Overview

The ‘new’ Beetle was the car that started the retro trend when it was introduced in 1999, two years before the MINI came along. In terms of looks, it’s very much in the same vein as the original model with a similarly distinctive rounded profile. It’s not the most masculine of designs, but it’s friendly looks have still made it a popular choice, especially among female buyers.

However, the unusual shape does compromise interior space and the boot isn’t very useable, so it’s not a great choice as a family car. There’s a decent choice of engines available, all of which offer reasonable running costs, in particular the 1.9 TDI. In September 2005 the model was mildly facelifted with new lights and bumpers.