1998 Volkswagen Beetle Reviews, Pricing & Specs
What owners say
"Overall, owners of the 1998 Volkswagen Beetle love its fun driving experience, reliability, and unique style, making it a great choice for a first car. Many drivers appreciate its excellent fuel economy and handling. However, some are frustrated with the maintenance costs and several design quirks, particularly concerning the interior quality and space."
I really love my bug. I love the style and color and general uniqueness. Great for a first car. It's really fuel efficient. Contrary to popular belief, this car handles great in the snow. I am from near buffalo and have never gotten stuck, even without snow tires.
March 24, 2015Great car and even at the high cost of diesel I fill up about once a month and get an average of 47 MPG
May 3, 2008Solid car, very fun to drive, still looks good, handles very welll for it's age, reasonable to maintain, parts are not very expensive, has had very few problems considering age & mileage, interior has held up well with all the abuse it gets.
January 23, 2009What owners say
I really love my bug. I love the style and color and general uniqueness. Great for a first car. It's really fuel efficient. Contrary to popular belief, this car handles great in the snow. I am from near buffalo and have never gotten stuck, even without snow tires.
March 24, 2015Great car and even at the high cost of diesel I fill up about once a month and get an average of 47 MPG
May 3, 2008Solid car, very fun to drive, still looks good, handles very welll for it's age, reasonable to maintain, parts are not very expensive, has had very few problems considering age & mileage, interior has held up well with all the abuse it gets.
January 23, 2009This is such a fun car to drive -- zippy as can be. As with most VWs, the plasticky interior is a bit cheap and shoddy - the dash is stupidly put- together (top dash panel clips broke during an AC/fan repair and are tough to replace) and the fabric on the ceiling is falling off. Even all the plastic molding and covers in the engine compartment are, in my opinion, unnecessary. Mechanically, the car is fabulous. I love it!
February 24, 2008The best car I ever owned! Fast, performant, nice interior, comfy, reliable and ... SAFE! The next one will be turbo!
January 3, 2008This was my first car and for sure a perfect match for me. I've had so much fun with this lil' red one and miss it BIG TIME. It's now cruising Malibu Canyon, Pacific Coast Highway and Sunset Blvd. with the new happy owner :o) Miss you bud!
April 25, 2008Performance was adequate for a city environment...good brakes and handling. Rudimentary traction control took a little getting used to. The build quality was decent but a few frustrating things broke...gas filler cable, back hatch latch, hood latch, to name a few. It was decent on gas...fun to drive...easy to park. The fact that I could drive it (6'4", 275lbs) as easily as the wife (5' nuthin') made it a good fit for our family. Rear seating wasn't great but enough for short runs. It did well in the snow, too. Being the first year model for the New Beetle, it did have it's quirks and bad habits, but all-in-all it was a decent car. Heck, we ended up buying a 2005 and 2007 Beetle...and we might buy yet another!
October 17, 2010great turning ratios,handles great,good gas mileage. High maitenance,lots of plastic pieces and fiberglass.defrost isnt that great.back seat has bad ventialtion and heater dosnt reach back seat. Cup holders are too small under radio and none for back seat.Hard for people to get in and out of back seat. --Fun to drive,easy to drive,super cute car,my 98 still looks like a brand new one.I love the flower vase and driving it daily.--Not a country car,best on only paved roads,does badly on snowy icey roads--
November 19, 2008I like this car when it runs good, but when it breaks it really breaks. It also is very expensive to fix it never knew that until I owned one. Besides that it gets great gas mileage. Get one if you like being safe cause it is
July 9, 2009Amazing drive, awesome handling, steering responsiveness, braking. Excellent looks. Not so reliable. Expensive to repair.
May 19, 2008
