Find the best price deals on the 2012 Volkswagen Beetle 2.0T Turbo.
The “New Beetle” is now officially just the Beetle. Better yet, it has been redesigned for 2012. The Volkswagen, or “people’s car,” was first made in Germany in 1938. They were made until 2003, but only sold in the US until 1977.
The next version to be sold in the US was the New Beetle, introduced in 1998. The current version is the second generation. It is really very well done. It retains the look and economy that made the Beetle popular in the first place, but has lowered its profile considerably, giving the car a lower center of gravity and better aerodynamics. It has also been lengthened and widened, making it a lot more like many successful, contemporary automobiles.
The 2012 Volkswagen Beetle 2.0T Turbo is classified as a two-door hatchback; it seats four people. The 2.0T is the third of four trim levels. It has a 2.0 liter turbocharged inline 4-cylinder engine that produces 200 horsepower and 207 foot-pounds of torque. It has 18-inch alloy wheels, P235/45R18 all season tires, front-wheel drive, and a 6-speed manual transmission with a front limited slip differential. It is rated at 22 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway. The 2.0T goes from zero to sixty in 5.7 seconds, which is a great trade-off for tepid fuel economy.
The Beetle 2.0T comes with a leather-covered, tilt-telescope steering wheel, front sport seats with height and lumbar adjustment, a heated driver seat, premium cloth upholstery, a split-folding rear seat, keyless entry, power windows, power mirrors, heated mirrors, cruise control, a 12-volt power outlet, air conditioning, a trip computer, a rear spoiler, a rear defogger, and foglights. The audio system has 8 speakers, AM/FM radio, a CD/MP3 player, an audio jack, a USB/iPod input, and Bluetooth.
The 2012 Beetle also has side front airbags, side curtain airbags, antilock brakes, stability control, and traction control. No safety scores are available yet.
Conclusions and driver feedback:
The cabin has a retro design, but with modern conveniences and controls. It is just enough to make people of all generations smile. The lengthening of the Beetle has created more passenger space. The front seat is good even for taller passengers, while the rear seat is good for average-sized passengers. There are some interesting color schemes available, too. There are 15.4 cubic feet of space in the trunk, and you can get 29.9 cubic feet if you put the rear seats down.
Even without the optional sport-tuned suspension, the Beetle is tweaked more toward performance than passenger comfort. For those who remember old Beetles, the ride will probably be a trip down memory lane. The Beetle is small, so it is very agile and has a very small turning radius. The steering is very responsive, and the suspension helps it hold the road well. This is more noticeable now, because of the lower center of gravity created by the new design.
The ride still an updated version of the Beetle we have known and loved for decades: you definitely know you are on the road, but bumps are mitigated somewhat.
All in all, this is a great car for a trip down memory lane, but it might also get a whole new generation of fans. That being said, it isn’t for everyone. If you liked the old Beetle, you will like the current Beetle. If you didn’t, there really isn’t enough of a change to make you like it now.
The verdict: you already know whether you want this car or not, so no recommendation is needed.
Options, other trims, and miscellaneous caveats.
Most of the optional equipment is in packages, but there are two major options that aren’t. The first is a 6-speed automatic transmission that is available on every trim but the base. The other is a sport-tuned suspension that is available on any trim that has the turbo engine. Since the turbo does go pretty fast, and there isn’t a lot of ride to degrade, we heartily recommend the sport suspension with any turbo engine trim.
Volkswagen offers a Sunroof package that has, obviously, a sunroof. It also has a 6-CD changer, satellite radio, a touchscreen audio interface, and an upgraded trip computer, along with keyless ignition and a lot of controls on the steering wheel.
The Sunroof and Sound package gives you all of the Sunroof package, plus shift paddles and a Fender audio system with a subwoofer. The Sunroof, Sound, and Navigation Package gives you a Navigation system in addition to the other goodies. You can also get xenon headlights and 19-inch wheels.
The base trim is just called the Base, and has a 2.5 liter, inline 5-cylinder engine that produces 170 horsepower. The mileage is almost the same as the stronger turbo engine, though. It comes with full power accessories, heated mirrors, the leather-wrapped, tilt-telescope steering wheel, a trip computer, cloth upholstery, and the 8-speaker sound system with AM/FM radio, CD/MP3 player, and audio jack.
The next trim is the 2.5L. It has all of the above, plus premium leatherette upholstery, heated and adjustable front seats, the USB/iPod interface, and Bluetooth.
There is a slightly different version of the Turbo called the 2.0T Black Turbo Launch Edition. As you may have guessed, it is black on the interior and exterior. The rest of the car is pretty much the same as the 2.0T Turbo.
Basically the 2012 Beetle is the best of both worlds. It keeps everything that was really fun about the old Beetle and adds a lot of new design tweaks and equipment to make it more fun for people of any generation to drive. The extra room really helps, and the lower profile and modern safety equipment make this the safest Beetle yet.
There is a little bit of something for almost everyone here, and they have really nailed this car this time. People who don’t like compact cars obviously won’t like the Beetle, but Volkswagen has come really close to making this a car for everyone.
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