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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Not sure if it is worth the money! - 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle
By irishgirl0503 - January 3 - 10:00 amIts 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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ENGINE sucks - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
By azwildbrat - January 3 - 10:00 amNothing but problems since day 1...you cant have the sunroof open without cracking the windows because it creates this really annoying wierd noise. It eats oil like no other...had the engine replaced at 78K miles...Thank God for extended warranties because of all the crap thats gone wrong with it - O2 sensor, MAF sensor, drive belt, airbags, computer chips, headlamps ($65 each), wiper blades ($25 each), water pump, thermostat, coolant housing. My recommendation - DONT BUY....well thats unless youre thinking of buying mine.
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Step on this Beetle and it goes!!! - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
By Nancylb50 - January 3 - 10:00 amWe purchased this vehicle used with 53,000 miles on it as a daily driver for my wife. She travels 46 miles per day round trip. We both love the car. It is easier for me to get into and out of than my 1997 Cadillac Sedan DeVille! Im buying a convertible Bettle this year to replace the Caddy.
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I know others complain about VW but... - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
By eli1172 - January 1 - 4:23 pmI love my Beetle! I have had no complaints in the 4 years I have owned this car. It is so much fun to drive, and feels like a more expensive car. My husband is trying to talk me into a new one, but it is so hard to find something of equal cost with the same features. The only concern: the transmission is sealed and the fluid cant be changed. They say its lifetime fluid, but I dont buy it. If not for that, I would drive this baby till the wheels fell off!
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Lemon - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
By dfalasch - December 28 - 10:00 amThe top broke within the first three months, stuck open, less than 2,000 miles. It took 3 tries for the dealership to fix it, and still not sure if it is fixed for good. The windows were part of a recall (clamps loosened so they added adhesive post production). Never got the recall notice, but the windows rattled so bad it sounded like it was falling apart. The last time I got the car back they misaligned the driver side window so that is hits the stops and makes a clunk. In addition, the windows still all rattle like the car was put together with Elmers glue. VW has a history of window problems. The sound system makes a loud hissing sound.
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What a fun car! - 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
By Alice - December 26 - 8:00 amI love my Beetle. It is fun to drive...like driving a big go cart. I have had to have the transmission replaced and a new starter. That is all that has been replaced and it has almost 91,000 miles on it. If it had better gas mileage that would be good. It is a great little car. I will definitely buy another...only it will be a manual with a sunroof or convertible.
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Fun the sun - 2005 Volkswagen New Beetle
By Peach - December 25 - 6:26 pmI just bought my first convertible...I have always bought vws so i thought i would try out this NEW convertible vw...What a wonderful surprise...Its so much fun to drive and handles like a dream...The new colors are classy and i dont go anywhere without some telling me what a beautiful car it is ...Something tells me THIS ONE is a keeper... Thanks Volkswagen ...It going to be a FUN summer... Lee Anne
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Great Value for the Money - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
By JOEL - December 25 - 10:20 amI 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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Poor Quality - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
By mas16 - December 19 - 5:34 amStay away - engineering and quality are very poor. I bought the car new for my daugher for a graduation present. With just over 50K miles we have had to rebuild the transmission and replace the cytelitic converter. Also had numorous annoying but slightly less major problems. My daughter had to stop usign the convertible top several years ago. The darn thing is too complicated and something breaks about every third time it was used. The scary thing is that every we encountered a problem I look on the VW forums and found that many other owners are experiencing the same problem.
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love my bug - 2005 Volkswagen New Beetle
By sam fam - December 18 - 4:56 pmI love my bug ! I have driven an suv for seventeen years. This car is fun fun fun and fast..... Takes off like a rocket and sounds like one too in turbo. We get smiles from passing vehicles and beetle owners are the coolest and love to live life for all that its worth. I plan on buying a another bug for a special family member in the near future !
