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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  Everyone should own a beetle - 2005 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Animalia26 - June 6 - 11:10 pm

  The VW Beetle is a great little car. It combines fuel economy with performance & legendary VW handling. The crash test data speaks for itself. (One of the safest small cars I could find) All you need to do is go test drive one and you will be hooked. I drove mine and I fell in love. Good things come in small packages :)

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  Just Like A Boat - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Brian_ - June 4 - 10:00 am

  Just like a boat, the two happiest days are when you buy it and when you sell it. Worst car I ever owned…

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  Good mileage...defective interior parts. - 2001 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Thebtls - June 1 - 10:00 am

  Interior is covered in a plastic like material that peals off. If if wasnt for the 43 MPG I would turn it loose. The mileage is the only redeaming feature. Arm Rest latch has broken 3 times, cost $58 to fix at dealer cost...so that remains unfixed. Factory car mats are garbage. Cup holders can not be used at all. If you do use the one in the console, it cracks...all four are cracked now. If you spill coke or coffee, it eats away the finish on the cups...

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  German Engineering? Yea right!!!! - 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By goingback2 - May 29 - 10:00 am

  I dont even know where to begin...At 10000 miles a brake light switch went out not covered under warranty! Then at 25000 battery went dead and thanks to VW for the special size, that was a nice $200 bill(again not under warranty). I have battled with the power window switches that are tempermental, the auto door lock at 7mph that works half the time, the drivers side window that doesnt want to go up, the gas door that wont latch and have I mentioned the horrible rattling and vibration at any speed over 25mph? The interior pieces are notorious for falling off. This car turned to junk after 6 months of ownership.

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  Looking Good in My Lady Bug! - 2005 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By ladybug - May 29 - 12:40 am

  I love my chick car. I look good in it. Taking the top down is awesome in the warm weather, and it drives well in the winter too. It has impressive head-room and I can almost stand up on the floor of the backseat. The trunk is tiny, but who cares? Put your groceries on the passenger seat. Ive had it for about a year now and have had no mechanical issues at all, gas efficiency is pretty average, and its overall pretty low maintenance.

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  Way Poor Quality - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By BAClayton - May 20 - 10:00 am

  There is no mistaking that this is a beautifu car, especially in the Harvest Moon exterior and black top. Beauty aside, however, the car has been a bit heaache. 1) The dealer didnt inform me that they put a significant ding in the bumper when they detailed it. 2) Within days, the automatic transmission didnt work correctly, and I discovered that the console lock pulled right out of the console - the car had to be serviced before I made my first payment. 3) The Turbo is malfunctioning at 4000 miles - driving a non-turbo is horrendous weak. 4) The door has to be slammed shut so it closes correctly and the window tucks away under the roof. 5) I dread the other problems Ill face.

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  2003 Volkswagen GLX Turbo Coupe (Betty) - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Stephanie - May 7 - 11:33 am

  We bought this car when a car of ours was stolen. It has been a really fun and reliable form of transportation. We are planning on keeping it in the family, since it has been so reliable. I would recommend this car and would make the same purchase again.

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  Its a Lime! - 2005 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By stowbound - May 4 - 4:36 am

  If it were yellow, it would be a lemon...instead I bought my wife a lime (green) for her 40th birthday. I believed that German engineering would provide us a good quality car that we could keep for 10+ years. Instead, I have had to sue under the lemon law for our horrible experience. The transmission still not fixed, the sound system rattles, marker lights fall out and dangle from the cords, gaskets come loose and the plastic parts break with ease. It is fun to drive with the top down, but is uncomfortable, gets poor mileage (24 mph, not 30 as advertised) is noisy and just feels cheap. There is also no storage anywhere in the car. This is not a car that will last. What a disappointment!

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  Nice but lots of trips to the Dealer - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By jpbdds - April 19 - 10:00 am

  Nice car to drive. However, has been to the VW dealer four times in the two months I have owned it. MIL for gas cap. Replace knock sensor. Change rear interior panel to eliminate rattle/squeak. Door lock/interior light problem that is hard to track down - may require several trips to find the problem. Dealer is responsive but it is a hassle to keep going back so often.

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  Fun in the Sun! - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Bino Bug - April 17 - 5:13 pm

  Weve had nothing but a fine experience with out VW Beetle. We orginally went shopping for a Mini Cooper, but we fell in love with the VW. The performance and features as well as price were comparable to the Mini, but the available service in the U.S. were the turning point in our decision to go VW and we our so glad we did!