2004 Volkswagen New Beetle Coupe 1.8L Turbo 4AT
Unverified
All photo credits
- Photo: 2010 Volkswagen New Beetle in Salsa Red, Front Left, 06-17-2022 by Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Photo: VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE China (10) by Dinkun Chen, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Photo: 2009 Volkswagen New Beetle sedan, rear right, 09-06-2025 by MercurySable99, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Photo: Armaturenbrett VW New Beetle 20210524 DSC09764 by PantheraLeo1359531, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle Coupe 1.8L Turbo 4AT is a 150-hp 1.8-liter turbocharged inline-4 coupe with a 4-speed automatic and front-wheel drive. It is rated at 23 mpg combined.
It makes 150 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 162 lb-ft of torque at 2200 rpm. EPA fuel-economy estimates are 20 mpg city and 27 mpg highway (23 mpg combined).
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Vehicle | |
| Body Type | Coupe |
| Powertrain | Gas |
| Engine | |
| Engine Type | 1.8L DOHC 20-valve turbocharged inline-4 |
| Displacement | 1.8 L |
| Horsepower | 150 hp @ 5,800 rpm |
| Torque | 162 lb-ft @ 2200 rpm |
| Valvetrain | DOHC 20-valve |
| Drivetrain | |
| Drive Type | Front-wheel drive |
| Transmission | |
| Transmission | 4-speed automatic |
| Fuel Economy | |
| City | 20 MPG |
| Highway | 27 MPG |
| Combined | 23 MPG |
| Recommended Fuel | Premium unleaded gasoline |
Similar cars
Rivals to the 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle Coupe 1.8L Turbo 4AT with similar size, power and price from around the same years.
Safety & Recalls
NCAP safety ratings
| Overall | Not rated |
| Frontal crash | Not rated |
| Frontal – driver | ★★★★★ |
| Frontal – passenger | ★★★★★ |
| Side crash | Not rated |
| Rollover | Not rated |
Other tested variants (1)
- 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle Convertible w/SAB: overall not rated
Recalls
2 recalls on file with NHTSA for the 2004 Volkswagen NEW BEETLE. Not every recall applies to every trim or VIN — check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Dec 4, 2003 · EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE TIRE INFORMATION LABEL IS INCORRECT IDENTIFYING THE VEHICLE AS A FIVE-PASSENGER VEHICLE, INSTEAD OF A FOUR-PASSENGER VEHICLE.
Consequence: EXCEEDING THE CORRECT SEATING CAPACITY IN A VEHICLE PUTS OCCUPANTS AT RISK FOR INJURY IN A CRASH, AND CAN RESULT IN VEHICLE OVERLOADING, WHICH CAN AFFECT VEHICLE HANDLING AND PUT YOU AT RISK FOR A CRASH.
Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE SENT A NEW LABEL AND INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 9, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT VWOA AT 1-800-822-8987.
NHTSA campaign 03V508000
Sep 29, 2003 · AIR BAGS
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE PASSENGER DETECTION FUNCTION OF THE PASSIVE OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM (PODS) MAY BECOME DISABLED.
Consequence: SHOULD THE PODS CONTROL UNIT MALFUNCTION, THE AIR BAG SYSTEM IN THE VEHICLE WILL NOT WORK AS DESIGNED AND MAY NOT BE ABLE TO PROPERLY PROTECT OCCUPANTS IN A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE PODS. OWNER NOTIFICATION ORIGINALLY BEGAN OCTOBER 3, 2003. VW HAS DETERMINED THAT ADDITIONAL VEHICLES NEED TO BE REPAIRED. THE RECALL FOR THE ADDITIONAL VEHICLES IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON DECEMBER 17, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT VWOA AT 1-800-822-8987.
NHTSA campaign 03V356000
361 owner complaints to NHTSA for the 2004 Volkswagen NEW BEETLE
Owner Complaints
361 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2004 Volkswagen NEW BEETLE (7 mention a crash, 13 a fire, 2 an injury). See all on nhtsa.gov
| Power Train | 158 |
| Air Bags | 75 |
| Visibility | 68 |
| Electrical System | 47 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 21 |
| Structure | 18 |
Complaints are unverified reports submitted to NHTSA by owners. They cover the whole model year, not a specific trim, and a count alone doesn't show how common a problem is.
Source: US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (nhtsa.gov), matched as 2004 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE. US-market vehicles only; data cached for up to 7 days.