Classic 2dr Convertible (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
SE 2dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
SE 2dr Convertible (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
S 2dr Convertible (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
S 2dr Convertible (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
Classic 2dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl 6A)
SE 2dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
Coast 2dr Convertible (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
Classic 2dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl 6A)
Dune 2dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
S 2dr Convertible (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
S 2dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
2.0T Dune Hatchback FWD
S 2dr Convertible (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
Don’t want to go far?
Find all cars near me?SE 2dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
2.0T Dune Hatchback FWD
S 2dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
Dune 2dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
Classic 2dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
S 2dr Convertible (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
Classic 2dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
Dune 2dr Convertible (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
Dune 2dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
S 2dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
Overall Rating
The 2017 Volkswagen Beetle Hatchback is a retro-themed compact car that justifies its decent value with a fair amount of technology and has a sporty feel to it.
The 2017 Volkswagen Beetle Hatchback is a retro-themed compact car that justifies its decent value with a fair amount of technology and has a sporty feel to it. Beginning at the base price of $19995 the new Volkswagen Beetle features one of the most distinctive designs you'll see on the road and it drives as well as it looks. It can handle mild off-road conditions and comes along with the latest technological inclusions like a touch screen navigation system and blind-spot monitoring.
We recommend the 1.8T SE trim level of the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle Hatchback as it is the perfect balance between the base S models and the high-level SEL models. It features all the necessary niceties that you can expect from a Beetle. This trim gets all the necessary features and a good infotainment unit.
Classic 2dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl 6A)
SE 2dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
S 2dr Convertible (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
SE 2dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
Wolfsburg Edition 2dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
Classic 2dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
The 2017 Volkswagen Beetle Hatchback is a retro-themed compact car that justifies its decent value with a fair amount of technology and has a sporty feel to it.
The 2017 Volkswagen Beetle Hatchback is a retro-themed compact car that justifies its decent value with a fair amount of technology and has a sporty feel to it. Beginning at the base price of $19995 the new Volkswagen Beetle features one of the most distinctive designs you'll see on the road and it drives as well as it looks. It can handle mild off-road conditions and comes along with the latest technological inclusions like a touch screen navigation system and blind-spot monitoring.
All the trims of the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle Hatchback except for the R-Line SEL feature that 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. As for the R-Line SEL, it comes with a 2-liter turbocharged engine. The 6-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive are standard for all the trim levels. The Beetle for 2017 is available in 7 trims and one among them is a color-exclusive trim i.e the Pink Beetle trim. The other trim lines of the Beetle are 1.8s, 1.8t Classic, 1.8 SE, 1.8T Dune, 1.8T SEL, and R-Line SEL.
Trim |
1.8s |
1.8T Classic |
1.8SE |
1.8T Dune |
1.8T SEL |
R-Line SEL |
Pink Beetle |
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MSRP |
$19,995 |
$20,475 |
$22,450 |
$23,995 |
$25,975 |
$32,550 |
$21,890 |
Key Features |
Standard feature highlights for the base 1.8T S trim include |
1.8T Classic adds |
Automatic headlights and auto-dimming mirror along with keyless entry and ignition |
1.8T Dune model is also similar to the 1.8 SE trim but adds : |
It has 18-inch wheels |
2.0T R-Line SEL starts with the 1.8T SEL's features: adds |
Pink Beetle is appointed similarly to |
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16-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights |
17-inch wheels |
Imitation-leather upholstery and color-adjustable ambient interior lighting |
Unique exterior styling elements |
A sunroof |
20-inch wheels with summer performance tires |
the 1.8 SE and is only available in a metallic fuchsia exterior color. Other additions include |
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Heated mirrors |
Cloth-and-imitation leather upholstery |
The SE does not include the navigation system, but the given infotainment system is robust |
LED taillights, a slightly raised suspension |
Rear parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert |
Sport-tuned suspension, xenon headlights, fog lights with cornering lights |
xenon headlights |
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Cruise control, air conditioning |
Lumbar adjustments for the front seats, heated front seats |
Smartphone app integration systems, you're unlikely to miss it. |
Cloth/leatherette upholstered sports seats. |
Dual-zone automatic climate control, the navigation system, and a Fender premium audio system. |
A sunroof, unique exterior, and interior styling treatments |
LED running lights and taillights and unique plaid upholstery. |
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Cloth upholstery, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel |
Car-Net Smartphone integration, a 6.3-inch touchscreen, a navigation system, and satellite and HD radio |
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Shift paddles mounted to the steering wheel and leather upholstery. |
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50/50-split folding rear seats |
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Rearview camera, an auto-dimming rearview mirror |
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5-inch touchscreen |
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Bluetooth phone and streaming audio, and an eight-speaker CD player with auxiliary and USB input. |
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We recommend
We recommend the 1.8T SE trim level of the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle Hatchback as it is the perfect balance between the base S models and the high-level SEL models. It features all the necessary niceties that you can expect from a Beetle. This trim gets all the necessary features and a good infotainment unit.
The base 1.8-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine of the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle Hatchback generates a horsepower of 170 and a torque of 184 pound-feet. It couples well with the 6-speed automatic transmission and delivers a smooth and solid performance.
Going up to the 2-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine, it gets a horsepower bump which makes it 210. It gives the necessary boost in power to the Volkswagen hatchback but it isn't as fast as it should have been. The 6-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission tagged along with it shifts quickly without any blank misfiring.
Models |
Volkswagen Beetle 1.8Ts |
Fiat 500 Abarth |
Ford Fiesta Hatch ST |
Honda Fit LX |
---|---|---|---|---|
MSRP |
$19,995 |
$19,995 |
$21,140 |
$16,090 |
Engine |
1.8L I-4 |
1.4L I-4 |
1.6L I-4 |
1.5L I-4 |
Transmission |
6-speed automatic |
5-speed manual |
6-speed manual |
6-speed manual |
Horsepower |
170 hp @ 4,800 rpm |
160 hp @ 5,500 rpm |
197 hp @ 6,000 rpm |
130 hp @ 6,600 rpm |
Torque |
184 lb-ft @ 1,500 rpm |
170 lb-ft @ 2,500 rpm |
202 lb-ft @ 4,200 rpm |
114 lb-ft @ 4,600 rpm |
The costliest Ford Fiesta Hatch ST is home to the most powerful engine among the four with the highest horsepower of 197 at 6000 rpm and torque of 202 pound-feet at 4200 rpm. The 2017 Volkswagen Beetle Hatchback follows right up with its 170 horsepower at 4800 and 184 pound-feet torque producing engine.
Although the Fiat 500 Abarth shares an equal price with the Volkswagen, it suffers a light dump in its engine output with a horsepower of 160 at 5500 rpm and torque of 170 pound-feet. Last but not the least, the Honda Fit LX lacks significantly in engine performance as its engine has the least horsepower of 130 at 6600 rpm and the lowest torque output of 114 pound-feet at 4600 rpm.
The engine of the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle Hatchback has some real-world power to it and the acceleration is quite impressive, whether you start pressing the throttle after a halt or you want to overtake someone on the freeway. It's quite responsive and you don't have to floor the pedal to churn out the best acceleration from it. Leaving behind all its rivals by quite some margin is the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle Hatchback within an amazing initial acceleration of 0 to 60 mph in just 6.4 seconds and crosses the quarter-mile mark in 15.7 seconds.
Models |
Volkswagen Beetle 1.8Ts |
Fiat 500 Abarth |
Ford Fiesta Hatch ST |
Honda Fit LX |
---|---|---|---|---|
0-60 MPH |
6.4 sec |
7.0 sec |
9.7 sec |
9.1 sec |
Quarter mile |
15.7 sec |
15.7 sec |
17.2 sec |
16.8 sec |
Engine |
1.8L |
1.4L |
1.6L |
1.5L |
Falling behind the Beetle by a few milliseconds is the Fiat 500 Abarth which reaches the 60 mph mark from the halt in 7 seconds. Quite surprisingly, the Ford Fiesta has the worst acceleration of 0 to 60 mph in 9.7 seconds despite housing the most powerful engine among them all. The Honda Fit LX with the least powerful engine even manages to outperform it with better timing of 9.1 seconds.
Over the quarter-mile, things do get shaken up a little as the Fiat recovers from its initial slow start and joins the Beetle Hatchback by covering the distance with an equal timing of 15.7 seconds. The Ford Fiesta still fails to compensate and crosses the quarter-mile mark in 17.2 seconds and is again outperformed by the Honda Fit which covers the quarter-mile in 16.8 seconds.
The raised suspension of the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle Hatchback does have a nice feel to it but it does suffer from significant amounts of body rolls during tight corners. It makes it concerning for the driver to handle the Beetle on twisty roads. As for the steering, it feels a bit heavy which lets you control the Beetle more effectively at high speeds on highways but it stiffens up and is quite unnatural to maneuver at lower speeds.
The lack of initial braking force in the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle Hatchback makes it difficult to bring the car to a halt smoothly. The pedals require more effort than expected to work properly. The panic stopping power is impressive though. The Beetle is equipped with 11.3-inch brake rotors in the front and 10.7-inch ones in the rear. The Beetle stops at 120 ft. from 60mph.
Model |
Volkswagen Beetle 1.8 Ts |
Fiat 500 Abarth |
Ford Fiesta Hatch ST |
Honda Fit LX |
---|---|---|---|---|
Brake Front (in.) |
11.3 |
11.1 |
10.9 |
10.3 |
Brake Rear (in.) |
10.7 |
9.4 |
10 |
7.9 |
Curb Weight (lbs.) |
3,012 |
2,512 |
2,720 |
2,522 |
60-0 MPH (ft.) |
120 |
126 |
129 |
130 |
Dominating the best figures once more is the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle Hatchback which brings the car to a halt the fastest from 60 mph at a distance of 120 feet. The Fiat is the next one to stop the vehicle at 126 feet and just after it is the Ford Fiesta with a distance of 129 feet. The Honda Fit falls short by just a foot than the Ford and brings the car to a halt at 130 feet.
Because of the powerful performance generated by the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle Hatchback, its fuel economy ratings are decent within itself but not as impressive as you would have thought when it's compared to its rivals. The Beetle provides a fuel economy of 24 mg in the city, 33 on the highway, and a combined efficiency of 28mpg. It gets a fuel capacity of 14.5 gallons and delivers a combined range of 406 miles.
Model |
Volkswagen Beetle 1.8Ts |
Fiat 500 Abarth |
Ford Fiesta Hatch ST |
Honda Fit LX |
---|---|---|---|---|
MPG (city) |
24 |
28 |
26 |
29 |
MPG (highway) |
33 |
33 |
33 |
36 |
MPG (combined) |
28 |
30 |
29 |
32 |
Fuel Capacity (gallons) |
14.5 |
10.5 |
12.4 |
10.6 |
Range (City/Highway/Combined) |
348/478/406 |
294/346/315 |
322/409/359 |
307/381/339 |
The least powerful Honda Fit benefits in this aspect a lot with the best fuel efficiency of 29 mpg in cities, 36 mpg on highways, and 32 mpg as combined. The 2017 Volkswagen Beetle Hatchback, the Fiat, and the Ford Fiesta share an equal of 33 mpg on the highways while they differ in the other parameters. The Fiat has a better economy of 28 mpg in cities and 30 mpg combined followed by the Ford Fiesta with 26 mpg in cities and 29 mpg as combined. Last but not the least; the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle Hatchback has the lowest of 24 mpg in cities and 28 mpg as combined.
The front seat bottom of the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle Hatchback isn't long enough and tall drivers may feel the lack of enough thigh support. Other than that, the seats feel comfortable and very supportive and the use of good cloth quality improves the cushioning.
The Beetle offers the best-in-class shoulder room of 55.3 inches in the front row. The interior is filled with features such as a 6-way manually adjustable driver and passenger seat with multi-level heating, interior air filtration, and a tilt and telescopic electric power steering with audio controls.
Model |
Volkswagen Beetle 1.8Ts |
Fiat 500 Abarth |
Ford Fiesta Hatch ST |
Honda Fit LX |
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Passenger capacity |
4 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
Front (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.) |
39.4/55.3/41.3 |
38.9/49.4/40.7 |
39.1/52.7/42.2 |
39.5/54.8/41.4 |
Second (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.) |
37.1/49/31.4 |
35.5/46.4/31.4 |
37.2/49/31.2 |
37.5/52.6/39.3 |
While the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle Hatchback and the Fiat 500 Abarth have a capacity of four passengers, the Ford Fiesta and the Honda Fit have a capacity of 5 passengers. In terms of front passenger roominess, the Honda Fit has the most headroom while the Ford Fiesta has the most legroom.
However, Fiat lacks behind with the least headroom and legroom as well. Coming to the rear passengers, the Honda Fit again manages to impress with generous headroom as well as the most legroom while the Fiat lacks in the headroom and the Ford lacks in the legroom. Some of the interior features in the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle are:
The infotainment system of the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle Hatchback might not be the best in the business but it's very easy to use. The 6.3-inch touch screen display has a sharp screen resolution and inhibits a mix of digital and physical controls. The audio system consists of 8 speakers along with USB connectivity, satellite connectivity, FM radio. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto Integration is also a standard feature.
The 2017 Volkswagen Beetle Hatchback houses a decent cargo space that can accommodate most of your large luggage and with the 50/50 split-folding rear seatback, the cargo volume increases significantly. The Beetle has a boot capacity of 15.4 cu-ft with all seats upright and 29.9 cu-ft with the third row down.
Model |
Volkswagen Beetle 1.8Ts |
Fiat 500 Abarth |
Ford Fiesta Hatch ST |
Honda Fit |
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Behind 2nd row (ft. cube) |
15.4 |
9.5 |
10.1 |
16.6 |
Behind 1st row (ft. cube) |
29.9 |
26.8 |
25.4 |
52.7 |
With the rear seats unfolded, the Honda has the largest cargo volume of 16.6 cubic feet while the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle Hatchback comes second with 15.4 cubic feet. The Fiat due to its congested interiors falls behind in cargo volume as well and has the least space of 9.5 cubic feet.
When the rear seatbacks are folded, the Honda fit impressively maintains the lead with a whopping volume of 52.7 cubic feet. The 2017 Volkswagen Beetle Hatchback maintains the second position with 29.9 cubic feet while the Ford Fiesta is the one with the least space of 25.4 cubic feet.
The dimensions of the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle Hatchback are quite an unconventional corresponding to its exclusive body design. The Beetle weighs 3012 lbs and has a length of 168.4 inches and a width of 71.2 inches.
The Beetle has a ground clearance of 5.7 inches.
Model |
Volkswagen Beetle 1.8Ts |
Fiat 500 Abarth |
Ford Fiesta Hatch ST |
Honda Fit LX |
---|---|---|---|---|
Curb weight (lbs.) |
3,012 |
2,512 |
2,720 |
2,522 |
Length(in) |
168.4 |
144.4 |
160.1 |
161.4 |
Width(in) |
71.2 |
64.1 |
67.8 |
67.0 |
Height(in) |
58.5 |
58.7 |
57.2 |
59.4 |
Ground clearance (in) |
5.7 |
4.1 |
6.1 |
4.4 |
Wheelbase (in) |
100.0 |
90.6 |
98.0 |
99.6 |
Track width (in) F/R |
62.2/60.9 |
55.4/55 |
57.7/57 |
58.3/58.0 |
The 2017 Volkswagen Beetle Hatchback is the heaviest, the longest, and the widest and has the largest wheelbase and track width. While the Fiat Abarth has the least weight, length, weight, ground clearance, and track width. The Ford Fiesta is short in height but has the most ground clearance and lastly, the Honda Fit is the tallest among the four. Some of the key exterior features in the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle are:
The new Volkswagen Beetle has been given a ‘Good’ rating by IIHS in almost all categories. It comes with the necessary amounts of safety features such as Driver and front passenger front airbag supplemental restraint system, Driver and front passenger combined head/thorax side airbag, 3-point safety belts for all 4 seating positions.
Other more advanced safety features include Electronic Stability Control, Electronic Differential Lock, Engine Brake Assist, Anti-lock Braking System, Electronic Brake-pressure Distribution, Intelligent Crash Response System, and Automatic Post-Collision Braking System.
The tiny yet powerful Fiat 500 Abarth derives its power from the 160 horsepower turbocharged inline-4 engine. The 5-speed manual transmission is standard and you get an optional 6-speed automatic transmission as well. The impressive suspension contributes to fine handling capabilities along with its fierce styling.
When compared to the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle Hatchback, the Fiat has a slightly less powerful engine, almost similar acceleration, slightly poor braking, and lacks significantly in cargo volume. It does have a better fuel economy and hence it sums up to be quite a competition for Volkswagen.
The sport-tuned suspension and mighty turbocharged 1.6-liter inline-four engine of the Ford Fiesta Hatch ST make it a spicy and fierce car. The torque vectoring system is brake-based and has terrific control around corners. The infotainment system has a 6.5-inch touch screen with optional navigation operations.
Up against the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle Hatchback, it has a much powerful engine but has a slower acceleration, the braking isn't up to the mark as well and so is the cargo space. It has very impressive fuel economy rates than the Volkswagen and has an increased capacity of 5 passengers, and thus, it still is in the race with the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle Hatchback.
Tagged along with a decent price, amazing interior designs, and an efficient powertrain, the Honda Fit does manage to catch the eye. You get two options for transmission to go with the 1.5-liter inline-4 engine - a standard 6-speed manual transmission and a continuously variable transmission system. Features like adaptive cruise control, automated emergency braking, and lane-keeping assist are optional with the Honda Fit.
The 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system of the Honda is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. In comparison with the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle Hatchback, we see that the Honda has a significantly less powerful engine and acceleration output and the braking suffers drastically. The only aspects that keep it in the game are the more efficient fuel economy, massive cargo space, and an increased capacity of 5 passengers, thus keeping its hopes alive to compete with the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle Hatchback.
Representing an epitome of performance and practicality, the unorthodox 2017 Volkswagen Beetle Hatchback is a complete package of style and speed. By coming above its bitter rivals in some of the vital aspects, the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle has earned its place in our hearts and it's definitely a go from us. Getting so much at such a greater and affordable price is a win-win situation for all.