I never pictured myself driving of all things a VW Beetle. However I won a 2016 Beetle TS and my initial thought was that I'd sell it. However after driving it I discovered it handles very well, has plenty of power, while it'll never be confused as a muscle car it's a fun car to drive. Easily into highway traffic.plus it's a surprisingly quite and smooth ride. I average over 30mpg and that isn't because I'm a conservative driver. I like to get where I'm going and it easily navigates in and around traffic. I've kept the car and I've no regrets, I purchased the 5 year maintenance plan (highly recommended) covers oil changes and the first transmission service. I've had no problems with this car and feel it's very reliable. It's a two person car as the back seat is better suited for jackets and the like than it is for passengers. The front offers plenty of room for two people I'm 5'8" 190 and a friend of mine is 6'3" weighs 250 and we can ride comfortably. Plenty of head space and shoulder space provided no one try's to rest their arm on the center console...I've gotta be able to spread out a little. Plus it's not the ridiculous beetle of the early 2000's with the flower holder crap in it. So if you're ok with a two person car that doesn't break the bank, I'd recommend going and driving one.
I just bought a 2015 convertible turbo! Love it and even got flower power license plate frames. Wanted a VW convertible when I first started to drive in 1969...but couldn't afford $2500. I finally got one when I am about to turn 71! You can't compare the Beetle to Golf or other VW...it is and always was unique. You buy one because you want it as a fan! I find it meets all my needs. Never give up your dreams! Lovin' it with the top down in El Paso, where the sun always shines and almost warm every day! 🏜
We've got a 2015 New Beetle Convertible with the 1.8T and a DSG. It's surprisingly quick, feels planted and confident with a plush ride and great overall quality. We love it...
Great review, and I think it is fair too. Where we might differ is room. I'm 6'3" and tried a lot of small cars before deciding on the Beetle. There was not one small car I felt more comfortable in, including the Mini, than the Beetle. I am a hockey goalie, so storage was important to me as well. I live in Chicago, so I needed a small car that could not only carry my goalie gear, but a fellow player's as well- all while being small enough to park in the city. The Beetle delivered. A lot of my fellow players have SUVS that get them not much more storage than my Beetle. All I have to do is fold down the back seats and I've got tons of space for hockey gear. I have been able to take my gear, along with another player's (with luggage) to out of town tournaments. That made the Beetle my perfect choice. It's a great car, and the looks don't hurt either. I get random compliments on mine all the time.
I have it in light blue, with a panoramic sunroof and rear spoiler, the blue is inside as well. My dad installed a backup camera. It was a 30th birthday gift from my husband. I am loving it, it's been amazing in the snow. However in cold and icy weather the windows stick and you have to lower and raise them to seal them shut again.
Life Unpaged what year do you have? I had a 98 beetle 5 speed I loved it and miss is and it also did great in Colorado winters, but it was unreliable and I was always waiting for something to break... how's the reliability on these Newer ones?
Alex, you said Beetle is about style, not practicality, because if one wanted practical, one would buy a Golf. Perhaps, but there is one difference in favor of Beetle - driver room. At least the last Beetle I drove (previous model), it was significantly roomier up front for me - 6'3" (190 cm), long legs, than Golf. This could be due to less intrusive center console.
mountainhobo Vs the current Golf the current Beetle has one inch less front headroom but one inch more rear headroom than before. It also has about four inches more rear legroom. I found the interior to be a bit more snug in some ways than the last generation new Beetle.
Alex on Autos Thanks, Alex. I may take a look at the new one at some point. For me it's more of a childhood sentiment that a pressing desire to own one.
Alex, I enjoy your reviews, but I have one suggestion. When you show the "ruler" with the relative lengths of various vehicles, it would be helpful to have actual measurements so we can see what the true differences in length are between the various competitive vehicles and the subject vehicle. Right now, you just show that one is longer or shorter, but without the ability to determine if that difference is really meaningful or not. However, keep up the great work!
Hi Alex, I really like the brief practical historical information and comparison of the original vw beetle. Thank you once again for making my favourite car review videos.
Had a 1972 VW Super Beetle Currently have a 2000 VW New Beetle, and a 1985 VW Vanagon GL my goodness, Volkswagen has changed. This bug is like a spaceship! *... I Want One. In Candy Red.*
Alex the comparison between the golf and the bug was very helpful to me because I didn't understand what they were. I strong agree with your conclusions
Guess the real point here is, yes, as just a hard top, the Bug is not the best all around. However, when looking for the ever smaller number of fun small convertibles that offer a rear seat...this is a big choice. If I were in need of such a fun little convertible for running around the summer in, this would be the only choice for the price.
I think the car came from Michigan after it was shipped from Mexico and then shipped to SoCal for people to do reviews, then later sold as a used car at dealers.
I like the new front end of this generation Bug. It seems to me to be a bit more mature, and reminds me somewhat of the Porsche Cayman. Glad to see the TDI is still available; locally diesel is about 5 - 10 cents less than regular unleaded. With the higher fuel economy the TDI offers, this makes for a very appealing option.
E. L. I’ve got a 2014 beetle r line (gsr) with 40k miles on it, and not a single check engine light or problem so far. Their more recent cars are much much better and more reliable, especially post-dieselgate. So if you’re in the market, almost anything since 2013, and especially anything on their new mqb platform (Jetta, atlas, golf, Tiguan, Passat, etc) are great cars, and they’re cheaper than competitors, since they need to rebuild brand reputation in the states.
Alex, would you consider this to be a good first car? Not to be bought brand new, but in a few years when the price lowers. I'm talking in terms of insurance for a17-18 year old and the driveability of the car. And if not, do you recommend something else? Thanks
TechtheBest In general your best bet for used first cars would be cars that are either reliable like Toyota and Honda vehicles, or inexpensive to repair like most American brands, I'd avoid a used VW as a first car personally.
I have that same engine in my vw passat (1.8T) which is a bigger and heavier car and the fuel economy is actually better. Like 36 mpg highway but this bug only get 33mpg? how is this possible?
I gotta tell you, from a foreign perspective I will have to google it to understand it. I live in Costa Rica (you are international). I actually used that information to select my first car. But I get it, targeted audience are Americans and I am sure it makes more sense. Still, I support the numbers of course. Thanks for the reply Alex.
Greivin Mena As an american, it makes no difference to me and both ways are just as easy for me to understand. I do believe though if one party is neutral, and the other party has valid reason for one format, It should be that way. For those that don't understand the american grading system, it goes: A+,A,A-,B+,B,B-,C+,C,C-,D+,D,D-,F+,F, and F-. A+ being the best and F- being the worst in that order.
Greivin Mena If one was wanting to convert letter grades to a scale from 1 to 10, then C is in the middle representing 5, with A+ being 10 and F- would be zero. So a B- would be between 7.5 and 8 out of 10. call it approximately 7.75. The way american schools denote the grade is; > 90% is an A, 80%-89% is a B, 70%-79% is a C, 60%-69% is a D and < 59% is an F, however that does not apply well to this situation.
If vw has to be difficult and not give us USB ports, can't they at least give us a micro usb or lightning mdi cable standard? Who do they think still uses an iPhone that old in 2015?
i need for once to see a car test drive/review on some really rough roads with cratered pavement. that is the reality for the majority of the country not living in the cities.
Arthur S but not the convertible. this is my point above. limiting the review to the hard top does make the car a knucklehead choice. But if in need of a fun convertible, what choices are there???
I hope they have improved the electrical problems that I had. I leased a 2000 model. Made in Puebla MX build quality was terrible. Should have walked away then. Leased a 2004 tdi for the fuel economy. Loved the fuel economy. Diesel fuel always higher than gas. Injection pump failed 500 miles away from the nearest dealer. Real nice tow bill on that one. Check engine light on quite a bit. Electrical problems. Brake booster locked up brakes without being applied. ON AND ON AND ON WITH SMALL PROBLEMS. JUNK! Berg VW in Gilbert AZ was a ripoff joint. I WOULD NEVER BUY ANOTHER VW EVER FROM ANY DEALER!!!!!!
Mark Magana It does, although not really a physical one; you just have to toggle for it through the steering wheel controls, and it displays on the instrument pod. But yea, I understand how you feel. I would’ve preferred it if it was on the dash from the get-go. VW, also could’ve incorporated it into their turbo model top dash pods as well , but didn’t.
I hate how they changed the back seats and the inside to me just feels smaller I'm a big fan of bugs and beetles but these Newer ones just don't do it for me, and now the 17-18 year models don't even offer a manual transmission, the doors look cheap, to me it seems thrown together like they needed a refresh and went threw the spare parts bins....
I feel like this is a chic car, but I also feel that there should be WAY more chic cars on the market. Chics buy half the cars; they should be better catered to. If you were a chic, it's the Bug, the Mini, and the Fiat and that's about it. Chics end up buying Civics and Foresters. Seems like a huge untapped market. Why have badge engineering when you could have genital engineering!
I never pictured myself driving of all things a VW Beetle. However I won a 2016 Beetle TS and my initial thought was that I'd sell it. However after driving it I discovered it handles very well, has plenty of power, while it'll never be confused as a muscle car it's a fun car to drive. Easily into highway traffic.plus it's a surprisingly quite and smooth ride. I average over 30mpg and that isn't because I'm a conservative driver. I like to get where I'm going and it easily navigates in and around traffic. I've kept the car and I've no regrets, I purchased the 5 year maintenance plan (highly recommended) covers oil changes and the first transmission service. I've had no problems with this car and feel it's very reliable. It's a two person car as the back seat is better suited for jackets and the like than it is for passengers. The front offers plenty of room for two people I'm 5'8" 190 and a friend of mine is 6'3" weighs 250 and we can ride comfortably. Plenty of head space and shoulder space provided no one try's to rest their arm on the center console...I've gotta be able to spread out a little. Plus it's not the ridiculous beetle of the early 2000's with the flower holder crap in it.
So if you're ok with a two person car that doesn't break the bank, I'd recommend going and driving one.
I just bought a 2015 convertible turbo! Love it and even got flower power license plate frames. Wanted a VW convertible when I first started to drive in 1969...but couldn't afford $2500. I finally got one when I am about to turn 71! You can't compare the Beetle to Golf or other VW...it is and always was unique. You buy one because you want it as a fan! I find it meets all my needs. Never give up your dreams! Lovin' it with the top down in El Paso, where the sun always shines and almost warm every day! 🏜
If only we spent more time comparing THIS Beetle to previous model year Beetles, than the Golf. Overall good review.
We've got a 2015 New Beetle Convertible with the 1.8T and a DSG. It's surprisingly quick, feels planted and confident with a plush ride and great overall quality. We love it...
Great review, and I think it is fair too. Where we might differ is room. I'm 6'3" and tried a lot of small cars before deciding on the Beetle. There was not one small car I felt more comfortable in, including the Mini, than the Beetle. I am a hockey goalie, so storage was important to me as well. I live in Chicago, so I needed a small car that could not only carry my goalie gear, but a fellow player's as well- all while being small enough to park in the city. The Beetle delivered. A lot of my fellow players have SUVS that get them not much more storage than my Beetle. All I have to do is fold down the back seats and I've got tons of space for hockey gear.
I have been able to take my gear, along with another player's (with luggage) to out of town tournaments. That made the Beetle my perfect choice. It's a great car, and the looks don't hurt either. I get random compliments on mine all the time.
I have it in light blue, with a panoramic sunroof and rear spoiler, the blue is inside as well. My dad installed a backup camera. It was a 30th birthday gift from my husband. I am loving it, it's been amazing in the snow. However in cold and icy weather the windows stick and you have to lower and raise them to seal them shut again.
Life Unpaged what year do you have? I had a 98 beetle 5 speed I loved it and miss is and it also did great in Colorado winters, but it was unreliable and I was always waiting for something to break... how's the reliability on these
Newer ones?
Alex, you said Beetle is about style, not practicality, because if one wanted practical, one would buy a Golf. Perhaps, but there is one difference in favor of Beetle - driver room. At least the last Beetle I drove (previous model), it was significantly roomier up front for me - 6'3" (190 cm), long legs, than Golf. This could be due to less intrusive center console.
mountainhobo Vs the current Golf the current Beetle has one inch less front headroom but one inch more rear headroom than before. It also has about four inches more rear legroom. I found the interior to be a bit more snug in some ways than the last generation new Beetle.
Alex on Autos Thanks, Alex. I may take a look at the new one at some point. For me it's more of a childhood sentiment that a pressing desire to own one.
Alex, I enjoy your reviews, but I have one suggestion. When you show the "ruler" with the relative lengths of various vehicles, it would be helpful to have actual measurements so we can see what the true differences in length are between the various competitive vehicles and the subject vehicle. Right now, you just show that one is longer or shorter, but without the ability to determine if that difference is really meaningful or not. However, keep up the great work!
Hi Alex, I really like the brief practical historical information and comparison of the original vw beetle. Thank you once again for making my favourite car review videos.
Had a 1972 VW Super Beetle
Currently have a 2000 VW New Beetle, and a 1985 VW Vanagon GL
my goodness, Volkswagen has changed. This bug is like a spaceship!
*... I Want One. In Candy Red.*
I love your videos Alex! Keep up the great work!
I love my 2012 beetle. I wanna take it on that road!
What did it cost you??
Alex the comparison between the golf and the bug was very helpful to me because I didn't understand what they were. I strong agree with your conclusions
A very good detailed review .
Guess the real point here is, yes, as just a hard top, the Bug is not the best all around.
However, when looking for the ever smaller number of fun small convertibles that offer a rear seat...this is a big choice.
If I were in need of such a fun little convertible for running around the summer in, this would be the only choice for the price.
why does it have a Michigan license plate? was this filmed in California though?
dennisscipio That's just where VW chose to register the car
I think the car came from Michigan after it was shipped from Mexico and then shipped to SoCal for people to do reviews, then later sold as a used car at dealers.
I like the new front end of this generation Bug. It seems to me to be a bit more mature, and reminds me somewhat of the Porsche Cayman. Glad to see the TDI is still available; locally diesel is about 5 - 10 cents less than regular unleaded. With the higher fuel economy the TDI offers, this makes for a very appealing option.
Jim MacMurdo LOL!!! It is a Porche; it was designed by Ferdinand Porche himself; with some insight from hitler; I think.
I I prefer the type 1 beetle but if this one was just a little more like the old one in the front it be pretty cool
Can you do a 2016 Mazda 6? I would really love your professional input. Thank you
He is indeed very professional, I'd love to see him review older VW or BMW even
Its longer, but is not bigger on the inside. I use to have 2 bugs 98 & 99 beetle, and the new ones are way smaller on the inside
Hah, love the Herbie shoutout :)
Saw that too, lol
How reliable is this vehicle's engine, electronics, etc.? Is the Volkswagen brand producing better cars?
E. L. I doubt it, I heard on the new new ones they finally changed over to a timing chain but not sure how true that it
E. L. I’ve got a 2014 beetle r line (gsr) with 40k miles on it, and not a single check engine light or problem so far. Their more recent cars are much much better and more reliable, especially post-dieselgate. So if you’re in the market, almost anything since 2013, and especially anything on their new mqb platform (Jetta, atlas, golf, Tiguan, Passat, etc) are great cars, and they’re cheaper than competitors, since they need to rebuild brand reputation in the states.
Alex, would you consider this to be a good first car? Not to be bought brand new, but in a few years when the price lowers. I'm talking in terms of insurance for a17-18 year old and the driveability of the car. And if not, do you recommend something else? Thanks
TechtheBest In general your best bet for used first cars would be cars that are either reliable like Toyota and Honda vehicles, or inexpensive to repair like most American brands, I'd avoid a used VW as a first car personally.
How long did you drive it until the check engine light came on? :P
Volkswagens run if you take care of them :)
I have that same engine in my vw passat (1.8T) which is a bigger and heavier car and the fuel economy is actually better. Like 36 mpg highway but this bug only get 33mpg? how is this possible?
Aerodynamics and break in period.
Great video Alex :D Loved the format.
Am curious why you changed the rating system?
Greivin Mena It just seemed to make a little more sense in my head than the numbers. I'm not totally sure why.
I gotta tell you, from a foreign perspective I will have to google it to understand it. I live in Costa Rica (you are international). I actually used that information to select my first car.
But I get it, targeted audience are Americans and I am sure it makes more sense.
Still, I support the numbers of course.
Thanks for the reply Alex.
Greivin Mena As an american, it makes no difference to me and both ways are just as easy for me to understand.
I do believe though if one party is neutral, and the other party has valid reason for one format, It should be that way.
For those that don't understand the american grading system, it goes: A+,A,A-,B+,B,B-,C+,C,C-,D+,D,D-,F+,F, and F-. A+ being the best and F- being the worst in that order.
Bob Hope Thanks Bob. What can be considered from acceptable to good? Checking the system I would think B- is still acceptable. What do you think?
Greivin Mena If one was wanting to convert letter grades to a scale from 1 to 10, then C is in the middle representing 5, with A+ being 10 and F- would be zero.
So a B- would be between 7.5 and 8 out of 10.
call it approximately 7.75.
The way american schools denote the grade is; > 90% is an A, 80%-89% is a B, 70%-79% is a C, 60%-69% is a D and < 59% is an F, however that does not apply well to this situation.
Do you get taco bell before every review? LOL or is it just the same cup
Mourad Benhalima I do love me some Taco Bell
If vw has to be difficult and not give us USB ports, can't they at least give us a micro usb or lightning mdi cable standard? Who do they think still uses an iPhone that old in 2015?
Now standard on 2016 Beetles
i need for once to see a car test drive/review on some really rough roads with cratered pavement. that is the reality for the majority of the country not living in the cities.
the fact that the jetta is more car for the money reflects how down market the jetta has gone.
Arthur S but not the convertible. this is my point above. limiting the review to the hard top does make the car a knucklehead choice.
But if in need of a fun convertible, what choices are there???
TheBeetle competes more w the Veloster than the 500.
You'd really really have to want the Beetle look to get this over something similarly priced.
I hope they have improved the electrical problems that I had. I leased a 2000 model. Made in Puebla MX build quality was terrible. Should have walked away then. Leased a 2004 tdi for the fuel economy. Loved the fuel economy. Diesel fuel always higher than gas. Injection pump failed 500 miles away from the nearest dealer. Real nice tow bill on that one. Check engine light on quite a bit. Electrical problems. Brake booster locked up brakes without being applied. ON AND ON AND ON WITH SMALL PROBLEMS. JUNK! Berg VW in Gilbert AZ was a ripoff joint. I WOULD NEVER BUY ANOTHER VW EVER FROM ANY DEALER!!!!!!
Still no USB port in a 2015 car....wow.
It's now standard in 2016 Beetle
Error, Mini has a 3 liter turbocharged engine
No temperature gauge, huh? Looks like I'm sticking with the Passat.
Mark Magana It does, although not really a physical one; you just have to toggle for it through the steering wheel controls, and it displays on the instrument pod. But yea, I understand how you feel. I would’ve preferred it if it was on the dash from the get-go. VW, also could’ve incorporated it into their turbo model top dash pods as well , but didn’t.
I hate how they changed the back seats and the inside to me just feels smaller I'm a big fan of bugs and beetles but these
Newer ones just don't do it for me, and now the 17-18 year models don't even offer a manual transmission, the doors look cheap, to me it seems thrown together like they needed a refresh and went threw the spare parts bins....
The manual transmission is "funner!"
I feel like this is a chic car, but I also feel that there should be WAY more chic cars on the market. Chics buy half the cars; they should be better catered to. If you were a chic, it's the Bug, the Mini, and the Fiat and that's about it. Chics end up buying Civics and Foresters. Seems like a huge untapped market. Why have badge engineering when you could have genital engineering!
It is only your perception. Cars are genderless.
Kind of hard to make a girly car look manly.
It attracted you...
6 years later you still think so? Just wondering because I have been looking into a beetle as my first car. I'm 15
mega ugly porsche