I've been waiting for this car for a while. My Mom owned a older one. But This Is Great. The Turbo Beetle is Fast, A lot safer than the regualar one(I do like the regualar one though). It's a great car. 5 stars!

What don't I like about it?Are you kidding me?!!

$15,000! I recomend it!!!

Similar Products Used:

Grand Prix, Grand Am, Handa Accord, Ford Taurus. Huge Differences!!!

Cute styling
Fun-to-drive
Surprisingly firm handling dynamics
Spacious front seats
Efficiency of TDi engine

Minor ergonomics quibbles (weird power window and headlight location)
Very tight back seat space
Interior plastic feels slightly cheaper than comparable Volkswagen products
Lousy dealer service
Questionable trunk volume

New Beetle is indeed a fun car to drive mainly because its an attention grabber. Its driving qualities are better than comparable Golf and Jetta due to its stiffer shocks and spring setting.
If you are looking for a cute car on both rational and irrational side, this car is hard-to-beat ONLY IF you can get it under MSRP.

Similar Products Used:

Toyota Corolla LE
Nissan Altima GXE

The body style, engine power, fuel economy, road handling, front headroom,

All-black dashboard, rear headroom, power windows, lack of many diesel pumps in my area

It's not cheap, but it's worth the price. It's great having something different from the cookie-cutter automobile--in both style and engine. If you are considering the 2.0L 115HP engine, consider that with the TDI you get more power, more life, and pay for the upgraded engine cost after a few years, at most, of filling the fuel tank less often. It's a no-brainer for anyone wanting to keep their NB around for a while. If highway speed and acceleration matters most, go for the 1.8T engine.

Similar Products Used:

1987 Civic HB, 1986 Chrysler LeBaron GTS

This car is a joy to drive. The turbo model has impressive pick up and great highway speed. It holds the road and handles excellantly. It has plenty of room in the front for large passengers and the up and down seat ratchet movement gives plenty of headroom for a tall person. The telescoping steering wheel gives every driver the right fit. The car is beautiful. The paint is beautiful. (Mine is techno blue.) The instrument panel is perfectly laid out. Everything is easy to see and use. The power sunroof is a very nice option and works well. The trunk space is enough for groceries and is expandable by folding down the rear seat. Everything is power. Doors automatically lock at 10mph.There is one touch up or down for the power windows. The windows can also be opened or closed by use of the key in the drivers side door lock. The remote controls the locks, car alarm, and also has a panic button. The key has a chip on it and the engine will de-activate if started without the use of the correct key. I have the automatic transmission which shifts cleanly. The sound system is good and the CD changer is a nice addition. Front and Side airbags plus reinforcements in the doors and crash zones give a nice amount of protection. This is a well thought out automobile.

The back seat is small for adults. The cupholders are better suited to hold cell phone or keys, etc. An aftermarket cupholder is a must if you need one. The Turbo needs premium fuel. I'm averaging 17-18 mph city on the first few fill ups but I like to let it out a little now and again.

The car was MSRP stickered at 21,600 and I paid 20,800. There were only two 2001 models on the lot. I would definitely recommend this car to anyone who wants a sports car that is fun to drive and a joy to own.

Similar Products Used:

VW Rabbit Diesel, 2 Honda Civic Wagons, Pontiac Bonneville, Chevy Citation, Toyota Celica. The Beetle is in a class all by itself. Style, comfort, and performance are all tops!

very very very sporty and vun to drive since i installed the chevy 350 V8

i have replaced the front frame twice since V8 was installed should be stronger

paid 18,500 then 5,600 for engine and insallation great idea,great handleing,great horsepower,the funnest car in the world

Similar Products Used:

65 volkswagen with V8 also,so i thought i would put one in new beetle!

Fun Car, 1.8t Engine is a blast to drive. Good headroom in front, fairly good headroom in the rear.

Cupholders suck. They are under the dash and there is no clearance for putting anything in it over 4" tall. Which rules out anything but the dinky ass kids cup from McDonalds. Service times have been less than stellar in the midwest. You have to schedule Oil changes 4 weeks in advance, and heaven forbit your car should break down. It'll be a month before you get it again.

This one has had loads of problems, not that impressed with VW products and upset that my warranty runs out at 24,000 miles. Very Shoddy Warranty.

So Far, Replaced Drivers Side Airbag, Clutch Assembly on it. The clutch had me hopping mad when they blamed it on my wife's abilities. This is the seventh manual transmission vehicle she's own, and the clutch shelled out at 15k miles. Again, we called dealer & tried to get it in when it was slipping, they said three weeks, we asked about driving on it and told we would be fine. About a week later it exploded while driving at highway speeds. Left wife stranded out middle of nowhere waiting for tow truck. Then dealer said it would be covered under warranty, but when we went to pick it up they were told VW said NO, but since they said it was, they paid for it. Dealer won major brownie points but VW lost major points.

I cannot in good conscience recommend the VW New Beetle to anyone. Unfortunately, due to problems with the clutch, I do not feel that Volkswagon is interested in your business.

The warranty is sub par. 2 yr/24,000 mile warranty on a vehicle that is experiencing minor annoying issues all through the warranty is annoying. Especially when it takes a month to get items fixed at your dealer. In Lawrence, KS I have both Kansas City, MO and Topeka, KS to work with for help on service. All of them take two to three weeks to get anything done, from a simple oil change on up. We get lines like 'technician is in training', or other such nonsense. How come my other vehicles get in & fixed within 48 hours every time??

Wife is enamored with the personality of the car though, and I do enjoy driving it. However, I will not be repeating the buying from Volkswagon in the future.

Similar Products Used:

Haven't used anything similar. Wife wanted Bug, Wife got Bug, didn't look at anything else. She drove a '94 S10 before this.

I love the look of the car and the color (CyberGreen) that really attracts attention.
Everything about this car is nice!

I have automatic transmission and sometimes it feels like it doesn't shift properly. Other than that everything has been wonderful!

I have to say my New Beetle is the BEST car I have ever owned. It's a bunch of fun--the looks, compliments and smiles I get are fantastic.
I would recommend this car to anyone!

Similar Products Used:

I had a Dodge Neon and that car gave me tons of problems. It was a cheap little car too. When I traded it in for my New Beetle it couldn't even compare. The New Beetle felt alot more sturdy and you can tell WAY better quality than the Dodge I had.

I like how it looks. Thats about it.

I can go on forever what the weaknesses are in this car. I have transmission problems like crazy.. I almost got into a few accidents because my transmission will not go into reverse for a few seconds. EVen with the new chip being put in, my transmission is still screwed up. The transmission slips all the time.. It's ridiculous.. squeaking and rattling has become a part of my daily driving. It drives me up a wall.. When turning on my air conditioning a heavy vibration comes from the bottom of my car.. Feels like a giant beeper is going off in my car. My tape player is possessed and goes on whenever it wants. It seems that my radio has it's own mindset.. I don't even want to keep a tape in their anymore because it'll go on by itself. I can go on forever about this car. I'm fighting with VW right now about my transmission problems and they're a bunch aof nast individuals. Ther service people stink, and the VW representitives are even worse. I'm going to court soon to hopefully resolve this whole issue. If anyone is having the same transmission problems, i'm sure we can work together to fight VW. I have a good lawyer, and would help our cases if we know their is more unhappy people like me. My e-mail address is Lantern02@aol.com, write me with any insight.
Also, my head rests stink, they're like rocks. My cup holders can only hold shot glasses.. my headlight went out about 5 times.. Jes.. I have so many problems.. There's more. but don't wanna go crazy..

I paid about $18,500 for the car. Got the extended warranty with isn't worth a thing to me.. I hate VW, and will never ever buy anything from them again.

Similar Products Used:

None

Solid Ride
Good handling
Unique styling

Poor engine power (2.0L 4-cyl)
Sluggish automatic transmission
Poor build quality (many squeaks, rattles, creaks, etc.)
Engine consumes oil (VW warns of this in owner's manual, and they are not kidding.)
Quality of interior materials subpar (seat fabric, switchgear, etc.)
Rear hatch difficult to close; poor quality, noisy latch

Paid $20K (sticker) for the Beetle. Initially it was a fun car to drive around in, however the novelty quickly wore off. The paint quality was poor as it was very soft and easily scratched. The interior quickly began to squeak and rattle, particularly the rear hatch, dashboard, passenger door panel, and driver's seat. The fabric on the seats started deteriorating quickly. Engine power does not inspire confidence in daily driving. Gas mileage was mediocre at best (24mpg overall). Dealer service and support was seriously lacking (4 hours to change oil and rotate tires while you wait; 3 to 4 weeks needed just to get an appointment.)

The car was wonderful in the snow, a good highway cruiser (once you are up to speed), and handled very similar to a go-cart.

I would not recommend this car to anyone, simply because it does not foster the feeling of holding up for several years. The 2yr/24K standard warranty is poor. If you must buy a New Beetle consider the Turbo variant and give serious consideration to an extended warranty simply for piece of mind. These little cars will cost an arm and a leg once the warranty runs out.

Similar Products Used:

Chevy Camaro - Camaro has superior build quality, higher value for the money, more power, maintenance costs much lower, dealer offers superior support and service.

Well, for one, the wonderful styling is a great attribute. The car looks awesome in so many angles, the Techno Blue paint makes it even cooler. The seats, covered in gray leather, are firm, supportive, and a dream to sit in. The steering is wonderful, very precise. The ride, well, I like it. Has enough room for me, a few friends, and a bit of gear. Another factor that I like about the New Bug is the safety. I've never seen a car this small be this safe. It's a dream. Owned it 12000+ miles, closing in on a year of ownership, and haven't had a single problem with it yet, sans a power window switch and a springy noise in the clutch, both fixed under warranty. My love for the New Beetle leaks off... my girlfriend now drives a 2000 GLS 2.0L and she loves it. Heated seats come in handy for a sore tush and backside on the ride home. Sunroof makes the trip more enjoyable.

Well, the cupholders aren't all that great, but who buys a car for cupholders anyhow? Rear seat headroom is a little confined, not a big deal because hardly anyone sits back there. Engine is a tiny smidge underpowered, but it does what's needed and does it well. Shifter is a little sloppy, in a sense, a little bit looser than the Mk3 Volkswagens, but it doesn't detract from the overall feel of the car. Sunroof cuts out a chunk of headspace, again, not a huge deal. I knew about it before I ordered it.

I paid about $20,000 for this New Beetle GLS, equipped with the Partial Leather Interior Package (leather seating surfaces, leather wrapped steering wheel, leather shift knob, leather shift boot, leather parking brake handle), Cold Weather Package (heated seats and windshield washer nozzles), Luxury Package (power sunroof, 16" alloy wheels), finished in Techno Blue (Bright Blue) Metallic, gray interior, 5-speed manual transmission. Would I recommend it? You bet! My girlfriend has one, now, and she loves it! I'm getting another one within a year or so, and it's going to be a 1.8T equipped model, too!

Similar Products Used:

1992 Corvette LT1- power is there, it zips down the freeways and the interstates without a problem, though the engine revs a little high. Handling is pretty close, ride is firm, like the Corvette's.