Volkswagen Beetle Review & Prices

The Volkswagen Beetle is a bit like Star Wars. It seems that, every once in a while, someone has to come along and try to re-invent it, revive it, or just re-release it. Of course, the original VW Beetle — in production from 1945 till 2003, with more than 21 million sold around the world — is not just a corporate icon for the VW company, it’s also a genuine icon of 20th century motoring. 

Volkswagen tried to revive the Beetle in 1997 — just as George Lucas did with Star Wars: The Phantom Menace — but like Lucas’ film, that version of the Beetle was bloated, slow, and not a lot of fun. 

Thankfully, Volkswagen decided to have another go, and in 2011 came up with this Beetle, which is known by the internal product code as the A5 Beetle. Now, rather like Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the Beetle looked better, moved at a faster pace, and was drenched in nostalgia. That’s quite enough Star Wars references, now...

Based on the same set of mechanical bits as the sixth-generation VW Golf, the A5 Beetle is front-wheel drive, has some decent engine choices, and is considerably sleeker, better-built, and more engaging to drive than the 1997 version. 

In fact, in style terms, this version of the Beetle might just be the best-looking model yet (save, perhaps, for the custom-bodied ‘California’ Beetles of the 1960s). With a flatter roof, more pronounced rear wheel arches, and some groovy chrome-topped alloy wheels, it looks very smart and actually has a faint hint of old-school Porsche about it (perhaps unsurprising, given the links between the original Beetle and early Porsche products).

Inside, there’s a bit of a mixture of the characterful and the mundane. There’s a sporty-looking squared-off three-spoke steering wheel, and the body-coloured panel that runs across the dash looks appropriately retro, as do the optional ribbed leather seats. However, all of the buttons, switches, and the touchscreen infotainment system are lifted directly from the Golf VI, which means that they all work well, but don’t quite have the flair of the Mini or Fiat 500. 

On the upside, the Beetle has a better infotainment system — simple and easy to use — than any current Volkswagen, plus there was a very good optional stereo system made by famed guitar maker Fender. There’s far more space in the back seats than you’ll find in the Fiat or the Mini. That said, getting in and out is a bit of a faff, as there’s no five-door version, and the flat roof and curvy body don’t make for much space once the front seats are tilted forwards. 

Equally, the boot under that curved rear end isn’t anything special — 310 litres is okay, but it’s way less than you’d get in the Golf that the Beetle is based on. The sharply curved rear end also means that taller, bulkier items just won’t fit. Yes, it’s better than the Mini and Fiat 500 in that area, but only just. The rarely-seen convertible version is worth a look if you fancy a vitamin-D top-up, but it’s even less practical than the hatchback. 

Being based on the MkVI Golf, the Beetle drives nicely — it’s smooth and reasonably responsive, but a touch noisy at times — but it’s never as much fun as a similar Mini.

Still, if sixties style over modern substance is what you’re after, the VW Beetle is actually a good choice, thanks to its looks and its smart-looking cabin. Check out our list of used VW Beetles, as well as other used Volkswagens from our network of trusted dealers, and don’t forget that if you need to sell your own car first, Carwow can help with that too. 

The Beetle sat more or less in the middle of the prices of its two biggest (smallest, if you prefer) rivals; the Mini and the Fiat 500. The Beetle is bigger and more practical than the Fiat, but of course also pricier. Mind you, it’s also much better to drive. The Mini is better to drive than either, and could be cheaper than the Beetle in basic Mini One trim, but let’s face it, if you want a Mini, you want a Cooper, and that’s going to be a little pricier than a Beetle from the same year.

Golf bits means the Beetle is good to drive, but it feels slightly lacklustre compared to a Mini

In town

The best Volkswagen Beetle for regular town work would be the basic 109hp 1.2-litre turbo petrol with the optional DSG automatic gearbox. That combo would prove both punchy at low speeds, but economical too. The Beetle has decent forward visibility for town driving, but the low roof, small rear window, and sloping rear pillars mean it’s not so good when backing up. Try to track down one with the optional reversing camera.

The Beetle copes well with urban speed bumps and potholes, although it can occasionally drop a wheel into a rut with a big ‘bang’. Light steering makes it easy to manoeuvre, but again that rear visibility can make parking a pain. 

On the motorway

If you get a Beetle fitted with the 2.0-litre diesel engine, even the lower-power version, then motorway journeys are pretty easy. There’s quite a bit of road noise, but the optional Fender stereo can drown all of that out, and the comfy front seats and excellent fuel economy mean that a diesel Beetle will happily eat up the miles. Just don’t go expecting advanced safety tech like adaptive cruise control or lane-keeping steering, as the Beetle just didn’t have those. 

On a twisty road

If you’re on a road with lots of corners, then you’ll want to be in a 1.4 TSI petrol Beetle. That 148hp engine is responsive, and pretty smooth (and not so thirsty that it’ll punish you) but the basic problem here is that the car you really want to be in is actually a Mini Cooper, which has much sharper steering and better overall balance. The Beetle is well-behaved and sure-footed, but it’s never really all that much fun. It’s a shame that VW didn’t give it the Golf GTI’s chassis settings and steering.  

There was a sportier R-Line model, which did have slightly stiffer suspension and faster steering, but doesn’t really change the way the Beetle drives all that much. The Dune version, with its jacked-up SUV-style suspension, is actually more uncomfortable than the standard Beetle over bumps, and it can’t off-road at all. 

The Beetle is roomier than the Mini and the Fiat 500, but that doesn’t make it actually practical

The VW Beetle is actually pretty practical in the front, with a dual glovebox that gives you quite a bit of tucked-away storage, and some useful space at the base of the centre console, and under the front seat armrest. The door pockets aren’t great though, as VW used a stretchy fabric to keep things in them, which too easily lets stuff fall back out. The driving position is good, and the front seats — basically taken from the Golf with some faintly sixties styling upgrades — are very comfortable and supportive on a long journey. 

Space in the back seats

The Beetle’s back seats are limited to just two people, as there are only two seatbelts, and the seats themselves are scooped out into individual bucket-style seats. Anyone trying to sit back there had better be under 5ft 8in, as otherwise they’ll clatter their heads on the inside of the boot hatch. Headroom in the back is not a Beetle strength, although legroom is better than you’d expect, and overall it’s far more spacious than the Fiat 500. 

Getting in and out is awkward, though. The front seats tumble forward to allow access to the rear, but the space between the front seat and the bodywork isn’t massive, so you have to twist and shimmy your way through. A five-door Mini is easier to live with. 

Boot space

With 310 litres of space, the Beetle’s boot has the beating of the Mini and Fiat 500, and although there’s quite a deep load lip, the boot is useful, and it expands to 900 litres if you fold down the 50:50 split rear seats. However, the shape of the hatch isn’t ideal and the angle of the rear bodywork can make loading up bulkier items a bit of a pain. At least the Beetle came with a space-saver spare tyre, rather than just a repair kit. 

The Beetle comes with some nice retro cabin touches, but it’s actually quite plain

The Beetle’s interior has a mixture of rose-tinted nostalgia and cost-cutting rationality. There are some nice touches, such as the body-coloured dashboard finished in a gloss paint, and the spring-loaded upper glove box. The three-spoke steering wheel also looks and feels good, and the front seats are very good. 

However, the plethora of plain old buttons and switches from the Golf don’t look quite so enticing, although to be fair everything works very well and it’s all logically laid out. The infotainment system, on its tiny (by modern standards) screen proves that VW could do a decent in-car display at one time, and it’s simple and easy to use. The three-dial instrument panel tries to look a bit like an original Beetle throwback, but it lacks the character and sense of fun of the Fiat 500’s dials. 

The optional Fender stereo is good, but the Beetle lacks the multiple USB-sockets of more modern cars so you’ll need to buy some 12V adaptors. 

The diesel Beetles aren’t as brilliant when it comes to emissions and road tax as you might think. Yes, the basic 2.0-litre TDI has the lowest emissions of the lineup, with 119g/km, but that’s only slightly less than the 1.2 TSI petrol, with 127g/km. That said, if it’s a pre-2017 car, then the diesel will cost you a mere £35 in tax, while the petrol pushes that up to £160. It’s the same rate for the higher-power 2.0 TDI, with its 127g/km figure. With emissions of 136g/km, the 1.4 TSI is slightly pricier to tax, at £190 a year. 

You should easily clear the 50mpg mark with either of the diesels, while the 1.2 TSI petrol will get pretty close to that figure. The 1.4 TSI will manage 40-45mpg.

The Beetle did well on the Euro NCAP crash test back in 2011, when it was new, taking home a full five-star rating, with 92% for adult occupant protection, 90% for child protection (there are ISOFIX anchors in the back seats), 53% for pedestrian protection, and 86% for electronic safety assistance. 

The Beetle was designed and built before the introduction of many of the latest electronic safety aids, so if it were re-tested today, it would probably struggle to get a one-star rating, but in its day it was a safe car. 

The Beetle was recalled only three times in its production life — for diesel starter motors, for steering problems, and for a possible fire danger from a fuel leak. For the most part, the Beetle seems to be robustly built and reliable.

The Beetle didn’t feature in the most recent Driver Power Top 50 Cars To Own list, but Volkswagen itself finished a lowly 29th out of 32 brands, with 23% of owners reporting faults.