Volkswagen Beetle

What is the Volkswagen Beetle?

The modern Beetle brought the familiar rounded shape of Volkswagen’s original Type 1 into a contemporary car. The New Beetle paired retro styling with everyday usability. Its successor kept the design cues but adopted a lower roofline and more pronounced proportions, giving the car a different character.

The New Beetle generation ran from 1998 to 2011, followed by the A5 from 2012 to 2019. The New Beetle revived the classic shape for Volkswagen’s modern range; the later Beetle drew more directly on the original car’s profile.

Engines and power

The Beetle was offered with petrol and diesel engines. EU and UK figures show engines from 1.2 to 2.0 litres. EU power ranges from 75 kW (102 PS) to 162 kW (220 PS), while UK figures range from 55 kW (75 PS) to 162 kW (220 PS). US and Canadian figures include engines from 1.8 to 2.5 litres.

Among the EU’s most frequently registered entries were 1.2-litre petrol versions producing 77 kW (105 PS), appearing in figures for 2014, 2015 and 2016.

Fuel consumption and CO₂

The lowest listed consumption is 4.3 L/100 km in the UK and French NEDC figures. The US EPA figure is 6.2 L/100 km, with a best combined rating of 38 MPG; Canada’s lowest listed figure is 6.1 L/100 km on the NRCan 5-cycle test. Test procedures differ across these markets, so the results are not directly comparable. No CO₂ figure is listed here.

Where was the Beetle sold?

The Beetle appears in figures for the European Union, the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada. EU registrations cover 2010–2019. The other figures span different periods: 1998–2019 in the United States, 1999–2019 in Canada and 2000–2018 in the UK. The model carried Volkswagen’s classic rounded design into a modern range across these markets.