Used Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet (2003 - 2010) Costs

Review by David Ross on
Last Updated: 24 Sep 2009
3
Four years after the 'new' Beetle was launched, Volkswagen introduced the convertible version - an obvious step for a car that appeals to those after something fun and stylish. Adding open-air enjoyment to the Beetle certainly makes it more enjoyable, but it's let down in key areas.

Latest Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet review

3.5 out of 5

Running costs

The engines in the Beetle Cabriolet range are all fairly economical and even the 2.0-litre will average a useful 32mpg. Volkswagen servicing and parts aren't the cheapest around, but that aside, the Beetle has reasonable running costs with insurance ratings starting at group 6 for the 1.4-litre models. The 1.8T version is group 13.

* based on most recent data

Estimated fuel cost for 10,000 miles per year

Unleaded

£1,201 - £1,561 *

Diesel

£972 - £991 *

The estimated fuel cost figure is a guide to how much this model will cost to fuel each year, so you can compare between cars. It's calculated by using the model's average mpg (calculated from both town centre and motorway driving) and the average fuel price. It's based on the following cost-per-litre: petrol 103p and diesel 109p. Prices are updated daily.

Summary Running Costs

Servicing period

Variable servicing (up to approximately 20,000 miles or two years) or fixed servicing (at every 10,000 miles or 12 months) can be chosen when new. It is possible to change from one to another during the vehicle’s life, but it can only be done when a full inspection service is due.

Warranty

Three years/60,000 miles.

Road tax (12 months)

£165.00 - £330.00

Vehicle excise duty (VED) varies according to the CO2 emissions and the fuel type of the vehicle. For cars registered after March 1st 2001 VED or road tax is based on the car's CO2 emissions. For cars registered before March 1st 2001 it is based on engine size.

Full running costs data

2.5 out of 5

Green credentials

  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D
  • E
  • F
    145
  • G
  • H
  • I
  • J
  • K
    223
  • L
  • M

CO2 emission figure (g/km)

Fuel economy rating

The arrows indicate the best and worst CO2 bands for this model.

Emissions summary

The Beetle Cabriolet performs reasonably on the eco front, but there is no low emissions Bluemotion model and compared to newer engines, the CO2 output of the range looks high. The 1.9 TDI is the greenest model with emissions of 145g/km of CO2 and average economy of 51mpg.

Find the exact engine and CO2