Overview & Reviews

The Volkswagen New Beetle was the cute car that started the retro-futurist design craze. It was a modernized version of the legendary VW Beetle and struck a chord with consumers who had grown tired of standard conservative car designs and had fond memories of the "Bugs" from their youth.

But that was 1998. As more than a decade passed without a major redesign, the New Beetle started to seem like a retro version of itself. With sales dropping steadily, VW decided to discontinue the New Beetle after the 2010 model year. A redesigned model, just called the Beetle, debuted a year later.

Shopping for a used New Beetle is pretty straightforward. It didn't change much, so you can shop mostly on price and mileage, though paying attention to engine availability through the years will likely be useful.

Most Recent Volkswagen New Beetle
The first-generation Volkswagen New Beetle was produced from 1998-2010. It was initially only offered as a two-door hatchback, and the convertible showed up for 2003.

Although the New Beetle was based on the Golf platform from the late 1990s, it had less interior space than today's Golf (and the '90s Golf for that matter) as well as most other compact hatchbacks. The front seats were roomy, but the same couldn't be said of the back. Trunk space was tight in the hatchback and even tighter in the convertible. The convertible came with a power-folding top as standard.

Models up to 2005 used the GL, GLS and GLX designations to reflect the various trim levels, as well as a standard 115-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. A five-speed manual was standard on the Volkswagen New Beetle, with a four-speed automatic usually optional. A 100-hp 1.9-liter turbodiesel was also offered (the TDI trim) until the end of 2006, when it failed to meet new emissions regulations.

Until the last few years of its lengthy life, turbocharged gasoline engines were a big part of the New Beetle's trim lineup. Sold from 1999-2005, the New Beetle 1.8T was powered by a 1.8-liter turbo four-cylinder, which put out 150 hp. From 2002-'04, VW included the Turbo S trim in the coupe lineup. It was equipped with a retuned 180-hp version of the 1.8T turbo engine and a six-speed manual transmission. For 2006 and thereafter, the only gasoline-powered engine available was a 2.5-liter five-cylinder that produced 150 hp and was coupled to either a five-speed manual or a six-speed automatic.

As the years wore on, Volkswagen added a few features like satellite radio, but changes to the equipment level were light, as the car was pretty well-equipped with items such as air-conditioning, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel and in later years, heated seats.

Volkswagen released several special-edition models, though, including limited-edition colors and trim packages. For 2002, VW added a Sport edition, which essentially was a 1.8T with a five-speed manual, 17-inch wheels and a leather interior.

In reviews, we found that the Volkswagen New Beetle excelled at what it was built for -- cruising and being seen in. It was a good choice for young singles or retired folks who only rarely needed a backseat, but other hatchbacks were far more practical. The original base engine was pokey and unrefined, so finding one of the turbocharged units would be a wise idea. The subsequent five-cylinder offered just as much power as the previous turbocharged engines and was more efficient, but wasn't as energetic and sapped some fun out of the Beetle. Those interested in the convertible should be aware that rearview visibility is poor with the top up or down.

User Reviews:

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  Buy Used! - 2001 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Gootee2Shoes - September 9 - 7:56 am

  I bought this car used and I think that makes a huge difference. I have (hopefully) avoided the pitfalls that the new owners did and my car is intact and in beautiful shape, inside and out. I bought some tires and got an alignment and some wipers, but everything else is going smoothly. I love the way it drives, besides how tight the clutch is. Everyone thinks it is the cutest thing ever and it is the first car I am proud to drive. I loved my 97 Golf, but I love this car even more.

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  zippy, but little things go wrong - 2001 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By hollyhock - September 7 - 10:00 am

  This car is fun to drive, lots of acceleration, great gas mileage and looks good. the finish details are plastic and arent holding up well. I accidentally drove over a short parking curb and did $1.7K in damage -- the steering and cooling systems are behind the front bumper, so if you get in a minor fender bender, these things all get damaged. The service at Santa Monica dealership is TERRIBLE!!!

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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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  Mines Not So Bad - 2001 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Karen - August 29 - 5:46 pm

  Ive owned my TDI Beetle for 8 years. Arent the diesel Beetles built in Germany not Mexico? I have to say Ive been very lucky compared to some of the reviews Ive been reading. I did just have the timing belt changed at 100,000 miles, which was expensive! I owned a 318i which required the replacement of two air flow meters, so I sold it. Well, I had to replace my first one on the beetle in 2007 and Im now on my next one. Whats up with that! Its running crappy. Did have to replace the gas door, broken after 3 years. My mirror switch just broke. Headlight replacement, difficult but my husband figured out how to do it, not so bad, but $50 at the dealer.

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  My experience... - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By mystry - August 29 - 10:45 am

  This was my dream car, but its expensive. I bought the car new in 07 and have loved it, but it gets a lot of small quirks that add up. I am on my 3rd radio b/c the buttons wear down, a battery costs $195 b/c auto shops will not install it you must go to the dealer, the door panels eventully wear down, and indicator lights are always coming on. I spend more time at dealerships and more money on this car than any other car ive ever owned. Ive not had as much trouble as some of these reviews, but ive had enough that my dream car is getting traded.... I am tired of spending money on a car that is paid for with less than 100K miles on it. PS, expect to get about 330 miles to a tank.

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  Lease return or Purchase Offer??? - 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By B & J Buffington - August 20 - 2:00 am

  After reading others experience with this car the decision to make an offer to the lessor or return the car will not be easy. There appear to be a substantial number of "lemons" in the 1998 model year. Problems since our purchase included a faulty A/C compressor, door regulator arm, and the battery.The lease "residual" is $13,400 and based on the current market valuation our offer to purchase will likely be roughly $9,000 (plus or minus $500). Like the Ford Focus this car has great engineering but inconsistent component quality and/or production assembly problems.

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  Dealer and Reliability Problems - 2001 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By boblewisvwstinks - August 15 - 10:00 am

  The car is a terrific idea. A small, peppy car with good comfort and good handling. Unfortunately, the dealer I bought it from is loaded with a bunch of slimey crooks. Ill never do business with Bob Lewis VW again. For example, the day I bought the car, the parcel shelf under the hatch turned out to be broken. Drove back to the dealership -- where they should have just placed another one in the car no questions asked. The new car delivery guy asks his boss what to do. His reply? Schedule a service appointment. After making a scene, they fixed the problem. Creeps.

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  half and half not creme de la creme - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By gypcbug - August 15 - 7:43 am

  My VW was a celebratory purchase after I pd off a 5yr on a "conservative grey" sedan. Happy "new" car for my new home. Luckily, I kept the boring car too. The VW served me well becoming my primary vehicle including a long job commute. Its great for road trips as mpg is great. The fun factor is huge. The exterior looks new even @ 123K. I needed a catalytic converter @ 80K w/a cost of $1200. The trans slips & I was quoted $3K. She will be parked non-op while I live w/my monthly payment. The interior falls apart in plastic chunks, all cup holders are gone & my door pull fell off. The rt window sticks & the trunk latch catches. The air bag light has never been off. Overheating,Oil guzzling baby.

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  Lemon - 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Paisley Jane - August 12 - 3:43 pm

  I only had this car for 6 years, 2 of which it was only driven about once a month by my parents because I lived out of the country. Despite this, it had 1000s of dollars worth of repairs needed every year. One month after purchase it needed $1000 worth of repairs. The final straw came yesterday when they told me I needed $5000 worth of repairs to ABS system, some fuel thing, etc. I took it directly to Toyota and traded it in.

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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.