Used 2012 Volkswagen Beetle Hatchback Consumer Reviews
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Great compromise Car
htree11, 03/20/2012
2012 Volkswagen Beetle 2.5L PZEV 2dr Hatchback (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
34 of 36 people found this review helpful
Had this car 5 days will update later. 105 miles with approximately 5 gals used. I have been using it as a commuter car 20 miles average per day. 1/2 interstate the other Blvd/city driving. There is a driver side window issue. will not come up all the way all the time. It will work afar several attempts. Plan to take it back to the Dealer. Dealer was asked about the problem prior to purchased. However vaguely acknowledged it existed. The only problem...Yes. The 2.5L is a blast to drive good exceleration, large cabin for two, equipment works fine. I have bluetooth (easy to setup), iPod connectivity (works without instructions) and the radio sounds great (no Fender).
Too many issues
Anne, 07/07/2019
2012 Volkswagen Beetle 2.5L 2dr Hatchback (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
19 of 21 people found this review helpful
This is a beautiful car, its zippy, cute, and has a great sound system. Though the cost of keeping the car running will bring tears to your face. I purchased this vehicle about 3 years ago with 50,000 miles on it. At first there were small problems but now with about 80,000 miles on the car I have a new expensive issue every 4 months. Overall, in these three years I have spent over 5,000 dollars to keep the car running from issues with a malfunctioning throttle body, to a breaking AC fan, to even an engine leak. Last time I visited a dealership they told me I have a bad axle boot, which will be about another 350.00-450.00 dollar fix when I just fixed the broken AC fans about a month ago. Please stay away and buy something that won't put you in an uncomfortable situation.
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VW Knew about the Window problems
bink11, 08/14/2012
2012 Volkswagen Beetle 2.5L PZEV 2dr Hatchback w/Sunroof, Sound, Navigation (2.5L 5cyl 5M)
38 of 45 people found this review helpful
VW knew about the window problems, because the Convertible Bug had been plagued with them the entire run of the line. I traded in my 2004 Convertible Beetle for the new one because it seemed like the only way to fix the window problem once and for all. Now, here I am day one and I don't have my new car because it is back at the Dealership being "fixed". I'm lucky apparently because the Dealership I use has a great staff who really do their best to solve problems, but when the problem is the manufacturer... All I can say is avoid VW's. If anyone stops to ask me about the car, it isn't going to go well for the company.
Unbulllllyvable !!!
Labbaga, 07/23/2015
2012 Volkswagen Beetle 2.0T Turbo PZEV 2dr Hatchback w/Sunroof, Sound, Navigation (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
27 of 32 people found this review helpful
Today I was so close to tears with my Red VW Turbo Beetle. I had all the problems stated from the reviews below... from the windows having a mind of their own the moment I got them from the dealership... up to injection fuel pump issues and being stuck only to have the same problem all over again in a week, after it's supposed to have been fixed... and some loose screw coming out of nowhere under the hood... Too many problems, if you ask me, from a supposedly brand new car. CRY !!! It's almost like being bullied by all these issues...by my own car. I head to leave my car in the dealership for a whole month (or more)... and this was with the car being less than 3 years. Also, my car has this odd stink coming from the vent... could it be me ? I dare not admit. Even the media jack inside the glove compartment had issues right from the beginning. This is my second VW Beetle and I am switching to another brand. The only thing that I enjoyed was the Fender sound system...
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Black Turbo Launch
2012beetle, 12/27/2011
2012 Volkswagen Beetle 2.0T Black Turbo Launch Edition PZEV 2dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
50 of 61 people found this review helpful
My 2012 Beetle is a blast to drive. It feels great in the curves and shoots out of them with a force. It very comfortable and the arrangment inside makes since and everything is handy for use. BIG PROBLEM - The drivers door automatic window does not function correctly. From day one it does not close all the way and takes 5-6 attempts to get it to go all the way up. It has been rained in two times already because of this. I took it to the dealer and they say there is no problem and if there is it's because of the window tint. I explained it has had a problem since day one and that there are numerous complaints across the internet regarding the same problem.
"FUN"
jmf80, 06/08/2013
updated 06/21/2023
2012 Volkswagen Beetle 2.0T Turbo PZEV 2dr Hatchback w/Sunroof, Sound, Navigation (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
14 of 16 people found this review helpful
Bought a used Beetle turbo with 1800 miles on it, couldn't believe I got for the price I paid. I have 3 73 Super Beetles and a 68 Beetle, and also had a 98 New Beetle. This 2012 is what it should be 40 years later. Had a Passat and missed the 2.0 Turbo and the way the seats fit me. This beetle is the same could drive for hours without fatigue. The gas miles are 32 to 34 MPG highway so far with just about 3400 miles. The Nav, Roof, push button start, leather, and Fender Stereo are awesome. The lighting at night is too cool. The kind of car you drive around the block just one more time before you want to park it. Led Zeppelin on the fender is well words can't explain it. UPDATE: I have a review from 10 years ago on this Beetle, I had 1800 miles when I purchased it. It now has 171000 in ten years, we have been through a lot haha. I did not have to replace brakes and rotors until 139,000 miles. Replaced Turbo around 150,000 miles, fuel injectors 160,000 miles. She still looks new body and interior. Fender stereo still kicking loud and Nav still gets me there. This car doesn't owe me anything still Love it!!
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Loaded Beetle w sun sound nav
chowchow, 07/17/2012
2012 Volkswagen Beetle 2.0T Turbo 2dr Hatchback w/Sunroof, Sound, Navigation (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
Like the first generation CCs- this car was not designed to resemble a bar of soap and so the design immediately captured my interest and that of wife and well the interior was as nice as our CC and it had a hatch like our old SAAB and a turbo as well so out went the SAAB 2.0 4 cylinder turbo and in went the premium feeling VW Beetle - some would say 28K for the care was a lot loaded - but my 1999 SAAB 9-3 was 27K and was argubaly a much less refined ride with an interior and sound system that did not compare. The Fender sound system in the Beetle really rocks - wish I had it the 2012 R Line CC. The seats in the Beetle are very upright like chairs and very comfortable like those in SAABs.
"German Engineering" If thats the case, i want American Engineering back
texasbulldog, 07/14/2012
2012 Volkswagen Beetle 2.0T Turbo 2dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
10 of 13 people found this review helpful
Had it 3 weeks now. 4 miles after we "owned it" the windows failed and they don't go back up. They want over $400 for an Armrest. It only comes with the Moon-roof/"Leatherette" (vinyl) option. It Rattles and has HORRIBLE turbo lag and to top it off, real life mileage isn't that good. I wish we didn't buy it but my wife fell in love with the style. VW's solution right now for the window is to either not roll it down to tape it up because they don't have a fix for it. The Boost Gauge doesn't read like a traditional gauge and basically lying to the driver. The Electronic Steering really fights you if you turn sharp and the brakes are really mushy. German Engineering made in Mexico.
Love This Car - Hate The Damn Windows
nola58, 06/16/2012
2012 Volkswagen Beetle 2dr Hatchback (2.5L 5cyl 5M)
17 of 24 people found this review helpful
I am a three time bug owner starting with a type 1 "66. The VW bug has been well built (generally) and I have liked the philosophy of the design through the decades. They were originally built for function and became iconic and fun in simplicity.
7 months and window still not fixed
anubis2012, 07/19/2012
2012 Volkswagen Beetle 2.5L 2dr Hatchback (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
9 of 12 people found this review helpful
I bought myself a new 2012 VW Beetle for Christmas on Christmas Eve 2011. Since day one the driver window will not function properly and close. Most times it starts up the reverses and goes back down even when you hold the button in the up position. 7 months later even today I was told VW is researching the problem with no fix yet. I just took a 2+ week trip to remote areas of CA, UT and NV. It was very annoying not to have functioning windows.
GREAT!
buggin, 05/27/2012
2012 Volkswagen Beetle 2.5L 2dr Hatchback w/Sunroof, Sound, Navigation (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
5 of 6 people found this review helpful
Very nice VW, handles well, plenty of room, plenty of horses, decent fuel, Fender stereo.....like no other, panoramic moonroof lets the sun in and no heat, very comfy for my 1:45 commute. Tons of trunk space. We have had Audi, Volvo, etc, this is our favorite.
Just junk.
Rachel Tolar-Nixon, 03/26/2015
2012 Volkswagen Beetle 2.5L 2dr Hatchback (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
12 of 17 people found this review helpful
This car has had many problems. Windows have mind of there own.You want them up the car wants them down. Had to go back to dealer many times to get if fixed. The a/c does not blow cool just cool. Dealer never fixed call VW and of course no help there. Guess VW just can't build a car with good a/c. Speakers and the tray in the hatch had to be replaced after they fell apart. The foam in the seats has been falling out since the car was new. We told them under warranty but of course you guessed it never replaced and again no help from the manufacturer. If you take the back seat out you can see where the floor of the car has burned the foam in the back seat. The car now needs a fuel pump at 800
Exploding Glass!!
jeffjj7, 08/10/2012
2012 Volkswagen Beetle 2.5L 2dr Hatchback w/Sunroof (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
10 of 14 people found this review helpful
We've had our new VW Bug for about 8 weeks. Made one payment on it. Wish we knew about the window issue prior to purchase! 2 weeks ago traveling at 50mph the driver side window literally EXPLODED... yes I said exploded... sounded like a collision. Called the police as I thought someone may have thrown something that hit the window. Not so. Took to dealer where they prepared to fix the prob only to find that they called people in from Detroit Corperate to have a look see... the next day! Picture and all in hand the fix procedure was on only to find out the glass was backordered. Couple this with rude no-customer service and no reselution my next stop is the AG in the great stae of GA.
Not even paid off and spending $$ to keep it going
M Prim, 02/16/2016
updated 02/17/2017
2012 Volkswagen Beetle 2.0T Turbo 2dr Hatchback w/Sunroof, Sound, Navigation (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
8 of 11 people found this review helpful
We dealt with the window recall issue when first buying it, took a few months for them to get that fixed. In the past month we've spent close to 4k, coolant system, gasket leak in engine and today it's the water pump that is out and left hubby stranded after work. Yes, he LOVED it at first but a car with 80k miles should not be falling apart like it is. Sooo very disappointed in VW and we will never ever buy another one. Other issues, paint peeling above the door, latch on hatchback has been repair a few times by the dealership and it still doesn't function properly all of the time. Have to agree with some of the other reviews, the Fender sound system is the best part of the car but then again it wasn't actually made by VW so perhaps that why it works so well. 2017 update: Just paid it off and had to sink another 1200.00 into it. Not reliable and it's never a 200 fix. Always runs close to 1k. Pretty sad as my husband loves it...when it runs.
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DON'T BUY THIS CAR!
M.Wise, 12/10/2015
2012 Volkswagen Beetle 2.0T Turbo 2dr Hatchback w/Sunroof, Sound, Navigation (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
11 of 16 people found this review helpful
While up until a few days ago I would have said I loved my car, that has completely changed. I have been plagued with issues with misfires for 2 years. First an ignition coil, then another ignition coil, then a fouled spark plug (they have just been replaced with the 1st ignition coil), followed by a purge valve. Now the engine that has been properly maintained per manufacturers recommendations has suffered a catastrophic failure at just over 100k miles. $5k-$7k to replace the engine and possibly the turbo. No assistance for VW whatsoever. This was my 1st VW, and will be the last. Stay away from VW, they obviously don't build a reliable car!!
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I Like the Car, Just Did not Like the Experience I had with the Dealership and VW Customer Care
nola17, 07/16/2012
2012 Volkswagen Beetle 2.0T Turbo 2dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
4 of 5 people found this review helpful
Purchsd vehcl in Feb & it has ben @ the dlrship 1/2 the time I have owned it. After signing the papers, noticed vehcl had 2 dents on door that had to be repaired. After getting it back, had prblm w/the defective window. Had to bring back 3X for this problm. Was tld vehcl wasn't on recall, but continuously had window prblms. Noticed also that the paint was peeling around the bumpers. Dlrshp told me car paint was wrapped, but sent vehcl to their body shop 2 paint ??? Car has ben back 3X for correction. There now. Have been fighting with VW Customer Care and Dealership just for some type of reimbursement for all of the headache and possible diminish of trade-in valve.
Great so far, but for the windows
charmcity22, 07/25/2012
2012 Volkswagen Beetle 2dr Hatchback (2.5L 5cyl 5M)
5 of 7 people found this review helpful
Just bought the 2012 Beetle on Saturday. Got a good price, and loved the style and feel of the car over the Golf I was originally thinking about getting. Like most of the others, I have the window issue where it is a pain to get them back up. At first I thought it was some kind of special feature I couldn't figure out, but after poking around a bit it seems I'm in good company. Hopefully, with enough pressure they will speed up a fix.
Don't buy one.
bob491, 06/10/2012
2012 Volkswagen Beetle 2.0T Turbo 2dr Hatchback w/Sunroof, Sound, Navigation (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
10 of 17 people found this review helpful
Purchased a new 2012 Turbo Beetle 3 months ago. Although the car is a blast to drive, I have been experiencing problems with the drivers and passenger windows. They go down fine but stop and go when you close them. The car has been in three times so far for the same repair and I am doubtful that VW will ever be able to correct the problem. Since the dealership has been working on the problem, I now have wind noise and other issues with the windows that I did not have before. My intent is to force them to take the car back since the car and many others like it share the same problem.
Bug
Alfredo, 05/27/2022
2012 Volkswagen Beetle 2.5L 2dr Hatchback (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
The base beetle with five cylinder Steel timing belts. Non turbo is a great car. It’s got a 5 rating from the warranty companies which means they won’t have to spend a fortune fixing it.
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Great car!
GDB, 09/25/2022
updated 09/27/2023
2012 Volkswagen Beetle 2.5L 2dr Hatchback (2.5L 5cyl 5M)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
*update since Edmunds asked* Still an amazing car, they are stupid easy to work on if needed. I loved the fist one I owned. I'll be honest it can take a beating, mine went everywhere. I took it off road, red lined it daily, jumped the car a few times and it stuck with it. Heck I drove 40,000 miles in one year with basic maintenance. Only issue I ever had was the transmission/motor mounts, they're aluminum if I'm not mistaken and the bolts will strip out with hard use. Upside is they are stupid easy to replace your self. Hands down the best car I've owned to date and I am buying another.
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Power Windows need Prozac!!
vetteviper, 07/25/2012
2012 Volkswagen Beetle 2.0T Turbo PZEV 2dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
4 of 6 people found this review helpful
We have had the car 1 week and noticed the windows have a mind of their own in terms of rolling up. It stops halfway up and then lowers to where you see about an inch of the glass and after several attempts, we get it back up. At one time it was all the way down and would do nothing when we pulled up on switch, just sat there. Both windows behave this way. I will be calling my dealership in the morning but almost afraid of what they tell me after reading about all the problems with out any solutions that worked.
Bug Lover!
Kat, 11/16/2017
2012 Volkswagen Beetle 2.0T Turbo PZEV 2dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
4 of 6 people found this review helpful
Had a 74 Beetle and drove it for 10 years with no air conditioning. Recently purchased a used, 1 owner, 2012 Turbo, 4 Cylinder Beetle and I cannot believe how well this car handles the road. It has everything I’ve ever wanted in a Beetle. Very, very happy customer I am.
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Nearly in tears
Mr Prim, 02/16/2016
2012 Volkswagen Beetle 2.0T Turbo 2dr Hatchback w/Sunroof, Sound (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
8 of 16 people found this review helpful
M Prim, my wife. She's more upset than I am at this point. I'm just becoming more and more disappointed with VW with each passing day. My 25yr love affair with them is dwindling. Yes, the windows when it was new, was something I lived with. I truly loved the car. Besides who rolls down windows in Houston, TX during the summer? The Beetle has been awesome fun to drive and I even cherished washing her. At the 80k maintenance, i had to have a valve cover gasket and another gasket replaced because she was leaking oil. Ok, another $750 to the already expensive 80k. 2 weeks later and I'm having to get the water pump replaced for another $1000. I know tires are part of owning a car but I just, 2 days ago, dropped $800 on new rubber. I'm trying to keep a cool head and not just sell it. I really wanted to get 300,000 miles out of this car.
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Beetle-bug all grown up!
2012VW_Beetle, 10/04/2022
2012 Volkswagen Beetle 2.0T Turbo 2dr Hatchback w/Sound, Nav (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Firstly, the styling update from the "New Beetle" is great - the shape is a stylistic ode to the original Beetle and the mechanical/technological updates make this a future classic. The interior is excellent. The seats aren't as supportive as in the GTI but they are comfortable on both long and short trips. The driving position is good. The 2.0L Turbo combined with the DSG is a nice combination. There is ample storage space in the hatch and the seats lay almost flat - several large storage tubs do fit! The only downside to the stock version is weight, but the handling issues caused by the excess plumpness can be easily wrangled with the addition of a heavier sway bar @ the rear and/or some lowering springs. All in all a fun car to drive and own!
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snug bug
Kerrie Juhl, 04/20/2022
2012 Volkswagen Beetle 2.5L 2dr Hatchback (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
0 of 2 people found this review helpful
It is so fun to drive