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 |
2012 Volkswagen Beetle Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Comment | |
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 |
2012 Volkswagen Beetle Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
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 | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
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 |
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 Transmission | 5-speed manual | 5-speed manual | 6-speed manual |
Optional Transmission(s) |   | 6-speed manually-shiftable automatic | 6-speed automated manual |
Standard Drivetrain | FWD | FWD | FWD |
Standard Tires | 215/55HR17 tires | 215/55HR17 tires | 235/45HR18 tires |
Optional Tires |   | 235/45HR18 tires | 235/40HR19 tires |
2012 Volkswagen Beetle Powertrain: Pros | ||
Year | Comment | |
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 |
2012 Volkswagen Beetle Powertrain: Pros | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
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 |
None of our members have yet commented on the tires of the 2012 Volkswagen Beetle.
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 |