Volkswagen Beetle Pros and Cons: What To Know When Weighing Your Decision

in Car Comparisons
Tan Volkswagen Beetle in a parking lot

Source: Pixabay

The VW Beetle had a long run as one of the most popular car selections on the market, fondly known as “The People’s Car” when it first rolled off the lines. Although it’s made for everyone, the Beetle is far from a perfect selection. If you’re interested in this car, it’s critical to consider some significant Volkswagen Beetle pros and cons.

From an exciting and practical interior to its iconic style, there are some ways the Beetle stands out from the rest of its competitors. However, its minimal cargo room and lack of active safety tech features can be an issue for many. Let’s dive into the pros and cons to help you make the best choice.

What We Love: Volkswagen Beetle Pros

Some portions of the VW Beetle make it stand out on the market. Let’s discuss some of the best of the Volkswagen Beetle pros and cons to help you see why people fall in love with the Beetle’s system.


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Exciting, Practical Interior

One of the best things about the Volkswagen Beetle is its exciting, practical interior. You’ll get the retro styling many people love in the VW Beetle while accessing more modern stylings that make the Beetle an excellent choice for today’s driver. It takes you back to a different era without forcing you to drive an ancient car with terrible controls.

There are several prominent retro stylings you’ll love in the Volkswagen Beetle. There are retro-modern gauges, providing a unique and easy-to-use experience. It also offers a retro glovebox with plenty of room for storage inside the machine. One excellent modern touch is ambient lighting, which will set the mood and remind viewers of the current century. 

Iconic Style

Of course, part of owning a Volkswagen Beetle means you get access to its iconic style. It’s impossible to miss the Beetle - there’s even a game named after it. “Punch Buggy” is one of the most popular road trip games for a reason. It’s nearly impossible to miss a Volkswagen Beetle pulling down the road.

There’s also a wide range of colors, an available rear spoiler, and plenty of potential upgrades if you want to make the Beetle yours. Each trim offers a coupe or convertible selection, opening up even more customization options for the owner. You can make your Beetle unique while still keeping the iconic, well-known shape. 


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Excellent Rear-View Camera System

One surprising and beneficial feature of the VW Beetle is its excellent rear-view camera system. Drivers will find the camera right under the iconic VW badge on the rear of the car, offering an excellent view when you’re backing up. Whether in a parking lot or a driveway, the VW Beetle makes it easy to gain control of the situation.

The Beetle’s camera stands out because it has a wide-angle camera lens option. Thus, you get to see more of the view behind you than in other competitors. You get to see plenty of potential obstacles on the road and those behind your car will feel much safer. It’s a win for everybody on the road. 

What We Dislike: Volkswagen Beetle Cons

There are some areas where the Volkswagen Beetle struggles. Let’s dive into some of the worst parts of the Volkswagen Beetle pros and cons to see if there is anything you might want to avoid.

Minimal Cargo Room

Unfortunately, one of the worst parts of the VW Beetle is that it’s very limited on cargo room. The backseats take up most of the space, leaving a mere 15 cubic feet for cargo storage. That’s barely enough room for a couple of suitcases, which might drive some people crazy.

If you decide to fold the back seats down, you get a little more space with 29 cubic feet. However, this number still isn’t very high and forces you to lose seating for passengers. The Beetle isn’t great for road trips and only works for a car to drive around town or with minimal luggage in tow.

Cramped Interior

Along with minimal cargo room comes a cramped interior. There isn’t a ton of space to stretch out, which can prove problematic if there are multiple adults in the vehicle or someone with very long legs. The driver and passenger in the front will be fine, but those in the back will struggle much more to remain comfortable.

If you drive the convertible Beetle, it’s possible to pull away the roof to solve the problem of headroom if it’s a nice day outside. However, the Beetle isn’t ideal if you carpool and need room for multiple fully-grown adults.


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Lack of Active Safety Tech Features

Finally, there is a significant lack of active safety tech features in the Volkswagen Beetle. It’s behind competitors from the same year, which makes it less safe and therefore less valuable than competitors. Although the newest year of the Beetle has more active safety tech than in previous iterations, it’s still not enough.

Features like adaptive cruise control and rain-sensing windshield wipers do not come standard on the Volkswagen Beetle, nor are they available as an upgrade option. You will have to look elsewhere if you want the active safety features cars on the market today should be able to provide.

Final Thoughts

There are many significant Volkswagen Beetle pros and cons to ponder before investing in the car. The benefits include an exciting and practical interior, iconic style, and an excellent rear-view camera system. The worst parts of the machine include minimal cargo room, a cramped interior, and a lack of active safety tech features.

We hope this information was helpful! The Volkswagen Beetle is a popular choice, but the issues in the system might prove to be too much for some people. For others, they might not seem like a big deal. Ultimately, it’s up to you to make the best choice and to determine if the Volkswagen Beetle is the best selection for your life.



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