Overview & Reviews

For 2004, the New Beetle is no longer available in GLX trim. There's an improved TDI engine and restyled 16- and 17-inch wheels. Turbo S models get uniquely styled 17-inch wheels as a late-year addition. New safety features include head curtain airbags and upgraded head restraints. The Monsoon audio system is now standard on the GLS and new GDL headlights are optional. Later in the model year a fixed rear spoiler will replace the power-operated unit and a CD player with MP3 capability will be added. Convertibles get new exterior colors and color combinations. All Beetles get a new fuel cap warning light this year. TDI models can be equipped with a Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG), which is a six-speed manual transmission with electronic control of the clutch and gearshifting. It can be operated in full automatic mode, like a traditional automatic, or shifted manually like a Tiptronic.

• Cute yet classic styling, range of engine choices, long list of standard features, good crash test scores.

• Tight rear-seat accommodations, limited cargo room, high price of Turbo S model.

User Reviews:

Showing 1 through 10 of 245.00

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  A fun little car! - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By mjvoigts - November 5 - 12:53 am

  I LOVE my bug!!! I have flowers decked out all over it and it really turns heads! It is zippy and fun and the convertible top is great for Florida. I have had it in the shop for multiple repairs, but theyve all been covered under warranty. The tires get bald quick, and the battery only lasted a year, though. Warranty covered a complete re-do of the electrical system, and a new top as the back window was falling out. The interior paint is so fun, but it does chip and that looks tacky. But I do looooove my car!! Also, with the Turbo engine, the mileage kind of stinks, and it requires premium fuel...

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  Dream Car, Turned Nightmare! - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By chiquitadog1 - August 6 - 4:28 pm

  This was my moms dream car, but it has been nothing but a nightmare! The electrical is always goofy, fast blinker, check engine light always on & 6 months after buying, drivers side window wont go down and come back up to the hood seal automatically - a problem Ive heard about from every convertible owner. Another problem Ive heard from every Beetle owner, the water pump either breaks or leaks. The transmission is this cars biggest downfall. After owning it for 1.5 years the transmission would get very touchy, stuck in gear, hard shifting, funny sounds, esp in stop & go traffic or when trying to go after coming to a stop. Finally went completely out while after stopping at a red light.

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  Yep Yep my Bug is Sexy! - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Cheetoz - July 29 - 4:40 am

  I absoluety love my bug! Im a new driver and its really easy learning to drive in it. You just feel good when driving. It makes you comfortable. Youre not at all worried about whos going to see you in some busted up lemon. Confidence is key, if you feel good about what youre driving, you drive well. Its gotten to the piont of being annoying, because most of my friends are talking about getting one. So to keep from falling into the crowd make sure its personalized from the licsense plate to the extra long dashbroad!

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  I hope its a fluke!!! - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By littlesister - July 16 - 2:00 am

  After owning a money pit convertible bug in high school, my husband and I purchased this car (to make up for past wrongs, I guess). With only 80 miles on the odometer, it broke down! A pressure sensor in the turbo failed. Ten days later, the top would not go up. Other than that, we both love it. It is cyber green and way too fun for its own good. We opted for the 5-speed manual turbo and love the power. Our daughters think its so cool and always want us to drive them to school with the top down. It handles beautifully.

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  new beetle electronic problems - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By bcliffelec - July 6 - 10:00 am

  constant check engine light immediatley after purchase. Multiple dealerships were unable to ever find the problem. Volswagen ended up having to buy the car back under the "Lemon Law" but it was a real hassle!

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  Poor Customer Service After Sale - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By criderun - March 17 - 8:13 pm

  This little car has been great until we have tried to get some warranty service done. We have had problems with the battery going dead from about the time the car was 6 months old. The dealerships equipment would not show the battery was bad since the car was jump started and recharged. Every other place in town tested the battery and showed it was bad. We have been fighting this for over a year now. Anytime we go out of town and the car sits for 2-3 days the battery is totally dead. We finally had the car towed to the dealership while it was dead but they are over a week behind being caught up on doing warranty work. Now I am no longer considering that new GTI. Nice cars, bad service.

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  Why this is my last VW purchase - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By finalstraw - September 2 - 11:15 pm

  After owning many VWs and with a lifetime of great memories Ive got to accept the fact that VWs have never been reliable and Ive spent waaay too much time and waaaay too much money for those memories. The final straw happened today; I received a Warranty Extension notice in the mail about the transmission valve body in my convertible. WOW!...VW finally admitted there has been a problem and they were going to fix it. WRONG! I was out of the warranty window by 2 months - but they could repair it for $2-3k! VW lost me forever. I wish I could recapture the time that Ive wasted fooling with VWs. Unless you want to spend a chunk of your life hanging out in garages with mechanics - stay away!

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  I love my car!! - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By tehj151 - July 17 - 10:00 am

  I have had this car for just three months. The only thing I can say negative is that the seats are not very comfortable to sit in for any length of time. I keep a pillow in the drivers seat behind my back to help with back pain.

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  Love my Bug!!! - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By CHRISTIE - February 8 - 2:00 am

  I had been waiting for the NBC since the New Beetle came out years ago. This is a peppy little car! Does it handle like a sports car? No. However, it handles great, its comfortable to drive and has plenty of front seat leg room.

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  Stay Away from the New Beetle TDI - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Surface - February 2 - 4:00 am

  2003 5-Speed TDI. My expectations of VW quality have been all shut down. This is the worst new car purchased. 2 year old car that needs repairs all the time. Things that should work for years to come break, for example the gas cap release mechanism is a part of a large list of things. Gas milage of this vehicle is great, but what others do not tell you is that maintenance required for this car is horrible, Timing Belt Change every 40K miles required. Parts Sales person from VW told me that all the money you save on gas milage are spent on either repair or maintenance [TDIs mostly]. Have you checked VW reliability ratings? Search the web,you will be surprised that VW is in the Daewoo region!