Used Volkswagen Beetle cars for sale

What you get in this modern classic is a well-built, solid car with a nicely controlled ride and responsive steering, allowing you to tackle corners with confidence. The problem is that those classic lines cause a classic problem: visibility isn’t particularly good, and it’s hard to see the car’s corners when parking. At least wind and road noise are kept to a minimum. In theory, the Beetle can seat four, but the reality is that it’s only for two. The slope of the roofline makes sitting in the back difficult if you’re an adult, although it should be fine for children. The boot is small, too, but if you don’t need the rear seats they can be folded down to increase your luggage space.

Running Costs
With all those Golf components lurking under its shell, the Beetle is as reliable as the hatchback. Niggles are generally minor. And, although the Beetle is slightly more expensive to service than the Golf, you can save a little bit of cash by going to an independent specialist. Where the Beetle suffers over the Golf is that it’s quite a heavy car, so its fuel economy suffers. MPG figures for the petrols range from the mid- to high-30s, but the diesel gives a great 53mpg. Insurance is acceptable if you stick to the 1.6, which is in group 9, but climbs as high as group 15 for the more rapid models.

Convertible
It might look like the Beetle of old, but underneath this latest incarnation is really a Golf. And, that means you can forget the budget build quality of the original - this new Beetle may hark back to the first version, but it's also well made. Better still, despite losing its roof, the Beetle's body is still nice and stiff, which helps to prevents scuttle shake and allows the soft suspension to give a supple ride. However, the price you pay for this is limited road-holding and excessive body roll through bends. You also suffer from a lack of practicality, as you do with many funky and fashionable things. You get the wind in your hair, but room in the back and boot space are compromised. Parking can be a problem, too. From the driver's seat, it's difficult to see the nose over the enormous dash. And, the cute rounded looks of the body do nothing for over-the-shoulder visibility: it's hard to get a good view whether the hood is up or down.

Running Costs
The Beetle will cost you only a bit more to run than a Golf, so it shouldn't scare you off. Strong resale values keep used car prices up, but then that's the same of other cars in this sector including the Mini Convertible. Fuel economy isn't scary with the petrol engines and ranges from 39.2mpg through to 34mpg on the 1.8 turbo. The 1.9 diesels manage 50.4mpg. Insurance on smaller-engined models is group 7 and group 9, but if you go for one of the larger engines, that can jump as high as group 15. For us, the 1.6-litre has the best balance of fuel economy and lower insurance. Being a VW, servicing costs and spares can be slightly higher than rivals, but sticking to independent workshops will make reasonable savings.