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:
Showing 1281 through 1290 of 1,368.00-
CRASHED! - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
By Bo - August 23 - 1:40 pmSO my parents bought the bug for my older sister then it was handled down to me..i hated it at first because i felt like i was driving in a BUBBLE and it was not air resistance.(everytime driving on the highway i felt like i was going to be blown away with the wind)..ANYWHO i came to love the bug cuz it started to become fun until one day i lost control on the highway and crash!!!! (accident not my fault) ohh and did i mention SO MANY DAM PROBLEMSSS!!!! ughhhh so yah i dontthink ill buy another beetle again..and coming from a future car designer this is bad..design is good..reliability...not so good
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2005 TDI New Beetle - 2005 Volkswagen New Beetle
By DaveG - August 15 - 4:26 pmThis was a must have for my wife. At first I wasnt sure if we needed this car with its reputation for questionable reliability, but after owning it now for a few months and 4,000 miles or so, I like it. Especially the 42 mpg highway 38 mpg overall. There seems to be very little middle ground with the New Bettles, if you like it enough to buy it, then you most likely love your Beetle. We asked all the Beetle owners we could find prior to purchasing ours, even those who had quite a few tedious under warranty repair issues, and they still loved their New Beetle and were looking a the newer models to replace their 4 or 5 year old Beetles. So far ours has been excellent and trouble free.
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its mediocre - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
By slb805 - August 14 - 1:36 pmSo I bought the car and initially it ran fine, but over the two years Ive owned it, things have begun to break down. The passenger window screeches when I roll it down, it gobbles up oil and gas. I have to put oil in it every 3 wks or so its a rare occasion when the engine light is off. Its an automatic, but the transmission shifts very funky it lurches sometimes and lately has been making weird noises when idling its fun to drive when it puts out but unfortunately that is becoming less and less. It seems like 1/2 the ppl who own a beetle love it & the other 1/2 absolutely hate it! I think Im growing to be the half that is displeased dont be fooled dont buy the car because its "cute"
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Still a great car after 10 years - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
By Dave McLaughlin - August 13 - 6:43 pmThe VW diesel is the best, who needs a hybrid. Mileage has been 38-45 mpg over the last ten years. Car is very comfortable with 5 levels of heat for the leather seats.Car has never let our family down. With the rear seats folded you have a lot of space to haul things. If you have to drive a lot, get a diesel, your savings will add up over time. We have 145k miles and still going strong. We bought it new and still like the car.
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All This Fun for Only $25,000 - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
By Lender 1 - August 13 - 5:30 amMy wife and I decided we wanted a fun convertible as a third car. The New Beetle is wonderful! It has lots of pep in Sport mode, the seats are very comfortable and the sound system is better than the one in my $84,000 Mercedes S Class. The top boot is easy to install and the interior has plenty of room in the front. It is fun to drive and is very stable and quite for a convertible (with the top up) at 80 MPH on the freeway.
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Horrible, simply horrible - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
By admiral - August 12 - 2:20 pmThis car is very uncomfortable and slow compared to what I want.
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Great Car - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
By DrBYU - August 8 - 2:00 amFun car, very reliable.
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Not so good this time either !! - 2001 Volkswagen New Beetle
By 01YellowSlugBug - August 4 - 2:00 amThis is my 3rd New Beetle. I owned a 98 and a 99 - both which had quality issues. I have been less than impressed with the 2001 as well. It seems that VWs quality hasnt improved much and its customer service needs improvement. I will not be purchasing a 4th Beetle or VW at all.
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Great car - 2001 Volkswagen New Beetle
By ch0ppersrule - August 3 - 10:00 amOur car ran awesome, nice and quiet until the recall item was replaced. Now you can definately tell it is a deisel, but the car still runs great. Love the mileage 42-43 in town and 49- 52 on the highway. This is of course a manual TDI. Lots of room, more than you would think looking at it.
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04 beetle convertible - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
By realtoratthelake - July 31 - 10:00 amnot bad!! i couldve gotten a 911 carrera but i thought this would get better gas mileage and be almost as fun. Good solid car. no complaints.
