revel in the cabin's unusual nighttime ambiance. Pop in a little Maxwell for the evening ride home and the New Beetle serves as a soothing decompression chamber. Just give us some more effective storage compartments for cell phones, change, Lifesavers, and the like.

Family types should pay attention now. Two staffers with small children chimed in with accolades for the Veedub's family-friendly space utilization. Forget what you know about the original Beetle and don't let appearances deceive, these dads wrote. There's plenty of room for two car seats and two adults, along with adequate trunk space for groceries and the like. And loading up the little tykes isn't as tough as you might imagine. Thanks to the large rear footwell and arched roofline, you can actually stand up (albeit, hunched over) to strap the youngsters down tight. Admittedly, the New Beetle is no long-distance family truckster, but for around-town errand running, it fits the bill.

We also fielded some gripes about the availability of diesel fuel in West L.A. But, once a station was found, our drivers returned for more, so owners likely aren't confronted with the problem of locating a reliable source of diesel unless traversing foreign territory well off the interstates.

That's where the commentary diverges. The diesel engine in our TDI model was given kudos for its fuel economy, stump-pulling torque, and personable chatter at idle, but we weren't happy with acceleration. Actually, that's not exactly right. The guy who loves Honda VTEC engines was disappointed that it's worthless to rev the TDI beyond 4,000 rpm. The rest of us were pleasantly surprised by the 1.9-liter motor's verve.

Resident gearheads differed in opinion on how well our New Beetle is holding up. One said the shifter, clutch, brakes and steering are all in pretty good shape, and the car is still a hoot to drive. The other noted that our Bug rides harshly, the shifter is floppy and the clutch engagement point is way off and needs adjustment.

Too bad this notation was made after a visit to Volkswagen of Van Nuys to have a seatback release lever repaired and an intermittently illuminating headlight replaced. Our staffer reported a happy, shiny service experience at this dealership, with all items fixed for free under warranty within 24 hours of dropping off the Bugster. The entire headlight housing was replaced, because technicians found faint burn marks around it due to a suspected electrical short. When we couldn't get back to retrieve the VW during regular weekday hours, the service guys arranged to leave the keys with the sales staff so we could come by and grab the car on the weekend. Overall, Volkswagen of Van Nuys impressed us as being courteous, knowledgeable, and concerned with the needs of the customer.

Similarly, our experiences with the New Beetle were pleasant as well. From the logbook: "This car crosses all boundaries and lifestyles. I felt equally comfortable driving it to the office in my suit or to the beach in shorts and a tank top. It was a great experience." Another driver admitted to succumbing to the subliminal advertising each and every New Beetle contains, "It's gotten me interested in Volkswagen's other offerings...which, I'm sure, is one of the reasons they added the New Beetle to their lineup." Well, you could do worse than to buy a VW.

Total Odometer Reading: 26,820
Best Fuel Economy: 33.9 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 27 mpg
Body Damage: $0
Maintenance Costs: $0
Problems: None.