Volkswagen Beetle car review

Auto Trader Ten Point Test rating: 73%

It’s hard to believe the new VW Beetle first hit European roads ten years ago.

Since then the VW Beetle has become a familiar sight in the UK with many motorists tempted by its affordable style and VW Golf underpinnings.

Web Editor Adrian Higgins spent a week with the car with a vase to see how it shaped up.

Volkswagen Beetle slide show

Looks | Looks Inside | Practicality | Ride and Handling | Performance
Running Costs | Reliability | Safety | Equipment | X-Factor

1. Looks

The original VW Beetle was one of the most recognisable cars on the road and the modern day equivalent is a well-executed contemporary take on a classic which, ten years after its introduction, still looks fresh and eye-catching. Like the re-invented Mini, the VW Beetle is a stylish piece of retro-design. Revisions carried out in 2006 included sharper edges for the bumpers and wheelarches with restyled headlights. The cabriolet version of the car was also launched the same year.

8/10

2. Looks inside

The driver and front seat passenger sit below the highest part of the curved roof with the windscreen a long way in front. This may not be the most practical place in terms of rear legroom and critics label the car’s interior a goldfish bowl. However, it does mean there is bags of space, huge amounts of headroom and lots of light, something we grew to enjoy the longer our week-long loan went on. The three spoke steering wheel shares an attractive and good-to-the-touch Beetle-exclusive pixel trim with the gear knob, handbrake grip and parts of the dashboard. The information display is dominated by the large, circular speedo, which in line with other VW models is backlit blue at night to contrast with the red needles. The central console features a simply-laid out design (also exclusive to the Beetle). The new VW Beetle also has a vase incorporated into the driver’s cockpit area.

8/10

3. Practicality

The VW Beetle is a four-seater with two able to clamber easily into the three-door car’s rear seats thanks to the same pull and slide mechanism found in three-door VW Golfs. Legroom in the back seats is OK – but while headroom  for front seat occupants is superb, for rear passengers it is reduced by the sloping rear door which, for adults, can mean hunching forwards rather than leaning your head on the glass. The front seat door pockets are netted and add to the space created by the glovebox and central storage area (though ours was occupied by the optional 6CD). The far-forwards windscreen means there is a huge expanse of dash between the driver and the glass but the surface does not accommodate storage. Access to the 201-litre boot is compromised by the car’s design and fairly narrow, however bulky items can be stored in the rear by flattening the rear-seats and accessing the space through the door.

5/10

4. Ride and Handling

The new VW Beetle is based on the same platform as the Mk IV Golf (the one before the current one) and boasts the same combination of good handling and comfortable ride. Motorway cruising is no problem for the new Beetle but it’s a nice fun town car too.

7/10

5. Performance

There is a choice of five engines – four petrol and one diesel. Go for petrol and there is a choice of 75bhp 1.4-litre, 102bhp 1.6-litre, 115bhp 2-litre and 150bhp 1.8-litre turbo. The diesel engine on offer is the 105bhp 1.9-litre TDI.

We drove the 1.6-litre petrol which powers the car from 0-62mph in 11.6 seconds and on to a top speed of 11mph. Maximum power is produced at 5,600rpm and top pulling power at 3,800miles meaning the engine can be worked for an engaging drive or driven more sedately with plenty of power available. Our model also featured the standard five speed gearbox. The 2-litre new Beetle offers the option of a four speed automatic while the 2-litre cabriolet is offered with a six-speed automatic gearbox with tiptronic function.

8/10

6. Running Costs

With CO2 emissions ranging from 143g/km to 222g/km (tax bands C-F), fuel economy ranging from 32.5mpg to 52.3mph and insurance groups ranging from five to 13, buyers can tailor the running costs of the new VW Beetle to suit their pocket. The 1.6-litre model we drove produces 180g/km (tax band E £170), returns 37.7mpg and falls within group 7 insurance.

7/10

7. Reliability

The VW Beetle has a good history of reliability with repairs reasonably cheap to make. It’s based on the VW Golf Mk IV platform with other parts tried and tested in other models too.

8/10

8. Safety

All models feature six airbags, Anti-Lock Brakes and Electronic Stability Program. The new VW Beetle scored four stars following EuroNCAP tests.

7/10

9. Equipment

The VW Beetle matches trim to engine size though Luna is the entry-level model for both the 1.4- and 1.6-litre engines. Features on the Luna, the model we drove, include 16-inch alloy wheels, body-coloured electric, heated door mirrors, tinted glass, CD/radio with six speakers, six airbags, Anti-Lock Brakes and Electronic Stability Program. Manual air-conditioning was a £850 option on our model. The 1.8-litre model features a speed-dependent rear spoiler which appears at speeds over 96mph and retracts when speed drops below 80mph.

7/10

10. X-Factor

Affordable style. OK, it’s not the most practical car in the world and if you want style and great driving in one package the Mini offers more. But the VW Beetle’s package of affordable style, light roomy interior and surprisingly fun drive puts a smile on your face.

8/10

Volkswagen Beetle slide show