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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  Great car! - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Thomas - September 10 - 3:53 pm

  We have had the car for about a month now and love it! We have had a Buick Rendezvous for five years, so we really did not know how we would like being in a little car and riding down low to the ground - but we really like how it feels on the road. It is surprisingly smooth on the highway as we took a recent two-hour trip that was very comfortable. In town we love how it handles in traffic with its peppy engine. It is not a luxury car, but a fun sports car. Our friends and family are surprised how roomy it is inside when they ride in it for the first time.

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  RUN AWAY! - 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By mo - September 2 - 2:03 am

  I bought this car for the worst possible reason: IT LOOKS CUTE. No sonner had I bought it than things started to go including the battery, a fan, the a/c system, the stereo, the windows, and the reverse gear. This list goes on an on, and everything is EXTRAORDINARILY expensive to fix. I made a quick decision because my previous uber-reliable Honda Civic was stolen, and I rue the day I bought this car every day of my life, particularly when Im sweating in the summer without the $1,600 it would cost to fix it. Everything that could go wrong has. Don;t buy this car. I will never buy a VW again.

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  The PERFECT Car - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By ColeopteraVW - August 30 - 2:00 am

  This, I must say, is the best car I have ever driven, and I have driven quite a few. I LOVE the turning radius! And ADORE the fact that I can get in and out of tough parking places! I am personally not a performance freak, so this may not be for those who want dangerous acceleration. The great gas mileage is a huge bonus! And you cant forget safety! It has belt tensioners, dome roll-cage (convertibles have stability thing I think), six airbags, and anti-intrusion door beams, and more! If someone offered me a Corvette for really low, Id take it...then sell it and buy a couple Bugs!!!

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  A true gem - 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By sunnygirl - August 30 - 12:10 am

  After the purchase of our 99 beetle we have only been back to the dealership for oil changes, nothing else. We purchased the car through the CPO program and never looked back. This car is the best car we have ever owned, hands down!

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  Another New New Beetle - 2007 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By timeino - August 27 - 2:50 pm

  I sold my red 99 Beetle last summer. I was missing it terribly! Last month I bought a new 07, yellow this time. Im so happy to have a Beetle again. Its easy to park, fun to drive, cleans up nicely and compared to my pick-up truck and Jaguar, economical to keep the tank full. These are cute little cars. I enjoyed my last one and still see it around town. (Its much loved and still looks great.) I know that if the day comes that I must part with this one, it will also find the right person to love it. In the 99 I dont miss the old cup holders or cloth/fabric seats. The 07 has leather, better cup holders and a much needed arm rest. Old one was manual, this one is automatic, no opinion.

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  New Bug - 2005 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By BugN - August 23 - 8:43 pm

  It is a fun drive, and I fit at 6 2", the TDI smoked a little at first, but after it was broken in, and using Biodiesel it now does great. Going from a Land Rover to a VW TDI is very nice on the pocket. Only thing that bugs me a little is the outside mirrors defrost is in the center position of the mirror adjustment switch, this is taking some getting use to, hope I dont burn them out before I figure it out, a light would be nice.

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  good fun - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Anne - August 20 - 4:10 am

  Great fun to drive and decent mileage. After driving a Mazda Rx-7 for 15 years, the backseat of the VW convertible looks roomy to me. Unfortunately getting in the back seat can be a problem. The handle to lift up, which causes the front seat to push forward allowing entry to the rear is designed so most people attempt to pull it out before lifting it up. The handle then breaks off. One of the handles had to be fixed before I took delivery of the car, and then has broken twice since then (even after total replacement), before I could warn people to "lift" the handle and not to pull it out. The "retro" look is great!

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  Former Benz & BMW Now Beetle Girl - 2007 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Gretchen S. - August 17 - 10:10 pm

  Wow. I have been a Benz and Beemer girl for many years. I wanted a change, and found it with the Beetle. While I love luxury, I like simplicity. I like speed, but not Grand Prix MPH. I want comfort, but not so much that I do not know what to do with it. I love my new Beetle. It is roomier than my former BMW 325i. The trunk is bigger, but configured differently. It runs a little rougher than my old BMW, but we are talking a $20,000 car vs. a $40,000 car. You get what you pay for. The ease of driving and engineering of devices is so easy. BMW and Benz take brain power to figure it all out. VW is simple and, well, simple. The Beetle is comfy, fun, and costs much less money. I love it!

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  A MISTAKE - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Rikky Huskanovic - August 16 - 9:39 pm

  First got this car when it was around 80k miles, and it was super cute and super fun for a few days until I noticed that something was wrong half the time when you tried to accelerate. However, it lasted me a few months- all while check engine turned on, it didnt acknowledge gears, etc- until it left me on the side of the highway with the engine and everything inside fried. We got it "fixed" and looked at so many times until it literally just died. No one wanted to even look at it, and the one mechanic that was willing said that all hope was lost. No reliability, no durability, doesnt seem to run over 5000 miles. You will be throwing your money away if you buy it.

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  Just dont... - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By UGH! - August 16 - 8:10 am

  I have had nothing but one problem after another since I bought this car and it only had 12,000K miles on it! Now after I have spent $2,000 plus a $1,500 warranty, I am going to take a huge loss on the trade too. This car stinks and now everyone knows it. Just save yourself the trouble.