Worst years for a Volkswagen NEW Beetle
Owners have filed 262 complaints about the Volkswagen NEW Beetle with NHTSA across model years 1998 to 2006. More of them are about the electrical system than anything else.
Avoid
2001 Volkswagen NEW Beetle56 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly electrical system.
Cleanest on record
2004 Volkswagen NEW Beetle18 complaints — the lowest FaultScore of the graded years.
Every Volkswagen NEW Beetle year, graded
The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.
| Year | Grade | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Median miles | Most reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | Electrical System |
| 2004 | B | 18 | 0 | 0 | 1,712 | Windows, Mirrors & Wipers |
| 2003 | D | 30 | 3 | 0 | 15,000 | Transmission & Drivetrain |
| 2002 | C | 35 | 0 | 0 | 26,275 | Transmission & Drivetrain |
| 2001 | F | 56 | 7 | 0 | 20,517 | Electrical System |
| 2000 | D | 45 | 2 | 5 | 26,000 | Electrical System |
| 1999 | C | 40 | 2 | 0 | 46,710 | Engine & Cooling |
| 1998 | C | 37 | 2 | 1 | 53,500 | Lights |
What breaks on a Volkswagen NEW Beetle
Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.
Worst in 2002
Worst in 2000
Worst in 2001
Worst in 2001
Worst in 1999
Worst in 1999
Worst in 1999
Worst in 1999
Worst in 1998
Worst in 2000
Exactly what failed on a Volkswagen NEW Beetle
The named sub-assemblies behind those complaints, across every model year.
Complaints filed over time
Every complaint about every Volkswagen NEW Beetle, by the month it reached NHTSA.
Compare the Volkswagen NEW Beetle
Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.