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Volkswagen Beetle Hatchback (2012-2018) review

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Parkers overall rating: 3.5 out of 53.5

At a glance

Price new £15,865 - £26,275
Used prices £2,965 - £15,195
Road tax cost £35 - £335
Insurance group 10 - 27
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Fuel economy Not tested to latest standards
Range 448 - 786 miles
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Available fuel types

Petrol

Diesel

Pros & cons

PROS

Retro appeal, comfortable interior, good performance, capable handling, strong reliability and build quality

CONS

Not as practical as the similarly priced Golf, overly firm ride with larger alloys and sports suspension, only really justified if you want a Beetle

Written by Lewis Kingston Published: 6 June 2019

Overview

Following on from the successful Scirocco is another retro-inspired Volkswagen, the Beetle. Almost 22 million original Beetles were built, making it one of the most successful cars of all time. The next 1999 re-imagination wasn’t quite as popular, with just over one million sold, as issues like poor interior space and questionable styling cut its appeal.

This latest model, which shares many parts with the Golf, aims to improve on the previous generation by offering more equipment and improved levels of practicality; including a boot that’s 44% bigger than before. Volkswagen has also tried to make the Beetle appeal to a much larger audience with sharper styling and a range of engines that caters for a variety of buyers, such as a 1.6-litre diesel capable of 66mpg or a throaty 197bhp turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol.