Volkswagen continued to expand its line of Beetles in 2003 with the addition of the Cabriolet (i.e. convertible), which was available in two trim packages, the GL and the GLX 1.8T Turbo. And perhaps that typifies the most significant development for 2003 -- the fact that the Beetle was available in no less the 12 trim packages, offering something for just about every driver.
The other significant trend was the fact that a number of features that were available as options in previous years were now standard equipment on a wide range of trim packages. Power windows, for instance, were now standard across the line, as were power door locks, front and side airbags, power heated mirrors, a lighted entry system, cruise control, anti-lock brakes, and an anti-theft alarm system.
With so much to choose from, including a wide range of options, it's no wonder that Beetle owners were very enthusiastic about their cars, for the most part. The car's styling, handling, and fuel economy were considered positive features, while drivers had some problems with the limited space in the trunk and rear seat, and the comfort level on long trips. Despite those issue, the Beetle continued to be extremely popular.
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Excellent shape, excellent driver lots of upgrades 46-50 mpg. Moving up to automatic shift for wife. $6500 is great price for this rare ride. May 20, 2024
by Anonymous
Jan 14, 2024
Love love love the 1.9 L TDI! The beetle is just the perfect car for running around in! Roomy, extremely economical, cute too! Jan 14, 2024
by Walter J
Feb 22, 2023
I love the volkswagon beetle one of my all time favorite carsFeb 22, 2023
User rating:
by Anonymous
May 20, 2024
Excellent shape, excellent driver lots of upgrades 46-50 mpg. Moving up to automatic shift for wife. $6500 is great price for this rare ride. May 20, 2024
by Anonymous
Jan 14, 2024
Love love love the 1.9 L TDI! The beetle is just the perfect car for running around in! Roomy, extremely economical, cute too! Jan 14, 2024
by Walter J
Feb 22, 2023
I love the volkswagon beetle one of my all time favorite carsFeb 22, 2023
by Tim B
Oct 11, 2022
Brings back great memories however would be better red with tan interiorOct 11, 2022
by Anonymous
Sep 19, 2022
Love my new bug,,,Kovacs is the best,!!!! So nice and really are honest and take good care og you❤️Sep 19, 2022
by Cheri D
Dec 06, 2020
Its Sleek its sexy what is not to 2003 is gorgeousDec 06, 2020
by Chris G
Dec 18, 2014
Great power and economy from 90 horses. Cheap to operate and maintain. Road noise and sagging doors from design misfire were only complaints..and two doors are no good for 5 person family..not a problem if you are a family of circus clowns.Dec 18, 2014
by Aryana S
Sep 19, 2014
I loved this car in the summer and on warm days also for those nights you just want to look up at the stars! I would love to keep the car but one of the down falls to beetles is that they only have four seats and aren't suitable for big families! Either than that loved this car!Sep 19, 2014
by Russell B
Sep 18, 2014
I loved this car had to get a bigger vehicle do to kids older and bigger other than that no complaints durable and reliable easy to park and navigates well in traffic and gets great gas mileage you won't be disappointed with car.Sep 18, 2014
by Anonymous
Mar 21, 2014
I'm going to miss this car with all of my being. It was a great ride, and I'm sad to let her go! Since I'm no longer working out of town, it didn't make any sense for me to keep this car. I'm sorry to have to downsize, but it's time.Mar 21, 2014
by Anonymous
Feb 24, 2014
ive driven this car for the past 8 years its been great. just changed the brake pads. car runs great never had a problem with this car got sunroof which is fun. it is a manual 5 speed
which makes it fun to drive
Feb 24, 2014
by John H
Sep 18, 2013
A beautiful car to drive. I averaged between 25 - 30 mpg. It has a fabulous sound system. The handling is excellent with outstanding braking and overall safety. The Audi/ Porsche steering combined with 17 inch wheels provides outstanding control in all conditions.Sep 18, 2013
by Anonymous
Mar 12, 2013
Great, low cost sporty car. The turbo has good power. The ride is just right the cost of ownership is small. I have had no major repairs up to this point. Gets good gas milage. I would buy this car again.Mar 12, 2013
by Anonymous
Aug 30, 2012
The only thing I can say negatively about this car is that some parts are quite expensive to replace. The car over all is in good condition only having minor scratches and dings.if your looking for a reliable economical car this is it.Aug 30, 2012
by Cameron J
Feb 01, 2011
This car has been through quite a bit in the past few years...last year she got rear-ended, and we also had to replace the clutch after another minor collision. another wreck came around when she got T-boned by a ignorant college stucent. the headliner is falling apart and the glove box handle has been broken off by not realizing that the glove box was lockedFeb 01, 2011
by Elizabeth Ŋ
Jan 22, 2011
its a trooper i have put almost 100000 on the car and it wtill works. i have had to done a few repairs and they have been kind of costly but sincxec then it has been working wonderfully. and i love itJan 22, 2011
by Mikael G
Aug 25, 2010
Craquant, le cabriolet New Beetle ! Sa capote proéminente évoque en effet celle de la vraie 'cox' à moteur arrière. Un couvre chef électrique, contrairement à l'ancêtre, et plutôt bien isolé des bruits d'air. Le confort est donc d'un bon niveau, quoique les suspensions 'pompent' exagérément (châssis de Golf IV trop souple). La finition Carat est raffinée (cuir, régulateur de vitesse, radar de recul, jantes 17 pouces), alors que le 'vieux' moteur 1.6 fait encore preuve d'entrain.Aug 25, 2010
by Anonymous
May 20, 2010
i hope that no no one decides to buy this car. i have a 2003 volkswagen beele 2.0 4cyl and it is the worst car i guess it was great on gas for other people but it was horrible for me. I h ad to put $40 a week if not every 4 days. It is horrible driving around in it, you feel like you're in a car that's about to break down. It is very delicate and the engine is quite complicated for mehanics to want to fix. My transmission including my timing belt went out on me and i spend almost $3000 on fixing it. It's been 5 months since then and now i'm having problems again with this car, or maybe it's just my paranoia with this 2003 bettle that i have but honesty, i think there's another problem with the transmission.. Be very gentle on driving over bumps and what not on the road because there is a possibility your car can end up at the mechanic again especially if you drive over that bump too fast. Don't even get me stated on it's acceleration. It's horrible and the body is so heavy that you need to watch how well you drive this car because you can't just put your foot down and expect it to drive as fast as everyone else on the road,(at first) it's gradual with this car. Drivers with this model need to be very patient with it, if you're willing to keep it.
My suggestion is invest in an American car in this economy or buy a car that mechanics are willing to fix ; whereas, for me, two mechanics actually refused to work on it because of how much labor they'd hav to spend on taking parts apart and them being unsure of whether or not they'd be doing a good job. Don't go to mechanics who haven't had experience with fixing german cars, or else you'll just end up with a worse car at the end.
if you like cars that others can't steal, definitely buy this car. Buy the Turbo, that's better than this model.
if you ask me for me opinion, This car IS NOT WORTH all the stress,time, and energy you'll get whether it takes a crap on you or not.Trust, you'll experience problem after problem with this car. May 20, 2010
by Emir B
May 16, 2010
En sevdiğim olan Volkswagen'den müthiş bir spor,güzel,hoş ve benim tarafımdan çok beğenilen çok güzel, müthiş, eğlenceli süper, üstü açılıp kapanan, çok hoş, göz alıcı, muhteşem bir araba.............................:)bu arabayı alsaydım çok iyi kullanırdım.........................:):):):):):):)Yalnız bu araba 2003 modeldir.May 16, 2010
by Jeanine G
Mar 08, 2010
The Performance is really pretty awesome, it does very
well on straight aways and up hill, down hill, and around
tough curves. its wide stance seems to help a lot with
balance. Build Quality- i have had to replace the door latch
because it shorted out, but found everything I needed on
VWvortex.com That site is a GodSend I had to replace the
belly pans because I hit ice and it tore into my belt...it
seems to be a Warm Weather Car, but still handles really
well in the snow. The Appearance is really cute with the
blinkers in the front like Freckles and when I replaces the
headlights i could change light color in the blinkers there
and just connect then to my funning lights. Anything that
breaks is rather pricey but VW has Quality parts. Over all
this is an awesome car and I wouldn't trade it for
anything!!Mar 08, 2010
by Erica L
Feb 19, 2010
I loved my car, it was me it was very dependable and i
loved it, but i got in a wreck and it was taken from
me:( but it was way fun to drive!! buy one! i miss mine
lots!Feb 19, 2010
by Denise N
Dec 02, 2009
my car rocks because what other car can you drive and make other people hit each other!!!! Slug Bug! and the yellow color reflects my sunny out look on life in general : ) and the gas mileage is now too bad either. Dec 02, 2009
by Charisse D
Sep 27, 2009
Good aceleration. Great breaking and handling.
The only repairs it has need so far is 1 or 2 bulb replacements.
I like the exterior color an I absolutley love the interior!
It's so pretty.
It goods good gas mileage although it does need 91 or higher octane rating in gas.
It's super fun to drive. I love it!
Good for short trips or long trips!Sep 27, 2009
by Anonymous
Sep 04, 2009
Oh man. . . My 2003 Turbo S bug is my first car, but my mom has a new Mustang, and I know I'm a bit biased, but mine is so much better. It drives better, accelerates faster, and gets better gas mileage. It's bright blue so it's very easily distinguishable and looks fun and peppy. Which is my personality to a tee. And even though it's really not, the interior looks as if it were personalized just for my car. Which is absolutely awesome. The rear spoiler confused me to death at first, but once I read the owner's manual and found out what it was, I think it's cool and all of my friends are amazed :P They all want to ride with me everywhere I go. . . Which leads to the only problem--It doesn't hold quite enough people!Sep 04, 2009
by Tanya P
Aug 22, 2009
zta bn wapizi tdo zta woow..es bn rapidoo..es agil..cabe dond sea i es perfecto para mii apart su sonio tmb pf otro nivel..m enkanta pke t sientes bn peke por la altura d su techo i sus interiores son senciilos pro lindos.. jajaja lo amooo...Aug 22, 2009
by Brittany G
Jul 23, 2009
Ok at acceleration, fast once it speeds up. Transmission catches sometimes when trying to speed up from a slow speed too fast. The Cup holders SUCK!!!! The cream seats suck because they attract too many stains. Gas is great, and yes it's fun to drive!! :)Jul 23, 2009
by Ricardo M
May 11, 2009
love this car! i never thought a stock beetle would be this quick! when it's running right the ride is perfect!! this car is so fun to drive! gas mileage is great and you should just have to do the regular scheduled maintenance. i've had to repair it a couple times already! the water pump has gone out twice and i did a partial rebuild of the motor and at about 120 thousand miles i am replacing the clutch and flywheel! the interior and exterior are perfect and nothing beats the sound of my turbo winding up!!!May 11, 2009
by Carmen H
Apr 23, 2009
my car is the best looking beetle around it is the top line of the beetles in the USA it is 180hp 210 torque it is a blast to drive i love taking it up the canyon or on the black top Apr 23, 2009
by Anonymous
Nov 16, 2008
We special ordered this new beetle that runs on diesel. We get 45 - 55 miles per gallon which is awesome with today's economy! It handles awesome and is fun to drive. The only real downfall is how cheaply the interior knobs are. We've had them fixed a couple times while it was still under warranty. We were thinking of trading it for a diesel passat, but the VW salesman suggested going with a Nissan or Toyota car because of the cheap interier in the VW cars. Decided we'd just keep the bug and plan to use it for our son when he starts to drive in a couple years. Very reliable!Nov 16, 2008
by Helen W
Aug 17, 2008
lovely curvy appearance, not a corner on it inside or out, funky flower, people wave at you and bug punch each other when you drive by! its fun to drive and as a 1.9 tdi its quick too,. highly torqued and good mpg. I love it to bits would only swap it for another one. and with a child seat its great, what other car can you climb in and stand up in on rainy days!!! Built like a tank, strong and ealiy maintained. only issue is people on the road misjudge where it is and tend to hit it alot! Aug 17, 2008
by Ellen J
Jul 16, 2008
It is by far the best car i have ever owned... much better than the golf that it is based on...
don't believe anything you hear about them, they are fun to be in and handle really well, i have 17inch wheels on mine, which makes the ride much more positive.
As for interior space, i use mine to transport my 2 kids around in, and the 3 wheel pushchair.. weekly shop all with ease!Jul 16, 2008
by Michael M
Jun 30, 2008
Overall nice car, has weird querksJun 30, 2008
by Eric G
Jun 13, 2008
It gets me where I need to go and can hold my baseball equipment.Jun 13, 2008
by Anonymous
Jun 07, 2008
I just bought a Turbo S. I've never been a small car kind of guy and I have never owned a VW but this car kicks ass.Jun 07, 2008
by Nick F
Jun 05, 2008
I'm 6'6" and I still have headroom to spare. The Beetle is peppy, handles well and with the 5 speed and TDI I get a real world 45mpg! I love it!Jun 05, 2008
by Crystal H
Apr 06, 2008
it's a love hate relationship. love the 'cute' aspect of it, and the fact that EVERYONE i know can spot me...they all know my car. But I have had problems with lights, and other electrical things...and a problem with the room detaching from the rear window. 0.0. also, there are quite a few blind spots in the car, but it just takes time getting used to.Apr 06, 2008
by Scott O
Jan 17, 2008
Fun, eye catching, fast bug. Great Reflex Yellow color. This car was fun and always had people looking. Have to love the bug culture and the people. Just plain fun and peppy and hippyish... gotta love that. Great gas mileage. Negatives: huge dashboard and front windshield, sunshades often useless, bad turning radiusJan 17, 2008
by Qais S
Jan 07, 2008
Had this for 14 months, fun car, that broke down more than it shouldJan 07, 2008
Hello everyone, I am new to this so I hope I am doing this correctly. I'm 22 and have a 2003 1.6 beetle, sky blue. I love it, I have had it 2 years in July. Unfortunatley I've come across a problem which I have noticed it is common for the VW beetle to have. Basically my car alarm keeps going off randomally, aswell as every time I unlock the car and get inside it. I turn the alarm off by my fob key (pressing the unlock button), this works everytime but it is becoming very fustrating hearing and knowing the alarm will go off as soon as I put my key in the door or do it by my fob. Does anyone know what could be causing this? Could I disable the alarm all together some how to prevent this from happening and not speing loads of money at a local garage? Thanks for your time reading this. Abbey
I have a 2003 New Beetle Convertable with broken guides for the headliner, the plastic slides and coeds that go on either side and provide tension on the headliner. Volkswagen no longer makes the parts. Has anyone found a workaround?
EPC comes on sporadically. When lights are off, brake lights work. When lights are on, brake lights do not work, solid bar above the trunk is lighted and the license plate lights illuminate. Is the EPC sensing the short somewhere in the system. Is the light switch in need of being replaced? Many thanks
