Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet (2013 – 2019) Review
Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet (2013 – 2019) At A Glance
If you’ll excuse the marketing twaddle, the Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet is more than just a car. It’s a lifestyle. A feelgood factor. The opportunity to enjoy those endless summer days – or the occasional glimpses of sunshine between the showers. Although production stopped in 2019, the Beetle Cabriolet is the ideal choice if you can’t stomach the idea of the Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet.
Not enough of you bought a Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet, which is why it has been consigned to the history books. Today, if you fancy a drop-top Volkswagen, your only option is the T-Roc Cabriolet. You can’t even buy a Golf Cabriolet.
If you didn’t buy one when it was new, why are you reading this review? We suspect it’s because you’ve always had a soft spot for the Beetle Cabriolet, but maybe you couldn’t stretch to the relatively high prices when the car was new. Or maybe a change in circumstances means that a topless Beetle is now a viable option for you.
Whatever the reason, you’ll probably love the Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet. Removing the roof from the Beetle coupe adds an extra layer of desirability to a car that, if we’re being cynical, is little more than a less practical Volkswagen Golf.
Indeed, a Golf makes more sense for a number of reasons, but none of these will matter when you’re enjoying the sunshine in your Beetle Cabriolet. It’s a feel good car, to be ranked alongside the Mini Convertible and Fiat 500C.
There’s space for four adults, and even though you get less boot space than you’ll find in the Beetle coupe, you can squeeze the same amount of luggage inside, regardless of whether the roof is up or down. You can even fold the rear seats down to provide more space, but check with the people travelling in the back before doing this.
It feels like a premium product, which helps to justify its lofty price. That said, you should avoid the entry-level version, because the spec is a bit miserly, while the absence of any cosmetic upgrades means the cabin feels a little low-rent. You’ll find some cheap plastics inside, regardless of the trim level.
You’ll also find that Volkswagen was a bit mean with some of the features, with leather seats and front and rear parking sensors not standard on any model. Tick a few boxes and the Beetle Cabriolet begins to look more expensive than the price list would have you believe.
Not that this concerns you, because you’ll be picking from the Beetle Cabriolets for sale on the used market. Sales slowed to such an extent that you might struggle to find a very late example, but early cars start from around £10,000.
To its credit, the Beetle Cabriolet drives as well as the standard Beetle, but we’d avoid the R-Line trim. Although it looks the part, the large alloy wheels and sports suspension combine to create a harsh and uncomfortable ride. The standard car is fine, although the rare Dune edition is the most comfortable Beetle Cabriolet you can buy. Good luck finding one.
Overall, the Beetle Cabriolet is easier to justify as a used car than it was as a new one. Depreciation means that it offers better value for money, although you won’t be able to enjoy the fun of selecting from the range of personalisation options.