Safe car? Durable?
2 Answers
It's as safe as the other 02's. It's got a pretty good rating. Stay away from the 03-07 Beetles.
Hey Tenspeed...clarify your statement on 03-07 Beetles, please. Actually, I think the Beetle safety rating is above average...VW has done a great job of designing an integrated passenger protection "cage" in conjunction with impact dissipation crumple zones. As far as reliability, as with most vehicles, if you adhere to the scheduled and recommended maintenance, this vehicle is every bit as reliable as an Honda or Toyota. Just don't be lazy or forgetful. I've personally owned a 1998, 2005, 2007 and now a 2012 Beetle. Only the 1998 had reliability issues...mostly electrical. The 2007 was t-boned by a full-sized truck and spun into oncoming traffic and t-boned again...my son was driving...and while he suffered some spine torquing and a concussion, the space-frame protected him from the impact force and no parts of other vehicles invaded the cabin. I've been a life-long VW fan...these Beetles represent the pinnacle of VW's safety engineering.