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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  Style versus Quality - 2001 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By jrainer - July 9 - 2:13 pm

  My wife wanted a beetle ever since they released the new version. We bought a certified used, so had a warranty on it which has come in handy. Dont buy a Beetle without a warranty! We had 2 or 3 warranty repairs that would have been $400 or more. Now that its out of warranty, weve spent about $1,500 on repairs that are quality issues, from leaking cooling systems to exhaust pipe cracks to window motors. The interior looks stylish but cheap and is cheap. The armrest, mirror adjust switch, and a cup holder are broken. Sun visors are worthless; back seat folds down to an odd and annoying position; glove box is too small.

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  I still love mine! 2002 Turbo S - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Woodenbee - July 7 - 1:33 am

  I bought my silver Turbo S used in 2005, and I still love walking up to it every day, its a gorgeous little car. This car is six years old and has its share of dents but still looks awesome, previous owner managed to make sunroof leak (fixed myself with amazing Haynes manual) and misalign drivers door? The doors on these things are really solid so how they did that I dont know? listening to the turbo whistle rocks and the six speed is cool, I have taillight issues on the left, but other than that she goes great. Anyway Ive really come to think that VW did reinvent their peoples car, used or new these are cheap and practical cars that anyone smart enough to want one can afford.

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  Love it, but had a big problem - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By NeilS - June 25 - 10:00 am

  Amazing engineering and design for such a small car, lots of fun to drive. Turbo has a lot of power, but lags when starting from dead stop. I had a BMW 325is, and this car drives a lot like it. For the $, I dont think you can beat it, especially if youre looking for a four seater convertible. But.... I had a defective slave cylinder that caused the clutch to burn up after 3300 miles, and the car broke down on the NJ Turnpike. Warranty covered it, its all fixed and working great, but I have to question reliability when I break down so soon.

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  New Beetle for the Young at Heart - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Chuckw - June 17 - 10:00 am

  My only problem with the car was when it was two days old. I had an electrical problem where the windshield wipers would go on, the emergency flashers would activate, and myriad other electrical impossibilities. It took 3 weeks to get it back to me... problem; a bad ground in the headlight. Since the day I got it back, it has been problem free. I really enjoy the spirit the turbo GLX displays and only now, after two years, have come to drive it a little more sensibly. My two biggest complaints are the useless cup holders and the reception on the radio, which is really bad on the AM side.

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  Beetlemania - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By thegretsch@aol.com - June 11 - 10:00 am

  Great,no problems except brake dust on rave rims. gets dirty fast Im trading it in for the convertible...

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  Ughhh so disappointed - 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By iloveu21 - June 4 - 4:18 pm

  i 1st bought my car from a used dealership..i loved my buggy and was so excited...BUT the 1st week i bought my car my gadge for my gas was not telling me the proper amount of gas in my car since my car still had a warranty the dealer fixed it. 4 months after that my check engine light came on,and ever since then my car never has been the same...check engine light comes on sometimes for no reason, my cars alternator broke, my engine system broke, and i have gotten to a small car accident which just broke my radiator which just cost me $150...but still it was ridiculous and now after having it for just a year my transmission is DONE and now all that money wasted on fixing my car is nothing now

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  In Love with the Beetle - 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Beetle Bill - May 31 - 10:46 am

  I bought this car back in 1999 drove it until our daughter turned 16 and gave it to her. She took it to college and her first job. I took it back when it had water pump problem at 100,000 miles. Otherwise the engine runs like a Swiss watch. A couple of buttons have broken but I figure that to be expected after 10 years. I would buy another in a heartbeat.

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  Bad Decision - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Amy - May 24 - 2:36 pm

  Bought this car used with only 26,000 miles on it. It has always been very fun to drive and the handling is great (except in the snow). But the reliability is the worst of any car I have ever owned, and I have had some bad ones! The list of problems includes the permanantly on check engine light, replaced fan control unit at 65,000 miles, air bag problems, broken fuel latch and trunk latch, knob for mirrors fell off, broken arm rest latch, steering rack replaced twice, air conditioner went out at 68,000 miles, broken knobs on the stero, some dash lights are burnt out, etc. I could go on and on forever. And NOTHING on the car is inexpensive to fix. It even requires premium gas because of the turbo. Dont make the same bad decision I made.

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  VW Beetle-Air Conditioning problem - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By R. Ehret - May 20 - 10:00 am

  I purchased the car 10/01 and in 6/02 discovered the air conditioning didnt work. Neither the dealership nor VOA would do anything about it. There were 2 major leaks-one in the AC Compressor and one in the Evaporator Core. Cost to fix $1800+. The warranty was only for 2 yrs. or 24,000 miles and I was told I was JUST out of warranty.

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  Fun, Fast Car - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By mwoodward - May 17 - 8:16 pm

  I have had no problems with my New Beetle. The Turbo can really throw you down the road and it makes driving fun again. I bought this after a friend told me that she loved her Beetle and had no issues. She went out and bought another convertible Beetle not too long ago.