Pros: Lots of torque, safety features, fun to drive, mpgCons: fuel guage doesnt work
Great car! Fun! Gets lots of attention! Comfortable Seats! Great fuel mileage! A blast to drive!
Favorite Features:
I really like everything about this car, the seats are super comfy, it has a decent amount of get up and go! It also has a great stereo system I love the MP3 AUX hook up. Nobody can tell the difference in the leatheret and the real leather seats. They are so comfortable.
Suggested Improvements:
Put the turbo on the 2.5L engine or better yet supercharge it so you dont get the turbo lag and get some more fun colors like some kind of lavender (for my wife). Our previous Beetle was Blue Vortex. The color was was awesome. We hated to get rid of it, but the salsa red caught my wifes eye.
Whats New for the 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle?
Volkswagen waves the upgrade wand at the 2006 New Beetle, adding sharper bodylines, new bumpers, a larger headlight treatment, and new taillights. Inside, theres a new center console and chrome trim on the instrument cluster and air vents. Under the sloped hood resides a more powerful 2.5-liter, five-cylinder engine that creates 150 horsepower, and traction control with Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP) is now standard.
Nuts & Bolts 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
The problem: The New Beetle came to be during a wave of automotive nostalgia that washed ashore other remakes such as the Ford Thunderbird, Plymouth Prowler (a metal-and-rubber paean to the storied drag-strip days of Detroits Woodward Avenue) and the similarly conceived Chrysler PT Cruiser. But nostalgia often goes as quickly as it comes, and once its over, its over. Volkswagens executives likely will reach that conclusion on the New Beetle soon.
Ride, acceleration and handling:
Decent, but not exceptional in any category. It lacks the zoom of a Mazda3, the sassiness and smart handling of a Honda Civic Si, and the homeboy attitude of a Chevrolet Malibu SS. Its just an egg of a car, a motorized curio -- interesting, but not compelling.
Head-turning quotient:
Cute is for babies. It looks odd on adults. The New Beetle has grown old. Time to get over it.
Body style/layout:
The New Beetle is a front-engine, front-wheel-drive hatchback compact coupe. It is also available as a convertible.
Engines/transmissions:
The New Beetle 2.5 comes with a standard 2.5-liter, in-line five-cylinder, 20-valve engine that develops 150 horsepower at 5,000 revolutions per minute and 170 foot-pounds of torque at 3,750 rpm. A five-speed manual transmission is standard. A six-speed automatic that also can be shifted manually is optional. Also available is a New Beetle TDI with a 100-hp, in-line four-cylinder diesel engine.
Capacities:
The New Beetle has seating for four. Maximum cargo capacity is 27 cubic feet. The fuel tank holds 14.5 gallons of recommended regular unleaded gasoline.
Mileage:
I averaged 29 miles per gallon mostly in highway driving.
Safety:
Dual front air bags with head protection, side-mounted air bags, four-wheel disc brakes (ventilated front/solid rear) with antilock protection; traction and stability control.
Price:
Base price is $17,180. Dealers invoice price on base model is $16,107. Price as tested is $21,330, including $3,520 in options (power sunroof, premium sound system, heated leather seats, 17-inch designer wheels) and a $630 destination charge. Dealers price as tested is $19,988. Prices sourced from Volkswagen, http://www.edmunds.com/ and http://www.cars.com/ , an affiliate of The Washington Post.
Full Review
We previously had a 2000 New Beetle with a 2.0L 5sp with 80K miles. We decided we liked the updated looks especially the front and rear lower valences. So we bought a 2006.
The biggest and most notable improvement must be the new 2.5L 5 cyl. What a boost! Now you get the same performance as the 1.8L Turbo power, but with regular fuel. We decided against the previous 1.8L Turbo because of premium fuel costs. Now the standard engine is a regular fuel miser with Excellent performance. I cant get over the power increase and passing power you have in all gears!
The fit and finish of our Coupe was very nice. We did experience 2 defects that the dealership fixed (Mirror & AC Control Knob). Small things make this car BMW like. Small LED map lights in the rearview mirror, heated mirrors, the quality of plastics used, etc.
One disappointment was the removal of the sunglass holder above the driver. They added a sunvisor in its place. The cup holders have been much improved by relocating them to the hand brake area so one can now put a large 20oz bottle in a place.
Steering is responsive and cornering is good thanks to the PKG#2 P225/45HR17 tire & wheel combo.
It has 4 wheel disc brakes and they seem average.
Driving view is decent, but there are a few blind spots. The seating is comfortable, although it could use a lumbar adjustment. The seats manually raise up and down in addition of course to front to back. The steering wheel has tilt and telescoping as well. The instrument cluster is largerly comprised of the Speedometer. I wish the tach was a little larger since I have a manual transmission.
Overall Styling is great, we love the updated looks. This is a very sporty looking and handling car despite its economical history. I still get people asking if the engine is in the back.
As for you options, once you have chosen either the Coupe or Convertible you have basically 3 packages to chose from: Base, Pkg 1, & Pkg 2. Note TDI (Diesel) is only available in the Coupe.
On the Convertible, Pkg 1 gives you a semi-automatic power convertible top, upgraded sound system, heated seats, heated windshield nozzles and wind blocker.
On the Coupe, Pkg 1 gives you a power glass sunroof with 1-touch and tilt/slide functions, upgraded sound system, heated seats and heated windshield nozzles.
On the Convertible, Pkg 2 gives you perforated leather seating surfaces, leather wrapped steering wheel, leather shift knob, 17" x 7" Kakuna design alloy wheels with P225/45HR17 all season tires, fog lights, rain sensing windshield wipers, auto-dimming interior rearview mirror.
On the Coupe, Pkg 2 gives you all of Pkg 1 plus perforated leather seating surfaces, leather wrapped steering wheel, leather shift knob, 17" x 7" Oktopus design alloy wheels with P225/45HR17 all season tires, fog lights, rain sensing windshield wipers, auto-dimming interior rearview mirror.
Aside from the Packages your only options are XM or Sirius Satellite, Trunk Mount CD Changer, & Rubber Mats.
Our 2.5L 5sp Manual is a joy to drive. Lots of power in all gears and even in 5th you have passing power.
The interior hasnt changed much for 2006, the cup holders might be different though. As well as chrome trim rings around the vents.
We weighed the options of a Mini S vs. the New Beetle and for the price we are glad we went with the New Beetle. We saved thousands, use regular fuel, and have far more cargo room.