The official name of the Volkswagen Beetle is Volkswagen Type 1 and it has been dubbed the immortal bugs through seven decades of appearance and improvement.
This car line is also asked by many people about whether to choose it as the car to start with or not? Currently, we see that there are mixed opinions on this issue across forums and social networks.
Is a Volkswagen Beetle a good first car? If you are interested in this vehicle and want to learn more about the market reviews, do not miss our detailed information below.
Is A Volkswagen Beetle A Good First Car?
First, we need to learn more about objective reviews on the market to come to a final conclusion on this issue. The evaluation criteria will be price, reliability, safety, maintenance costs, and fuel economy.
1. Price Is Suitable For Beginners
The average list price of the Volkswagen Beetle is around $23,782. At this low price point, it will probably be suitable for first-time car owners.
The reason is that they do not want to spend a large amount of money to buy expensive cars while they do not have much driving experience.
| Volkswagen Beetle | Mazda Miata | Ford Mustang EcoBoost | Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 | |
| Price | $23.782 | $25.000 | $25.000 | $26.500 |
2. Safety While Driving
Some of the key safety features of the Volkswagen Beetle are airbags for the driver and front passenger. The passenger-side airbag can be turned on and off. The vehicle also has airbags that are located at the front of the body, front side, and rear to protect the driver and passengers from various types of collisions should an accident occur.
In addition, the car also has shoulder belts, front shoulders, and airbag occupancy sensors. There is the stability control system, electronic stability control, anti-lock braking system, track control, and rack steering system.
Volkswagen Beetle has blind-spot monitoring, blind spot sensors, and a reversing camera so it can assist the driver in avoiding dangerous obstacles on the road.
The Volkswagen Beetle also shows an impressive level of crash protection. It earned a full five stars when Euro NCAP rated it in 2011. A 92% adult rating is a very good result, a 90% child-safe rating.
The 86% safety support result is also good. We cannot deny that the improved versions of the Volkswagen Beetle are becoming more modern and more appreciated in the charts.
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety/Highway Loss Data Institute (IIHS/HLDI) also has an overall rating of mild driver-side crash protection, with structure and space safety at the level of acceptable.
However, for actual tests of potential driver injuries, all ratings were good. And all of the car’s other ratings such as roof durability, headrests, and seats earned a consistent rating of good.
3. Reliability For The Driver
The Volkswagen Beetle overall rating for reliability is 45 and an average of 57. This is not a high level of reliability compared to other models. However, in the low price segment, the reliability of the Volkswagen Beetle is acceptable.
However, it is fair to say, Volkswagen Beetle has also made significant improvements and upgrades in recent times and it has been rated much more reliable than previous versions.
Especially, Volkswagen Beetle can handle obstacles such as rocks and rough roads well to create a sense of balance for the occupants.
At low speeds, you can feel how the Volkswagen Beetle copes with strong bumps but never makes you feel uncomfortable due to the high tire design.
What makes many people love the Volkswagen Beetle is that the spacious chassis makes it easy to overcome obstacles. Precise and well-weighted steering, gentle responses, and a relaxed demeanor when cornering also lends confidence to the driver.
| Volkswagen Beetle | Nissan Altima | Mazda Tribute | BMW M3 | |
| Reliability | 45 | 54 | 53 | 55 |
4. Maintenance Cost
Overall, the Volkswagen Beetle has a total annual vehicle maintenance cost of about $612. With a price of $612 per year, Volkswagen Beetle is rated at an average cost compared to other models.
The equipment and accessories of this model are also not modern and expensive to replace, so a driver spending $612 a year on vehicle maintenance is perfectly reasonable.
| Volkswagen Beetle | Toyota Land Cruiser | Mazda MX-5 Miata | Porsche Panamera | |
| Maintenance Cost | $612 | $843 | $429 | $1252 |
5. Fuel Economy
Volkswagen Beetle has a relatively good fuel economy. The car’s four-cylinder engine is a direct injection and has a fuel tank capacity of about 14.5 gallons.
Its EPA fuel economy is estimated at 33 MPG for highway driving and 26 MPG for city driving. Although it can’t compete with a hybrid, of course, the Volkswagen Beetle has good performance and good range.
The Limitations Of The Volkswagen Beetle
Any car has certain limitations, so does the Volkswagen Beetle. You can refer to the limitations on which we found information for an overview.
1. The Space Is Tight
Volkswagen Beetle is a four-seat car with two doors. It has a very unique design that resembles a beetle. For front-seat passengers, there’s relatively good legroom and headroom.
Rear-seat passengers will find that headroom and legroom are tighter, which can be an issue for taller passengers. In general, the area in the car is not designed to be too spacious because the dome design will make the space narrower than other models.
2. No Advanced Safety Devices
Given the limited production costs, the Volkswagen Beetle lacks some of the latest safety systems such as automatic emergency braking, mandatory accessories such as electronic stability control, ISOFIX child seat anchors, and a warning system for tire pressure.
3. The Reliability Of Old Versions Is Unreliable
Volkswagen Beetle has also undergone many major improvements and significant changes compared to the early versions.
In the old versions, this car was not appreciated for its quality and safety, and reliability for the driver. Even the Volkswagen New Beetle is on the dangerous list for beginners.
Volkswagen Beetle is also not sold in large quantities to the market for large-scale surveys. Therefore, detailed evaluation of the data is also limited.
Summary
Is a Volkswagen Beetle a good first car? My answer is YES!
Price is also an important part for any first-time owner. With this popular segment, Volkswagen Beetle will also be a reasonable choice for you at the beginning.
Therefore, you cannot ask too much about modern functions like other luxury cars on the market today.
Especially, if you love the unique design style and want to attract all eyes, the Volkswagen Beetle will help you satisfy this requirement.
However, you should choose the new version instead of choosing the old version or buying a used car because it will not be appreciated for safety and reliability.
If you still love this classic style, you can refer to VW Rabbit. Not only is it equipped with a wide range of safety technologies, but it is also an IIHS Top Safety Pick or a similar price car that many people recommend choosing the Mazda MX-5 Miata.