Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet Review

The Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet is the kind of car you’ll be prepared to make a few sacrifices for. Why buy a Golf when you can own something with a huge dollop of retro cool, a degree of exclusivity and the opportunity for some wind-in-your-hair motoring?

It’s not as though the sacrifices will cause you too many headaches. The boot is reasonably large, there’s room for two adults in the back, and the running costs will be on a par with the less distinctive cars in the Volkswagen range.

One of the Beetle Cabriolet’s biggest problems was its high price, but this is less of an issue on the used car market. In fact, sales slowed to such an extent, your biggest challenge will be finding the right car for you. Is the Cabriolet worth the premium over the Beetle coupe? Come back to us with an answer the next time the sun is shining.

Although the TDI diesels offer the best economy, do you really want to hear the sound of a diesel engine when you lower the roof? It kind of sends a torpedo through those cool ‘West Coast’ vibes, dude.

Which is why we recommend one of the petrol engines. The 1.4-litre TSI is the one to opt for if you spend as much time on the open road as you do searching for a parking space in a beach car park. It offers a fantastic blend of immediate urgency and long-legged cruising ability. Having said that, the 1.2-litre TSI will be perfectly adequate for most people.

We’re not going to suggest a trim level, because it’s a matter of taste. The key is to find a used example that is right for you. We do have a soft spot for the 50s Edition, 60s Edition and 70s Edition models that were available at launch, mind.

The MINI Convertible is the most obvious rival, as it sacrifices practicality for some wind-in-your-hair fun. Like the Beetle Cabriolet, it’s more expensive and less practical than the tin-top equivalent, but it offers desirability by the bucket-and-spade load.

Beyond that, it’s difficult to find a direct rival. The Fiat 500C and DS 3 Cabrio are little more than cars with a long sunroof, so you’re looking at more expensive alternatives like the Audi A3 Cabriolet, Audi TT Roadster, BMW 2 Series Convertible and Mercedes-Benz C-Class Cabriolet.

Interior quality is generally good, but some of the plastics feel a little cheap. This is especially true of the entry-level version, which misses out on the cosmetic enhancements that help lift an otherwise sombre cabin.

On the plus side, the dials turn and the switches press with the usual Volkswagen reassurance, but the Beetle Cabriolet doesn’t feel like a premium product until you hit the upper reaches of the trim ladder.

Thanks to the cosmetic upgrades, Design trim offers an enhanced feeling of quality, while models with a leather-trimmed steering wheel and gear lever feel a touch more special.

A word about the electric folding roof, which opens in 9.5 seconds and can be operated at speeds of up to 31mph. It’s a quality piece of kit, with the multi-layered fabric roof and safety glass delivering a feeling of quality when the roof is in place.

Unfortunately, leather seats are optional, regardless of the trim level, but this isn’t the only way to make the cabin feel more upmarket. The Dune model manages to feel premium without leather, thanks to ‘Turmeric’ cloth seats with contrast stitching, a multi-function leather steering wheel and dual-zone climate control.

The entry-level Beetle Cabriolet comes with a five-inch colour touchscreen with an aux-in socket, DAB digital radio, a dash-mounted CD player, SD card reader, USB port and six speakers. It’s a basic system, but it’s easy to operate on the move thanks to a set of large buttons flanking the screen.

Other models get an improved and larger 6.5-inch colour touchscreen with DAB digital radio, CD player, eight speakers, text messaging function and Bluetooth. The fact that satellite navigation isn’t available as standard on any of the trim levels is a little stingy.

Thus, the Discover Navigation system is a good upgrade and worth sourcing when you’re looking at used examples of the Beetle Cabriolet. It comes with European mapping, speed limit information and three calculated route choices.

Another desirable option is the Fender premium audio upgrade, which comprises a 400-watt output from the eight speakers and Panasonic/Fender upgrade. You also get ambient illumination around the speakers, door panels and under the door trim. The Beach Boys have never sounded – or looked – better, man.

You wouldn’t expect the Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet to offer the same level of practicality as the Golf, so you’re unlikely to be disappointed by the space on offer here. It’s more spacious than the previous Beetle Cabriolet and more commodious than the MINI Convertible.

The boot offers 225 litres of boot space, which is significantly less than the 310 litres you get in the Beetle coupe. Crucially, because the roof folds away on the outside of the car, the luggage capacity is the same whether the roof is up or down.

Inside the boot, you’ll find a lever to fold the rear seats down. It’s not going to rival a hatchback for practicality, but it might help if you need to carry some longer loads. With the seats up the boot is big enough for a large suitcase, once you’ve ‘posted’ it through the relatively narrow opening.

In the cabin, the Beetle Cabriolet feels more spacious than its predecessor, regardless of whether the roof is up or down. Volkswagen shifted the windscreen rearward, which altered the contours of the roof, creating 12mm more rear headroom in the process. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but it means that two adults can sit in the back without feeling like they’re in the cheap seats. Legroom is adequate, which gives the Beetle the edge over the MINI.

Getting in the back is made easy by the sliding front seats, which return to their previous position once your passengers have clambered in.

There are two cup holders between the front seats, a large glove box, a retro storage compartment in the dashboard, large door bins and a compartment at the base of the centre console. There’s also a centre armrest with a shallow storage compartment that’s perfect for carrying a smartphone.

Versions without the sports dials atop the dashboard also get a shallow tray on the dash. All models get a tonneau cover to keep the roof stored away when lowered.

There are a number of engines available, ranging from efficient diesels to a seriously punchy 220PS petrol motor. We’d avoid the diesels, though. Although they offer excellent economy, we don’t think they suit the character of the Beetle Cabriolet.

The 220PS 2.0-litre TSI petrol engine is a firecracker of a motor, capable of propelling the Beetle Cabriolet to a top speed of 143mph, hitting 62mph in just 6.9 seconds. It’s expensive to run, but it’s a whole lot of fun.

We’re also big fans of the 150PS 1.4-litre TSI engine, which combines a supercharger and a turbocharger to deliver a 0-62mph time of 9.1 seconds. However, the 105PS 1.2-litre TSI is arguably all the petrol engine you need. The 0-62mph time is a leisurely 11.7 seconds, but it suits the relaxed nature of the Beetle Cabriolet.

Although a 1.6-litre TDI engine was available at launch, we’d recommend the 2.0-litre TDI for its blend of performance and efficiency. There are two versions: 105PS and 150PS, with the latter hitting 62mph in a respectable 9.3 seconds. The additional torque and mid-range punch gives it the edge over the petrol engines.

The six-speed manual gearbox is perfectly fine, but we’d opt for the seven-speed DSG automatic transmission for its laid-back and relaxed approach. It doesn’t like being hurried, but we don’t think that will be a problem for the majority of Beetle Cabriolet owners. Chill out.

The Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet feels remarkably refined, regardless of whether the roof is open or closed. There’s very little wind noise until you hit motorway speeds, but this helps to drown out the road noise. You have to expect some degree of noise in a convertible, but the Beetle Cabriolet does a great job of keeping unwanted sounds to a minimum.

If you’re not carrying any rear passengers, we’d suggest fitting the wind deflector, which makes things feel very pleasant in the front. Without it, you’ll notice a little wind on the top of your head, so hold on to your hat. The insulated roof maintains the same level of refinement you’d find in the Beetle coupe, plus you get the added benefit of lowering the front and rear windows to create a different experience. It’s like driving a coupe with frameless windows.

For maximum refinement we’d recommend the DSG transmission. The seamless shifts and relaxed nature create a more upmarket feel, even if the transmission can be a little hesitant at low speeds. The diesel engines can be noisy at idle and when pushed hard, but the 1.2- and 1.4-litre petrol engines are quiet around town.

The Beetle Cabriolet wasn’t crash-tested by Euro NCAP, but the Beetle coupe was awarded a five-star rating in 2011. It achieved an impressive set of results, scoring 92% for adult occupant protection, 90% for child occupant protection, 53% for pedestrian safety and 86% for safety assist systems.

All versions of the Beetle Cabriolet are fitted with electronic stability control, a rollover protection system, two Isofix child car seat mounting points in the rear, a tyre pressure monitor and a suite of airbags. There’s also a post-collision braking system, which applies the brakes for as long as possible to minimise the severity of subsequent collisions.

Front and rear parking sensors are optional on all models, as is a so-called ‘side scan’ system. This is a blind-spot monitoring system that works at speeds of 37mph upwards.

Cruise control is standard on some models and optional on others. We’d recommend the xenon headlights with automatic range adjustment and LED daytime running lights. Visually, they add a touch of class, but they’ll be safer if you intend to use your car throughout the winter.

Insurance for the Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet ranges from affordable to reasonably expensive, depending on the model chosen. For example, a car in standard trim slots into insurance groups 15 and 16, so getting cover shouldn’t be too problematic.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, a 2.0-litre TSI in Sport trim gets a group rating of 31, which puts it on a par with some hot hatchbacks. The Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet Dune falls into groups 17 to 23. Predictably, the Beetle Cabriolet is more expensive to insure than the Beetle coupe. The tin-top insurance groups range from 10 to 27.

Buy a Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet registered on or after 1 April 2017 and you’ll pay £150 a year in Vehicle Excise Duty (road tax), regardless of the engine size.

For cars registered on or before 31 March 2017, the rate varies according to the CO2 emissions. Thanks to CO2 emissions of 116g/km, the 110PS 2.0-litre diesel engine is the most tax-efficient. This puts in tax band C, which means an annual payment of £30. Opting for the automatic version of the same engine adds 5g/km to the figure and £95 a year to your tax bill. Other engines range from £30 to £205 a year.

The entry-level Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet rides on 16-inch steel wheels, but comes with manual air conditioning, height-adjustable front seats, a five-inch colour touchscreen, DAB digital radio, CD player, six speakers, a three-spoke multifunction steering wheel and a centre armrest.

Design trim adds door panels, upper dashboard and steering wheel inserts that match the colour of the exterior. You also get 17-inch alloy wheels, body-coloured sill protectors with chrome inserts, front fog lights with cornering function, chrome interior accents, storage compartment in the dashboard, a 6.5-inch colour touchscreen, eight speakers and Bluetooth.

We’d argue that Design trim is all the Beetle Cabriolet you could ever need. However, the Sport trim gives the Beetle a suitably sporty look (Sport was replaced by R-Line in 2016). 

Look out for the rare Beetle Cabriolet Dune. Introduced in 2016, sales of the Dune were hampered by a high price tag, but it comes with a long list of desirable equipment. Highlights include raised ride height, exclusive paint options and unique ‘Turmeric’ fabric seats.