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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  LOVE MY BUG!!! - 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By VW LOVER - March 10 - 10:00 am

  I ABSOLUTELY LOVE MY VW BEETLE....SURE, IVE HAD A FEW PROBLEMS WITH IT, BUT WHO DOSENT HAVE ANY CAR PROBLEMS?? MY WINDOW BROKE BUT THEY REPLACED IT & ALSO WENT AHEAD & REPLACED MY OTHER ONE, BECAUSE THEY HAD A NEW, IMPROVED MOTOR FOR THE WINDOWS. I LOVE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD & SEEING PEOPLE LOOK & SMILE AT ME!!! I WOULDNT TRADE MINE FOR THE WORLD.

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  one tough beetle! - 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By roman_capps - February 7 - 1:32 pm

  At first the beetle looks girly and cheap. girly to some, but cheap only in cosmetics. for the 13 years of its life it has been ragged out by a teenage girl and my father. Both have been over revved before they change gears. my father changes gears at 9000 or 90000 revolutions (cant remember) and it sends chills up my spine when he goes up hills. Not one transmission replacement to me that is amazing it sits at 195k miles. Rockwell is a great company, only in mechanical. The cosmetics on this car are absolutely cheap and plastic the entire door panel has been torn off. Its true how Volkswagen has been given to the beetle it is truly the peoples car.

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  Great Car - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By E2Z - January 27 - 9:00 am

  We have had the Turbo S for two years and 43,000 miles. We took it back to the dealer once for a recall. Other than that it has been perfect! It is fun to drive, comfortable, economical, relatively fast (my wife also has a Corvette) and dependable. We use it to commute 160 highway miles a day.

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  Good Car - 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Alisa - January 11 - 12:36 am

  Ive owned my 99 for seven months. I had a 98 Beetle for a year and half before I got this one. When I got into an accident there was no doubt I was getting another Bug. Its a great car, and it does well in the mountains and on long high trips. Ive had to change both headlight bulbs, window motors, serpentine belts and the AC has a leak. Aside from these minor things (which Ive come to find EVERY car manufacturer has) the car runs great, is fun to drive, and I get tons of compliments on my cute red car. Im hoping to upgrade to a newer, higher model soon.

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  2000 Volkswagen Beetle - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Mikey - January 5 - 5:50 pm

  We bought our 2000 Volkswagen Beetle new and we take care if it. The check engine light has come on every few months since weve had it. Notable fixes include, MAFS (x2), sensor (~one month ago) and it is on again. At $80 just to find out what is wrong, it gets expensive. Also, the passenger window wouldnt roll up, the door switches are broken, and the armrest latch busted. VW service wants $800 to change two brakes, and an arm and a leg for everything else. Dont waste your time. Ive had two other good experiences with VW but this car was a mistake. AVOID THIS CAR!

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  Not sure if it is worth the money! - 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By irishgirl0503 - January 3 - 10:00 am

  Its a fun car to drive. I took it in for a recall today because the brake light switch is out.. Thankfully there is a recall on this. The dealer was great, fixed the problem in about 30 minutes. The over all quality of the car is good. Mine has over 80k miles on it and I have had no major problems. The interior on the other hand is a different story. The door handles are peeling, the little knob on the emergency brake has fallen off.. the window switch on the drivers side has broken, & the glue that holds the trunk latch in place came loose.. other than that I love my car!!

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  Great Value for the Money - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By JOEL - December 25 - 10:20 am

  I found the 2006 Volkswagen Beetle to be very nimble and easy to handle. It has all the power I can ask for in a compact car. With just my wife and I this is more than enough car for us to use and it is getting about 26 MPG and it doesnt even have 1,000 miles on it. My other car is a GMC Yukon XL that gets about half the gas mileage.

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  Pretty, but a Gamble - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By santiagofdz - December 9 - 4:43 am

  Buying a 2000 VW Bug is a bit of a gamble, you can get a wonderful car, or a unreliable lemon, so its best to get your hands on a 2003+ model. I have had a myriad of electrical failures / hiccups with my Beetle, and I get the feeling that this wouldnt be so dire if I had a better dealership. Ive also had the problems with coolant pumps, engine speed sensors, the fragile window switches and more recently the HVAC controls. Also, some of the interior trim chips/wears very easily. Yet I still cant hate my car, its a good car for driving around town, gets a lot of attention, feels well planted on the highway, is very tough chassis-wise and its generally pleasant. But it could be so MUCH more rewarding

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  VW Beetle Convertible - 2005 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Jeffrey - December 4 - 4:36 pm

  Great car to drive! Lots of fun. Mechanical problems with the electric roof have been a bit frustrating. Overall a great car for the money.

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  Dont miss the repair shop - 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Robinowitz - November 19 - 10:00 am

  There was no greater fan of this car than me. I waited breathlessly for six years after seeing the prototype to buy it and loved it from the get go. Then all hell broke loose...literally. The whole A/C system had to be replaced at 2 years ($1200), the passenger seat lift lever broke off at 6 mos., the interior roofs compartment door broke off within 2 months, the locking fuel tank door broke around 2.5 yrs, the locking mechanism started doing a freakdance and a year after replacing the A/C system, it went out again. Had to dump it for the reliability of a good ol Nissan.