Volkswagen Beetle (2012 – 2019) Review

Volkswagen Beetle (2012 – 2019) At A Glance

4/5
Honest John Overall Rating
The second attempt at a retro Volkswagen Beetle was much more successful and comprehensive than the original reboot, even if it’s still a Volkswagen Golf underneath.

+Huge improvement on previous ‘New’ Volkswagen Beetle. Distinctive interior. Enjoyable to drive. Decent engines.

-Rear visibility isn’t great. Back seat best used by kids. Small boot.

Insurance Groups are between 10–26
On average it achieves 84% of the official MPG figure

We’d already seen one attempt at a reinvented Volkswagen Beetle in 1998, but this 2012 model was much better all round. Based on the Volkswagen Golf, it has a good spread of engines, funky looks inside and out and drives well. The interior is cramped in the back, but few will bother about that in this retro rival to the MINI and ever-popular Fiat 500. Read on for our full Volkswagen Beetle review.

Icon is a word that’s bandied around too frequently when it comes to car designs, but the Volkswagen Beetle is one model that’s worthy of the tag.

First seen in 1938, the original air-cooled model sold more than 21.5 million cars up to 2003.

Replacing an icon is never easy, though. The name was brought back in 1998 with the Volkswagen ‘New Beetle’ but, while it sold more than a million, it never caught the public's imagination in the same way.

It did, however, have the distinction of being the first compact retro model, coming several years before the MINI and Fiat 500.

For 2012, the German company regrouped and tried again with this coupe-like Volkswagen Beetle based on the Volkswagen Golf Mk6.

It’s certainly far less twee – there is no vase on the dashboard for starters – while the interior harks back to the original model too, with a flat dashboard and the recognisable flip-up glovebox built into it.

Practicality is much improved with a boot that is almost 50 per cent bigger and more interior room, although you wouldn’t call either generous compared to most normal hatchbacks.

Overall quality and refinement is a massive step forward from the previous model and on the road it’s far more together with sharper handling, a hugely improved ride and better steering.

It gets a good range of engines including Volkswagen’s excellent TSI units – a 1.2-litre, 1.4-litre and the top 2.0-litre with 200PS – plus there’s an impressively frugal diesel in the shape of a 1.6 TDI BlueMotion Technology that averages a claimed 65.7mpg.

It’s an incredibly likeable used car with plenty of charm and character – much more so than the previous ‘New’ Volkswagen Beetle.

Fancy a second opinion? Read heycar's Volkswagen Beetle review.

Ask Honest John

Should a throttle body be covered by warranty?

"My Volkswagen Beetle is three and a half years old, has done a total of 9,496 miles (I have had the car a year and half, and when I bought the car it had 5,923 miles on the clock). I've had it serviced once by the VW dealer as part of a two-year service plan. I have just had to have the throttle body replaced. I've looked online and they normally last at least 75,000 miles. It cost me over £800 and my complaint is that as the car has done so few miles it should have been replaced under the warranty (even though it expired in April). Do you think I'd have any luck if I took this up with Volkswagen? "
Did the Volkswagen dealer identify a cause for the throttle body failure? If it was linked to a manufacturing fault then I would expect the dealer to cover most of the cost or make a goodwill application to Volkswagen UK to cover some or all of the replacement. If the dealer and VW UK has refused to contribute anything then I would make a complaint to this service manager at the dealer expressing your disappointment. Make it clear that this will affect your decision to use their dealership again for maintenance and servicing work. If they want to retain your business, they should assist with the repair cost.
Answered by Dan Powell

Had the emissions update and now the DPF is clogged. Can I get Volkswagen to fix it?

"I have a 2013 Volkswagen Beetle diesel. It went in for the emissions update but 12 months later, the DPF light came on. The car does very few miles per year. I took it to a local garage who told me this was a recognised fault following the emissions update and I should go back to Volkswagen. I did this, but they said as it was 12 months since the update, it was not their responsibility. I then went back to my local garage - which managed to clear the fault - but said it would need fixing soon. The light is now back on and we are looking at a large repair bill. Is there any way I can get Volkswagen to sort this out?"
Diesel cars are not designed for low mileage use. A DPF needs at least 15-miles (per journey) to passively regenerate - anything less will cause it to clog up. I do not think the DPF fault is related to the emissions update. I would recommend selling the car and replacing it with something more suitable for your needs, like a petrol or hybrid vehicle.
Answered by Dan Powell

Volkswagen Beetle gearbox chatter

"I have just bought a Volkswagen Beetle 1.4 TSI. The car is a 2012 model and has started making a loud noise from under the bonnet. It seems to go when I put the clutch in, sometimes it stops doing it if I put it in a gear and take it back out. Also when changing gears sometimes feels like it is juddering, could you please help me with this as I've been told it's called gearbox chatter."
Could be 'chatter'. VW transmission bearings are of very variable quality. There can also be problems with the casings. Might help to use a molybednum disulphide gearbox oil additive such as STP or Wynns. I've used it to hold noisy VW boxes together in the past and have seen it do so for a couple of years.
Answered by Honest John

Would you recommend a Beetle or MINI convertible, and should I buy an automatic?

"I am a fit and active 75-year-old and learned to drive in London in a Ford Popular when I was 17. I have always driven manual cars. Being barely five foot tall I have enjoyed the adjustable seat and steering wheel on my latest Golf but after 92,000 miles I am now considering buying a Beetle or MINI convertible, for a last bit of fun. Probably a one to two-year old model. I drive approximately 10,000 miles a year on both country lanes and motorways and wonder whether there is any structural difference between the two cars in the case of an accident. I drove the original MINI, which seemed very flimsy in comparison to the early Beetles. Also, my family are urging me to get an automatic, feeling it would make driving less tiring on long journeys, especially when the joints start to stiffen up. However, I remember reading somewhere it is unsafe for older drivers to change to automatic driving if they've never done it before. I would very much appreciate your advice."
Obviously a Beetle is slightly more substantial, but carries the disadvantage of being bigger and you can't see any of the corners from the driver's seat. The MINI has a 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission. The Beetle usually has a 7-speed dry clutch DSG. I would not advise you to switch to an automatic unless you can learn to left foot brake: two pedals - two feet. Left foot braking, especially while manoeuvring at low speed, and when setting off, allows you to brake instantly (within a metre) if something goes wrong. The phenomenon of "unintentional acceleration syndrome" occurs with automatics when drive is engaged unexpectedly and a one-footed driver either cannot get his/her foot from accelerator to brake fast enough, or misses the brake and stamps again on the accelerator, then stamps even harder on the accelerator when the car does not stop.
Answered by Honest John
More Questions

What does a Volkswagen Beetle (2012 – 2019) cost?