2001 Volkswagen Beetle Review
Still cute after all these years.
2001 Beetle Review Summary & Specifications
Volkswagen's New Beetle 1.8T is fun to drive. Its mild manners make for a joyful ride around town. And, of course, its unique styling makes a statement. Driving enthusiasts should find the New Beetle a fun alternative to sport coupes and small sports sedans.The standard New Beetle, meanwhile, offers a trendy, reliable fun machine that retails for less than $16,000. We'll leave choosing the color up to you, but we like green, blue and yellow Beetles.
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| Vehicle Category | Compact Cars |
| Editor | Mitch McCullough, Editor-in-Chief |
| Model Lineup | GL ($15,900); GLS 2.0L ($16,850); GLS TDI ($17,900); GLS 1.8T ($19,000); GLX ($21,175) |
| Engines (standard) | 1.8-liter inline 4-cylinder |
| Engines (optional) | 115-hp 2.0-liter dohc inline 4-cylinder; 150-hp 1.8-liter dohc 20v turbocharged inline-4 (1.8T); 90-horsepower 1.9-liter, inline-4 turbocharged diesel (TDI) |
| Transmissions (standard) | 5-speed manual |
| Transmissions (optional) | 5-speed manual; 4-speed automatic |
| Safety Equipment (standard) | dual front and side airbags, ABS |
| Safety Equipment (optional) | |
| Basic Warranty | 2 years/24,000 miles |
| Assembled In | Puebla, Mexico |
| Manufacturer Phone | 1-800-DRIVE-VW |
| Manufacturer URL | www.vw.com |
| Base Price MSRP | 15900 |
| Model Tested MSRP | GLS Turbo (1.8T) ($19,000) |
| Standard Equipment | ABS, traction control, electronic differential lock, air conditioning, AM/FM/cassette stereo with six speakers, power windows, power mirrors, power door locks with keyless remote control, cruise control, tilt and telescopic adjustable steering column, anti-theft alarm system, rear window defroster, pollen/odor filter, bud vase, plastic daisy |
| Destination Charge | 550 |
| Options as Tested (MSRP) | Luxury Package ($1082) includes 16-inch alloy wheels, tilt/slide power sunroof; Leather Package ($900) includes leather seating surfaces, leather-wrapped steering wheel, shift knob and handbrake lever, heated front seats, heated windshield washer nozzles |
| Gas Guzzler Tax | |
| Price as Tested | 20685 |
| Layout | front-wheel drive |
| Horse Power | 150 @ 5800 |
| Torque | 162 @ 2200-4200 |
| Fuel Economy | 24/31 |
| Wheelbase | 98.7 |
| Length/Width/Height | 161.1/67.9/59.5 |
| Track Front/Rear | 59.1/58.5 |
| Turning Radius | 32.8 |
| Seating Capacity | 4 |
| Front Head/Hip/Leg room | 41.3/NA/39.4 |
| Middle Head/Hip/Leg room | |
| Rear Head/Hip/Leg room | 36.7/NA/33.5 |
| Trunk Volume | 12.0 |
| Payload | |
| Towing Capacity | |
| Front Suspension | Independent |
| Rear Suspension | Independent |
| Ground Clearance | 12.0 |
| Curb Weight | 2948 |
| Stock Tires | P205/55HR16 |
| Brakes Front/Rear | disc/ disc with ABS |
| Fuel Capacity | 14.5 |
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