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 981 through 990 of 1,368.00-
Bursting the bubble - 2001 Volkswagen New Beetle
By kestrel - December 19 - 2:00 amThe Beetle is fun to drive and for the money delivers enjoyable performance. My complaints with the car lie in the maintenance problems that I seem to always have with it. Under warranty I had to replace a headlight, the emergency break lever, and the center console dash light. The last was not covered by warranty. After 30000 miles I have had to replace the cables that pop open the gas cover, the emergency break cables and one new tire, all of this in addition to routine maintenance. The aluminum spokes of the steering wheel show wear. Some of the rubberized plastic is pealing. The exterior paint started to chip and spider around the door pulls.
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Electrical nightmare - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
By bugdom - December 19 - 2:00 amOur Bug has driven well but constantly has warning indicators that go bad - first the airbag light and now the check engine light. The worst part is that every time the dealer fixed them, the problem recurred within 24 hours. Now we cannot pass the emissions testing simply because of this issue!
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BAD PURCHASE - 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle
By BAD PURCHASE - December 13 - 10:00 amIn the shop every 2 months and the dealer can not even fix it. To replace the headlight one dealer quotes you $150 another $50 since you can not do this on your own. The engine seized 2 1/2 years after buying it and the dealer tried to make me pay for it even though I bought the extended warranty. Brought it in because the window wouldnt roll up and then the dealer broke the other window. Brought it in to do routine maintenance and told them dont touch the breaks. When left dealer brakes squeeked. You get the picture. I can go on and on and on.....................
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I luv my V-Dub! - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
By Elaine Fabs - December 13 - 4:10 amI have been driving my Turbo charged, lagoon blue VW Beetle for 2 and 1/2 months now and I just love it! I have great power and stunning looks. Its so much fun to drive. I have not had a single problem with it. Gotta luv the bug!
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Debt. - 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
By savannahb - December 11 - 7:35 amWe bought this car as a first car, and at first, it was great... Until about two months later when we spent $1200 on engine, heating, and oil repairs. (Mind you, $1200 is a little less than half of what we paid for it.) Then the buggy worked fine until the window rolled down and wouldnt roll back up... And the tail light bulb burst... And the battery kept dying. If I had the choice, Id sell it to my now-well-known VW repair man for spare parts and buy a RELIABLE car.
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cute but unreliable - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
By gil - December 10 - 2:00 amowned my GL (auto) for 2 and a half years. Its a fun car to drive. But it constantly has some kind of troubles. First, the cable of the fuel filler has been fixed twice. Now its broken again. The windshield wipers kept making bad noises even though I had it adjusted/filler changed every time I went to a dealership. I finally solved the problem by changing the whole blade sets with those inexpensive ones from Walmart. Ironically, dealerships could not solve it! Third, engine light was on and signal light did not work once.Last, the engine consumes oil. Worst, the dealerships wouldnt even mention it when you bought the car.
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I love mine - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
By Goodspeed - December 10 - 2:00 amThe dealership has been amazing. So far no warrenty problems or anything at all. The car is flawless. It has a beautifully appointed interior with two tone leather, heated seats and sunroof. it has 180HP 6spd and is good for 6.6 0- 60. This car is no slouch
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No Major Complaints - 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle
By Derek71 - December 7 - 10:00 amConsidering my experience with VW as well as that of friends who own one, Im not so sure Id buy another. I say this because it depends heavily on the individual car you get. I have had almost no trouble with my Beetle which is rapidly approaching the 6 year mark. My complaints are limited to minor frustrations. The lightbulbs burn out rather frequently and cost $75 to replace. You try getting at them yourself. Also, the tapedeck is junk. Even when you use CD or AM/FM the tapedeck decides to engage and tell you "No Tape". Yeah, thanks for the update. I replaced the automatic window switches myself ($40 part + a screwdriver to pop it off).
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fun car but needs few minor changes - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
By dude in da bug - December 7 - 10:00 amvehicle extremely fun to drive,especially with top down.would be nice if they would offer v-6 but the turbo is more than adequate
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A Real Gem - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
By Fretbuzzer - December 5 - 2:00 amWe bought our 2000 GLS used and have enjoyed it more than any other vehicle we have ever owned. It has been very reliable as well as fun to drive (a hard mix to find). We are taking her for her 40k service this week and havent spent a dime on maintenance that wasnt a regularly scheduled service. Would buy another VW bug anyday! Have had great service at Ed Murphy VW in Schaumburg, IL!
