Volkswagen Beetle Volkswagen Beetle 2012

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Volkswagen Beetle Specs at TrueDelta: Powertrains and tires by trim level (2012)

How powerful is the engine? How much room is in the back seat? Get the 2012 Volkswagen Beetle specs.

2012 Volkswagen Beetle Specs - Exterior and Interior Dimensions

Body 2dr Hatch
Wheelbase 99.9 in
Length 168.4 in
Width 71.2 in
Height 58.5 in
Curb Weight 2983 lb.
Fuel Capacity 14.5 gal.
Headroom, Row 1 39.4 in
Shoulder Room, Row 1 55.3 in
Legroom, Row 1 41.3 in
Headroom, Row 2 37.1 in
Shoulder Room, Row 2 49.0 in
Legroom, Row 2 31.4 in
Total Legroom 72.7 in (over 2 rows)
Cargo Volume, Minimum 15.4 ft3
Cargo Volume, Maximum 29.9 ft3

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TrueDelta Reviews the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2012 Volkswagen Beetle

2012 Volkswagen Beetle Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
YearComment
2012 Back in the 1960s VW entreated Americans to "think small." Lately, though, the German manufacturers cars have been getting bigger and bigger. The latest redesign added over two inches to the car's length (now 168 inches) and over two inches to its width (now a midsize-like 71.2 inches. Compared to the 146-by-66-inch, 2,822-pound Mini and the 140-by-64-inch, 2,434-pound Fiat, the 3,340-pound Beetle TDI convertible is a big, heavy car. As noted earlier, solidity and ride quality benefit from this additional bulk. But rear seat room does not. Sure, the Beetle Convertible's rear seat is more viable than the MINI's, but bars to clear rarely come lower. The Fiat is in the same (adults-in-a-pinch) ballpark. In addition to the space shortage, the VW's rear seat back is uncomfortably upright. see full Volkswagen Beetle review
 

What Our Members Are Saying about the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2012 Volkswagen Beetle

2012 Volkswagen Beetle Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
YearBody/PowertrainComment
2012 0 The rear seat is also surprisingly roomy. My 6'2" father was able to sit comfortably in the back for ~30 min hops around town. see full Volkswagen Beetle review
2012 Volkswagen Beetle Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
YearBody/PowertrainComment
2013 2dr Convertible 170-horsepower 2.5L I5
6-speed shiftable automatic FWD
The back seat, if you could really call it that, leaves a lot to be desired. Maybe another 3 in. That being said it fits a car seat with my 6' frame in the front seat ahead of it, so it gets the job done. Once the top goes down the interior space seems adequate. see full Volkswagen Beetle review
2012 2dr Hatch turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4
6-speed automated manual FWD
I love my Beetle, but the rear seat legspace is not so good. For me its no problem at all, since normally only my wife and i drive the car, but when you normally have to drive with 4 adults, it can become crampy at the back. If the driver and front passenger are not that tall, the rear legspace is quite good. Even the headspace is ok. see full Volkswagen Beetle review
 

2012 Volkswagen Beetle 2-door Hatch Specs - Powertrains and Tire Sizes

Trim Base 2.5L Turbo
Standard Engine 2.5L I5
DOHC-4v
170 hp@5700
177 lb-ft@4250
2.5L I5
DOHC-4v
170 hp@5700
177 lb-ft@4250
turbocharged
2.0L I4
DOHC-4v
200 hp@5100
207 lb-ft@1700
Standard Transmission5-speed manual5-speed manual6-speed manual
Optional Transmission(s) 6-speed manually-shiftable automatic6-speed automated manual
Standard DrivetrainFWDFWDFWD
Standard Tires215/55HR17 tires215/55HR17 tires235/45HR18 tires
Optional Tires 235/45HR18 tires235/40HR19 tires

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TrueDelta Reviews the Powertrain of the 2012 Volkswagen Beetle

2012 Volkswagen Beetle Powertrain: Pros
YearComment
2013 But diesels are slow, right? Back when they were last commonly offered in North America, in the 1980s, absolutely. But not with the latest technology. A diesel engine might produce much less power at 5,000 rpm (which is as fast as the TDI can spin), but how often do you venture near the red line? Down at more typical engine speeds, from 1,500 to 3,000 rpm, the diesel is much stronger than the gas engine, as suggested by their respective peak torque figures (236 vs. 177 lb-ft). In around-town driving the diesel moves the car effortlessly (though from a dead stop the turbo can take a moment to spool up). Technological advancements have also made the latest diesels smoother, quieter, and cleaner. The characteristic diesel grumble is most evident at idle from outside the car, but isn't objectionable even then. Once under way most people's ears wouldn't note anything out of the ordinary. I've never driven a Mini with the 121-horsepower base engine, so I can't report on its performance. The Fiat's 101-horsepower engine is far harder on the ears, and generally feels overwhelmed. see full Volkswagen Beetle review
 

What Our Members Are Saying about the Powertrain of the 2012 Volkswagen Beetle

2012 Volkswagen Beetle Powertrain: Pros
YearBody/PowertrainComment
2013 2dr Convertible 170-horsepower 2.5L I5
6-speed shiftable automatic FWD
The 2.5L seems lackluster when it comes to strait line acceleration, but whip the 6 speed auto into Sport mode, and the little Beetle is sure to put a smile on your face when conering. I wouldn't consider the 2.5L with the 6spd AT a sporty car by any stretch, but it is deffinetly peppy enough to make the driving experience fun. I liked the styling and test drove the Turbo W/ 6spd manual. It had a lot of go, but not sporty enough that I could pass over the style of the 50's model. see full Volkswagen Beetle review
2012 2dr Hatch turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4
6-speed automated manual FWD
The 2.0 TSI does perform very well with a nice exhaust tone when pressing the pedal a bit more. The 2.0 is coupled to the DSG on mine and i do like this combination a lot. In D the DSG shifts very quick at low rpmīs and this is ofcourse good for the fuel economy. Manual shifting with the butterfly switches at the steering wheel is fun to do, but i keep it mostly in D. Put it in S and the beetle goes away as a rocket. The sound the exhaust then makes is so nice to hear, especially when it shifts. This makes it sometimes difficult to drive away slowly................. see full Volkswagen Beetle review
2012 0 Love sport mode for when I'm having to get up to speed to merge with traffic. It's then easy to pop it back into normal drive for cruising. see full Volkswagen Beetle review
 

What Our Members Are Saying about the Tires of the 2012 Volkswagen Beetle

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2012 Volkswagen Beetle MSRP and Invoice Prices

Body Trim Base Price Invoice Destination
2dr Hatch Base 18,995 18,235 770
2dr Hatch 2.5L 19,795 19,003 770
2dr Hatch Turbo 23,395 22,459 770

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